Tips to keep knit and woven items smelling fresh

With most of my projects made from wool, alpaca and natural fibers, moths can be a problem, especially because we live near the water. This means I have to store my knitted and woven items in bins, which can make the items smell like a bin - ew! - so I resort to my best remedy for making yarn smell better: I open a box of Dove white bar soap and, with the bar still in the box, put it in the bin with the yarn. I leave the Dove bar in the box so it doesn't rub off on the yarn. It works pretty well to keep the items smelling pleasant.

It is also more economical to cut the soap bar into chunks and wrap it in a cloth/wash cloth before putting it in with your yarn, if you want to save a little money. If you want a more floral smell, you can add a satchel of lavender in the bin along with the Dove. I find that lavender alone is a bit too strong in the quantity that I would need and the Dove has a more mild smell.

I never use mothballs because they are unhealthy and can be toxic. It's too much of a risk to the humans and cats in our house.

Do you have a method that works to keep your knit and woven items smelling fresh? Please share it below. I'm always looking for great tips!