I just thought I would add a note of caution...I live in what is officially known as High Desert country. It is generally dry although we do get snow and rain in the fall and winter. But bugs, in general are not really a bad problem--I've not been bitten by a mosquito for years and years.

I had a beautiful silver-grey wool coat that got chewed on even though it was prominent in my closet and constantly exposed to light and movement.

In retaliation I bought a bag of hamster litter...100% cedar shavings...and partially filled the foot section of old, snagged, women's nylons with the chips. I had several of these which I hung in the closet next to my other jacket--a beautiful whisky coloured pinstriped wool.

I could smell the cedar when I opened the closet. But I did not change the chips all that winter and again the moths got to my jacket.

The moral is that if you are going to rely on cedar planks, hangers balls, or chips...they have to be sanded or refreshed often. Once every couple of weeks wouldn't be too often.

Preventing access...by storing in a bag or a chest (with plenty of fresh cedar smell) will always be helpful. But it is interesting to note that it is the small moths that do the damage--the ones that are about a quarter inch long. Or so I've been told by a woolen expert. So airtight bags or compartments would probably be better than not.

That said, because I am using garment bags that have some small openings around the hanger, I am making sure the cedar smell is as potent as I can get it. Any moth that sticks its antennae in one of those small opening is gonna get a snootful.

I am hopeful...

PS...not only are the volatile compounds in mothballs toxic to animals and humans, it really smells a lot worse than the cedar.