A few years back, knitter Lily Chin wrote a humorous piece about where to store the yarn stash. She suggested using yarn as stuffing for pillows and commented that the oven would also hold quite a few skeins. Funny? Yes, but her article did point out the fact that finding storage space is not always easy. Spinners can have an even bigger problem with stash storage simply because fleeces and rovings take up so much more space than spun yarn.

Some spinners plan projects in advance and only buy materials for their planned projects. These spinners will have small, neatly organized stashes that will fit into a chest, a plastic storage bin or two, or a closet. At the other end of the spectrum are the spinners who like to explore fleeces from many different breeds of sheep, different types of fibers, and also raise fiber producing animals. These spinners try to keep it all neatly organized but there is just so much of it that space for it all becomes a major issue.

Space considerations aside, there is disagreement over the best way to store fibers. Some people will say that fleece needs to be washed for storage; others will say that storing grease fleece is perfectly all right. Some say don’t store fleece in plastic bags or bins, some will say storing fleece in plastic is fine. So the first thing you must decide is how you want to package your fleeces for storage: clean or in the grease? Then chose the type of container that works best for you: plastic bins or bags, cardboard boxes, pillow cases, something else? Finally, develop a good labeling system so you can easily tell what is in which container. The most important things to consider are theses: 1) Does your system keep your fibers safe from environmental damage, insect damage, rodents, and other varmints; and 2) Does your system work for you?

Once you have a system worked out, then the problem becomes one of finding space. Bags of any type tend to slide and can’t be stacked easily. Cardboard boxes are readily available and inexpensive but don’t stack well unless they are all the same size. Plastic storage bins take up a lot of room and can be expensive if you need very many. Before investing in storage materials it’s a good idea to go through your home and decide just where you are going to put your storage containers.

Some ideas:
1. The garage.
2. An outside storage shed or barn.
3. The attic or crawl space.
4. The basement.
5. Stacked along a wall in a seldom used room.
6. Under the beds.
7. Under any furniture where there’s space. Table skirts come in handy.
8. Check for space in the closets.
9. Any space in the trunk of the car?
10. Any space in the freezer?
11. Do you have a seldom used bathroom?
12. Suitcases make ideal places to store roving.
13. A basket collection adds storage space.
14. Any space on the bookcases?
15. Any extra space in the kitchen cabinets or the pantry?
16. Have a guest room? Put the stash on the bed, toss a bedspread over it.

I don’t recommend stashing fibers or yarn in the oven. Someone might actually turn it on and damage the stash!