The Seasonal Switch
Tricks to Maintaining Your Closet Year Round
Well, it’s that time of year again! As the seasons change, so do our wardrobes to keep up with the weather and the styles. If you’re like me with a closet on the smaller side, seasonal switches are a necessity for my sanity. I love, repeat LOVE, a sweater, so these make up most of my winter clothing selection. I simply do not have room for my droves of sweaters alongside my summer clothing. Enter in the seasonal switch.
Taking time to rotate your clothing is not only practical, but also the perfect opportunity to refresh your wardrobe and declutter your closet. Depending on your closet and storage space this can look different, but with the right systems in place, seasonal clothing rotation can be a total breeze.
Tell me what you want, what you really really want.
Are you looking to shift your closet around in a way that makes more sense? Do you need items to be more accessible in the current season? Are you looking to gain more space and store away your off-season clothing? Are you eager to purge a lot of your clothes you’re no longer wearing?
Before you dive in, think about what you want to accomplish in the space and consider what needs to be most accessible for your day-to-day. Take a moment to think about the upcoming season, your lifestyle, what you are using and in need of most often. If you are planning on storing your clothing, consider things like upcoming special events or travel that may require specific pieces you’re storing away. Setting aside time to review your needs can set you up for success when it comes to rearranging your closet, making the process as seamless as possible.
Declutter and Purge
One of the best opportunities to declutter your closet is when you go to switch your current season out. As you look through your pieces and take out items to store, set aside any articles that no longer fit, are out of style, have holes/stains, or you no longer wear. This not only makes your wardrobe more manageable but it gives you a fresh start for the season ahead.
Tip: One of our top hacks that we recommend to clients having trouble letting go of clothing is to turn their hanger hooks around in their entire closet. Give yourself an appropriate length of time to wear your closet-- we usually recommend 6 months max as that gives you more than a whole season to wear a piece.
As you pull items out to wear them, hang them back on the rod with the hook the correct way. After 6 months, look at any pieces that remain unchanged. Surprise! This is your tell-tale sign to let go of it!
Refreshing the Space You Have
Clothing dividers:
We recommend organizing clothing closets into categories and utilizing these super handy clothing dividers to keep things neat and in order.
Some examples of categories are: Pants, long sleeve button down tops, dresses, cardigans, jackets, hoodies and so on. You can go as micro detailed as you would like or keep broad categories like bottoms, tops, dresses, etc. Throw on some labels and you have an instant glow up!
Unifying hangers:
First of all, this isn’t just because it looks fabulous, which it absolutely does but.... Velvet or slim-line plastic hangers save so much space in a closet giving you more real estate for your wardrobe. Our typical go to’s are velvet, which come in several color options.
We often find some people, particularly for men, are not a fan of the non-slip velvet. When this is the case, for couples, we will pair a velvet style for one spouse's side of a closet with a matching colored (slim style) plastic hanger like these from Amazon for the other. Aesthetically, it all still matches, saves space, and everyone’s happy!
A few of our favs:
Accessibility:
If you have a closet large enough to store all of the seasons, we recommend swapping your current season to the most convenient location of your closet. This not only makes things more accessible, but it gives you the opportunity twice a year to give a once over glace on anything you may want to let go of.
Removing Clothing for Seasonal Storage
As you pull everything out, organize your clothing into piles by category (tops, bottoms, dresses, shoes, scarves etc). Getting items grouped together not only makes it easier to find in a pinch but will set you up for success when you unload your stored clothing during the next swap.
Storage solutions that work for you!
You may have a lot of options where you can store seasonal clothes (hello glam walk-in closet) or you may be the opposite and only have limited space (if this is you, you’re in good company friend). We have several favorites depending on the space you have. Investing in quality storage solutions makes a world of difference not only for utilizing space to the fullest but also to protect your clothing in the off season.
Clear Plastic Bins: We love clear bins and the fact that they allow you to see what's inside without opening them. There are also tons of options to choose from in every shape and size!
Under-Bed Storage: Utilize the space under your bed to store off-season shoes or clothing items.
Vacuum-Sealed Bags: As I mentioned before, I love a sweater, so this is what I personally use. I pack all my seasonal items, specifically my bulkier items, in these and place them in the plastic under the bed totes I mentioned above. These are great for storing bulky items like sweaters and jackets. They compress the clothing, saving space and protecting it from dust and moisture.
Weather tight totes: These are essential in fully protecting your clothing in spaces like basements, attics and anywhere in your home. They offer amazing protection from moisture and pests with their sealed lid! We love how durable these are and how many sizing options they come in.
Garment Bags: Ideal for storing delicate or formal clothing items, garment bags protect them from dust and damage. Hang them in a cool, dry place to maintain their condition.
Label Time!
Once you have the right bins, be sure to label the categories for easy access and to assist in quick packing during the next seasonal swap! Here’s a link to our absolute favorite label maker- we love how customizable the labels are and the label sizing options! Or for our even more budget friendly label maker go with this one! Be advised the largest width is .5 inch for the labels though for this printer.
Type A Tip:
Label one side or end of your bins with one season’s articles (i.e. Fall + Winter Dresses) and the opposite side the alternate season (i.e. Spring + Summer Dresses). Then flip which side is exposed at the appropriate season to avoid cluttering up the labels. Click the picture to shop the space!
Protect your clothing in storage!
Aside from gaining space in your closet, you want to make sure the clothes you are storing stay protected! A few tips to consider are:
Clean all your clothes before storing: Stains left untreated can set over time and become more difficult to remove.
Make sure your bins are clean and dried: If there is moisture or debris in the bins, this can lead to mildew growing on your clothes, or damage and stains to the fabrics.
Proper folding: Fold clothes neatly to avoid unwanted creases and wrinkles.
Climate control: Store clothes in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and fluctuating temperatures. If your best option is to store your clothing in basements or attics that aren’t temp controlled, we highly recommend you consider weathertight totes. They keep the moisture out and the dreaded pests away! As someone who says no 🙅🏼♀️ 🕷️to spiders- this is a must for me.
Pest prevention: Use cedar blocks, lavender sachets, charcoal bags or other natural deterrents to keep moths and other pests away from your clothes. We love these in closets and drawers too- plus they smell amazing!
What do I do with the clothes I want to let go of?
Donate or sell them!
When donating items, choose organizations that align with your values and will benefit from your donations. This can make the process of letting go of items so much easier. It always helps me knowing the items I am giving away will be put to good use and serve others.
Here’s a list of community partners in Nashville we love donating to.
If you’re looking to sell some of your clothing, there are many online platforms now to easily sell your items. Poshmark is what I use personally. I love how easy it is to post my items and all I have to do is print the prepaid label to ship my item. Easy as pie!
A little Ted Talk on selling items: …Also, am I allowed to say this? That’s not like copyrighted or something since its a common phrase now, right? 🤔💭
Selling can be complicated and we don’t recommend keeping large quantities of things you might “eventually sell”. This typically does a disservice to one’s decluttering goals, causing more harm than good. With that being said, selling can do great wonders to make back a little bit of money that you may have lost on an item.
What do we recommend? Set yourself boundaries and a time limit.
I personally allow myself one bin of clothes that are my “to sell on poshmark”. This box lives in an under the bed storage bin. While I perform my seasonal clothing switch, I separate out any pieces I would like to sell (for me I would have to make a certain amount of money on it for it to be worth my time. Time is just as valuable to me as the money I would make!). I post all these items on Poshmark and put them in the bin under my bed. Any items that don’t sell in 6 months, still sitting in the bin from the last time I did my seasonal swap, I donate!
Keeping up with your newly organized closet
All of these tips and tricks don’t need to be limited to just two times a year. It’s good to get in the habit of regularly addressing your clothing collection, editing out the excess no longer suiting you, or shifting things around to better fit your day-to-day needs. A well-organized closet not only makes it easier to find what you need but also helps you make the most of your wardrobe!
Take the time to do it right- I promise it will be worth it and your future self will thank you for it!
