Clean Your Hand Knits Before Putting Them Away
If you do nothing else before popping your woolen treasures into storage, make sure they’re clean. If you pack them up with dirt, dead skin, body oils, perspiration, spilled food, or other stuff on them, those substances will have months to sink into the wool. That can make stains more durable and cause smells to linger. Worse, little bits of dead skin and oil can attract critters.
Take Steps To Prevent Visits From Pests
One option is to use cedar. I have a cedar chest that I store special linens in, and the scent of that cedar helps keep away moths, silverfish, carpet beetles, and more. You can also use cedar sachets. If that's not enough, consider using chemical mothballs.
Hand knit items are full of little nooks and crannies where things love to grow in the dark and the damp. If you live somewhere damp, consider packing your hand knits with silica packets or other desiccants to keep them protected. You probably also don’t want to store them on the floor of your basement, where moisture tends to lurk.
Store in a Cool, Dry Place
Lastly, consider storing smaller items in airtight containers. I keep my smaller knits, like socks and fingerless mitts, sealed up in gallon-sized Ziplock bags. That helps keep pests out and prevents odors from sinking in, too. It might be overkill, but I’d rather play it safe than sorry.