Fall is here - finally! I'm ready to pull out the fun fall activities and of course - the fall clothes. My primary closet is not large enough to store all my clothing at once - I need to keep my fall and winter gear separate from my closet when it's not in season.
I don't like the clutter that comes from having all of my things in one space at a time. I like my spaces edited and tidy. The more clothing there is, the more mess! Plus, it is kind of fun to pull out clothes at the beginning of a new season and be pleasantly surprised by finding a sweater or dress I had forgotten about.
I have a yearly ritual which is that on the first weekend of October every year, I sort through the clothes in my closet. I have a very small closet and it forces me to keep the number of items I have in check. These are the steps I follow to get my closet ready for the changing season.
How I Transition My Summer to Fall Clothes
1. First, I pull out my winter clothes from past years BEFORE making any impulse purchases from some of the darling fashion bloggers I follow on Instagram. Remembering the clothes I already have helps me to only make the best purchases.
2. I follow the one-in, one-out rule. I never buy more hangers (these are my favorite). I have a weakness for cute fall sweaters. If I find a sweater I love, great, but I need to be prepared to let go of something that hasn’t been worn recently.
3. Once I pull my winter clothes out, I designate a bag for donations and make a pile of winter clothing I want to keep on my bed.
4. I then go to my closet and do a ruthless edit. Anything that I only wear during the warmer months gets taken off the hanger and folded to be placed in the seasonal bin (I use these ones). And anything that I haven’t worn at all in the last year gets placed in the donation bag.
Because I do a thorough edit every six months, I already know which clothes have been less used. If you are having trouble truly acknowledging how long it has been since you’ve worn an item, I recommend turning all your hangers the wrong way. Each time you wear an item, put the hanger back the correct way. In six months when you do your next edit, it will be easy to see what clothing items have not been worn.
5. Pack up any summer hats, dresses, pajamas, shorts, sandals, and even workout clothes that you don’t anticipate wearing with the cooler seasons approaching. Go through every item and edit the things you don’t use and pack up the items you know you won’t miss till next April.
6. With your now empty hangers, hang the winter items in the appropriate spot in your closet.
Does this sound like something you could accomplish in a weekend? I love doing this, it really helps me see my clothes in a whole new light!
Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing business in Utah (Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Logan, Utah County, and St. George), California (Bay Area, Los Gatos, Hillsborough, Atherton, San Jose), Denver, CO, and Phoenix, AZ. She loves creating order and systems out of chaos. Her specialty is finding a way to continue the aesthetic of any home to every cupboard and drawer. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.
