Pulling out seasonal items from a closet is a great way to clear out everyday clutter.
These tips are meant for people with smaller, unconventional closet spaces, with storage space in another room/closet/basement/attic. If you don't have storage space, let's set up a FaceTime call so I can help you out.
A note, if I may....and I can...
Truthfully, writing a blog post about tips for changing out your seasonal wardrobe feels really unenlightened right now. I feel like any post I share that isn't from a Black voice isn't helping to drive the important conversations forward in America.
I'm finding out more about my own racist bullshit and working on becoming a better human. Doing the work is important and never ending, but sometimes I need a break from beating myself up for not knowing these things sooner, and breathe.
This is me breathing so I can rejoin the fight with full energy.
I believe Black Lives Matter. I'd be happy to discuss this topic with you more - white people especially. So, if you are interested to continue reading on knowing all of that...
You, Too, Can Be Accused of Organizational Witchcraft!
This weekend, it took me 30 minutes to swap out both my seasonal wardrobe and my husband's. That's 15 minutes per person. You may be thinking, "Thats witchcraft, burn her!" but I implore you to read on and find out how you, too, can be accused of organizational witchcraft!
Tip #1 - Give every person in your home a clean, durable, lidded bin.
Give each person a bin (or plural bins if you need) and tell them to fill it with obvious seasonal items to go into storage. Some people feel more comfortable storing shoes separately from clothes. You do you, just label it.
Dividing it per person will allow for ease in quickly accessing what you need in storage. If you really want to challenge yourself to keep a handle on the quantity of clothes/shoes, limit each person to one large bin, or two medium bins.
If you have growing kids, I'd recommend storing it by size instead of person.
Tip #2 - Label for your life, henny
Make sure you label each person's name (or size) on the bin so it is absolutely clear whose bin is whose.
Instead of specifying "Winter Clothes" or "Summer Clothes", use an evergreen label like "Seasonal Wardrobe" so it can be used to hold any season's clothing and shoes. You really only need to specify the seasons if you cant fit all of the current season's wardrobe into your closet. If you need more space for seasonal scarves, gloves, sunglasses, hats, etc., use a label like "Seasonal Accessories".
Tip #3 - Prep labels for year-round success
Oh, two of these tips are about labeling? Huh. Seems to be important.
If you have shelf space in your closet, I would highly recommend using a reversible label.
For instance, my canvas bins from Bed Bath and Beyond came with a pocket window for a label, so I cut a piece of paper to fit in there. I labeled one side as a winter weather category, and one side as a warm weather category. Simply flip the label around, swap out the contents and BOOM. Organized. One bin is used for storing scarves in the winter, and swimsuits in the summer. Another bin stores blanket scarves in the winter, and baseball hats in the summer. You get the idea.
Tip #4 - Remember vacations?
If you don't remember life pre-2020...There was a time where people would pay to travel to locations for relaxation. Or so I'm told...I went on vacation once. *sigh*
If you like to getaway for a beach vacation every year, keep your favorite swimsuits, sandals, and coverups accessible. Avid skier? Be sure to store your ski gear in a more accessible area during the winter. Maybe you have room in your closet for those items- which would be great! But it may still mean a bin in storage, but you can plan to make it more accessible area during the season.
Tip #5 - Seize the moment to declutter
Don't pack away disgusting snow boots, torn up clothing, or shoes you NEVER wore or will wear. Recycle and donate the items you can. If you will need to replace an item, make a note of it! Kyle and I have a shared Google Doc called "Would Be Nice To Have...". We go to it when we are looking to buy gifts for each other, when parents ask what we want for Christmas, and also as a reference/reminder of items that aren't urgent to replace. If you have seasonal decor to swap out, use the same judgement with items you no longer find useful. You can give these items a new life through the donation center of your choosing.
There are many more tips I could give, but truly it's best for me to give you personalized advice based on your photos. Feel free to reach out if you need help!
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