How to keep smoke odors out of stuff?

[Lindsey]

My boyfriend and I are moving out of our dorm room next Saturday and will be moving into an apartment for the summer. However, our lease doesn't start til June 1st, which is fine with us because we're going to be in China for academic reasons until June 3rd or so. This means we need to keep all our stuff somewhere for the weeks we're in China, since we have to empty and sign out of the dorm room before we go.

My parents offered to let me use a spare bathroom as a storage space, which would save me $100+ in storage fees. The only problem is that the entire house smells like smoke. I can't go home for a half hour without coming back smelling like tobacco smoke. I don't want to bring my stuff and leave it there for almost a month in cardboard boxes where they'll soak up all the odor. What's a good way to store things and keep odors out?

I'm thinking about buying vacuum-storage bags that shrink and stay airtight for the bedding and pillows, and maybe plastic storage bins for smaller things like desk supplies and stuff. Probably just going to put our clothes in suitcases and wash everything when we move out, since we can't afford vacuum bags for everything.

Anyone have other tips?

[Raveni]

Well, ozone generators would be more expensive than vacuum bags, so just be resigned to washing everything when you get back from China.

My parents were chain smokers when I was in college, and they wondered why I didn't come home with bags of dirty laundry like their friends' kids did. It's because even the washing machine would just infuse the smoke odors into the clothes and I'd have to wash everything again when I got back "home" to my dorm.

[csquared]

The vacuum storage bags are great, but can get expensive. Buy the heavy, lawn trash bags. Toss in a silica gel pack and seal them up.

[patiokitty]

Even the heavy trash bags can be used like vacuum storage bags if they're sturdy enough and you are careful to seal the opening tightly and quick. I did that when I was prepare for my last move as it made all my clothing that much easier to pack. I used elastic bands to help secure the bag opening around the vacuum nozzle, and used those same elastic bands to seal off the bag.

[Lindsey]

Quoth Raveni

My parents were chain smokers when I was in college, and they wondered why I didn't come home with bags of dirty laundry like their friends' kids did. It's because even the washing machine would just infuse the smoke odors into the clothes and I'd have to wash everything again when I got back "home" to my dorm.

I actually live in the same town as my parents and they always wonder why I go to the laundromat or use the campus laundry facilities for $3-$6 per load when I could bring my laundry home. I did it a few times when I was a college freshman, then stopped when one of my friends asked me when I started smoking -- my clothes always smelled like cigarettes after I did laundry with my parents.

I couldn't even notice the odor, since I had only been living away from home for weeks/a few months at that point and was still used to the way my parents' house smelled. I do notice the smell when I visit my parents now. I don't really have the heart to tell them that their house makes my laundry smell like musty old smoke, so I tell them that I prefer being financially independent (which is true, I don't mind paying for my laundry).

To everyone else, thanks for the suggestion of a thick garbage bag -- I hadn't thought about that at all but it sounds like it would work just as well. Where can I buy silica gel packs, though?

[MaggieTheCat]

I know some pet supplies stores will carry silica gel packs, you can find them near the litter/litterboxes because they can be used to help absorb those smells too. But you might also be able to get them at Wal-Mart/Target/etc.

[Lindsey]

Quoth MaggieTheCat

I know some pet supplies stores will carry silica gel packs, you can find them near the litter/litterboxes because they can be used to help absorb those smells too. But you might also be able to get them at Wal-Mart/Target/etc.

I'll check both when I go to pick up packing supplies this week. Thanks

[kpzra]

There are also charcoal packs by the coffee makers, that would help absorb odors. We used to use them in Alaska with the well water.

[Der Cute]

Silica thingies? Look in your OTC meds, script meds and shoe boxes.
Oh. And look in the cat supply aisle @ superstores, there are containers of straight silicone. You could try putting those in a sock, tie sock up, insert. Or pantyhose, something like that.

[RealUnimportant]

Make your own silica gel packs with odour-absorbant kitty litter?