Finally, build in a rhythm. Twice a year, when the clocks change, open the cupboard doors for an afternoon, refold what's in there and let the shelves air. It takes ten minutes and prevents the problem entirely.
How do I get a musty smell out of a duvet I can't wash?
Airing is your main tool: give it a full day outdoors in dry, moving air, or indoors by an open window with a fan, turning it so both sides get exposure. If the smell lingers, the bicarbonate of soda treatment — sprinkle, leave for hours, vacuum off thoroughly — will lift a surprising amount, and a professional launderer can handle anything precious or very large.
Are vacuum storage bags a bad idea?
They are brilliant for saving space over a few months, provided whatever goes in is completely dry and clean, but they are poor long-term homes for natural fibres. Down, wool and feather fillings need loft, and months of heavy compression leaves them flattened and slow to recover, while any trapped moisture has nowhere to go. If you use them, store for a season rather than years, and let the contents hang and breathe for a day before they go back on a bed.
Linen that smells of nothing at all is one of those small domestic luxuries you only notice when it's missing. It costs no money — only dry fabric, a bit of airflow, and the discipline to open a cupboard door twice a year.
