How to Switch Out Seasonal Clothing

Many of my clients have a difficult time getting rid of clothing.  Recently, I gave you some tips on how to decide whether or not to keep an article of clothing.  As you are switching out your seasonal clothes, refer back to those tips if you find yourself struggling to make decisions.

1.      Inventory – Pull out all of your summer clothes and look at them one at a time.  Here are some questions to ask yourself: Does it fit?  Is it in good condition or is it stained?  Is it still in style?  Do I love it?

2.      Donate – For items in good condition that you no longer want or need, collect them in a box for donation.

3.      Clean – Make sure that the clothing items you are about to pack away for the season are clean.  Stains can become more pronounced with time, and critters are less likely to become interested in clean clothing.

Under Bed Storage Chest

4.      Move Out – Depending on your available space, you can move your off-season clothing to a different area in your closet, another closet, under a bed, or pack them away.  If you are packing them away, make sure to protect them with garment bags or bins.  If you need to consolidate them, consider using Space Bags.  Avoid humid areas such as the basement or attic as this increases the chance of mold and mildew.

5.      Move In – Bring your winter clothing into your closet.  For all items on hangers, start by hanging them backwards (so the hanger hook is facing you).  Then after wearing an item, hang it back up the normal way.  At the end of the season, take a good hard look at the items whose hangers are still facing backwards.  This tells you that you went through the entire season without wearing the item(s) once.  Ask yourself why!

Donna Lindley, Certified Professional Organizer and owner of Rochester Hills, MI-based Organize Your World, Inc.

For more storage & organization ideas visit Organize-It.