Most of us know that, at the end of the season, it’s time to swap out our wardrobes and put things away for storage. Winter jackets especially have minimal use throughout the rest of the year, but many of us tend to stuff these items away without even bothering to clean them first. Doing this can allow stains to set in, and can cause other damage to your clothes.

Before you even start to fold up your out-of-season clothes for storage, you’ll want to wash them all first. Some garments may require different cleaning methods, so pay attention to those as you sort through your clothing. Zip up any zippers before throwing clothes into the washing machine to help prevent damaging snags in the wash.

It’s only after you’ve washed everything that you’re ready to start sorting out your closet and storing your clothes for the season. When you care for them properly, your seasonal clothes will last even longer.