I have 16 plants, some 30 years old. I don't wash them. I spread them on a sheet pan, look at them very close, pick out bad ones. If I have to pick them when wet I lay a paper towel under them on sheet pan, let them dry. My favorite storage is zip lock plastic containers, or the zipper freezer bag. My main use is smoothies. If using from a frozen state in pies, I thaw some on burner slowly with sugar, spices, a little butter till they get juicy,then thicken with corn starch or flour,then add the rest of the frozen berries to the thicken berries. That seems to keep some berries whole in the pie filling. Ps my berries are not sprayed with chemicals.