First things first, put away the mothballs.
But are cedar chests as versatile as they’ve been made out to be through the years?
Textiles
Most people probably think of textiles when they think of a cedar chest.
Credit:Getty Images/PattieS
But you might want to think twice before you leave them in the chest too long.
“Older textiles can get staining on them from the cedar wood,” says Powell.
But that doesn’t mean you have to abandon the chest altogether.
Whatever the documents might be, they often find their way to a cedar chest for storage.
However, this isn’t always the best place for them.
The cedar wood will release acids over time that can damage paper.
That’s probably why people have put mothballs in their cedar chests for years.
But you don’t want a leather bag to dry out or it could become brittle and crack.
Plus, leather can take on the scent of cedar, which bothers some people.
Quilts
A cedar chest full ofquiltsfeels like a nostalgic memoryand it should stay in the past.
Just like other textiles, quilts can be easily damaged by the acidity within cedar chests.
If they aren’t properly protected, they can be damaged by the acidity within the cedar.
Powell recommends protecting dresses with a garment bag before you store them in a cedar chest.
