Ways To Organize Your Closet When Transitioning Seasons

Each year, the average woman purchases 37 articles of clothing. While some of those items inevitably end up getting worn out and thrown away or donated after a period of time, many of them will be kept for multiple seasons. The accumulation of clothing can quickly lead to messy and disorganized closets. Fortunately, there are ways to organize your closet each season and keep it looking fresh and tidy year-round.

Top Ways To Organize Your Closet Each Season

One of the best ways to avoid closet clutter is to intentionally organize your old and new clothing every time the seasons change. Here are some of the top suggestions for closet organization when transitioning seasons.

Make It a One-Day Thing

Once you have a system in place for organizing your closet when the seasons change, you can probably do it all in one day! That means you’ll only need to reserve four days out of the year (one day for each season change) to keep your closet current and organized all year long.

One of the best ways to organize your closet each year is to schedule the event into your calendar. By setting and planning on a specific date, you’re less likely to blow it off. Most people find that it’s easier to schedule their closet transitioning day on a Saturday at the beginning of the season change instead of trying to do it on a weekday, but do what works best for you. The important thing is to just make sure it gets done!

Pull Everything Out of Your Closet

It may seem like a monumental task, but it’s important to pull everything out of your closet each time you transition to a new season. When you can see everything laid out all at once, it will help in the next step of the closet organization process.

Plus, you’ll want to dust and vacuum your closet while everything is pulled out of it. Without this important step, dust and other debris can accumulate in your closet and cause it to smell less than fresh. If you think you can adequately clean your closet while everything is still in it, think again! It's hard to reach dust and debris on the backs of shelves when you still have jeans and sweaters piled high on those shelves. Clearing everything out is the best way to achieve the highest level of cleanliness in your closet.

Decide What Clothes You Want To Store

One of the most important ways to organize your closet is to put the previous season’s clothing in storage so you have plenty of room for the current season’s pieces. Some types of clothing are obviously suited for just one season. Tank tops, for example, are purely a summertime staple, while heavy scarves are reserved for the winter season.

However, some clothing items aren’t so cut-and-dry. For example, a light denim jacket may be appropriate for spring, fall and warmer winter days. That means you may not want to put it in storage right away.

Additionally, transitioning from summer to fall doesn’t necessarily mean you should put all of your shorts and tank tops away. Depending on where you live, you may have some very warm fall days that call for summertime clothing.

To account for these types of scenarios, it’s a good idea to keep a few outfits from the previous season in your closet so they’re available if the need arises to wear them. However, the bulk of the previous season’s clothing can be safely stored away to leave more room for the current season’s.

Get Rid of Any Unwanted Items

When you’re looking for ways to organize your closet, you’ll need to be prepared to make some hard decisions. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to part with things, you may soon find that your closet is bursting with items you no longer wear. It’s best to get rid of those items that aren’t bringing you any happiness (in fact, they’re probably a big source of stress!)

Each season, carefully analyze your clothing items and determine which ones you no longer want or need. A good rule of thumb is to dispose of anything you haven’t worn in the past year. Don’t worry about waste. There’s no reason to throw a clothing item in the trash unless it’s visibly damaged. You can donate any unwanted items to charity.

If you’d like to get some money from your like-new but unwanted clothing, try selling it online. You can use local community pages on social media platforms to sell clothing to people in your community who want quality clothes for an affordable price. Just make sure you wash all clothing and remove stains before selling it. No one wants to buy a shirt with armpit stains!

Figure Out Your Preferred Storage Method for Out-of-Season Clothes

Now that you’ve narrowed down which out-of-season clothing items you want to keep, it’s time to figure out the best method of storage for them. You’ll need places to put your clothing if you’re looking for ways to organize your closet. Fortunately, there are many different storage options available. If you have an extra dresser, you can fold and keep out-of-season clothing in its drawers. Some people also like to hang out-of-season clothing in the closet of a spare bedroom so it’s out of the way but doesn’t require a lot of extra time to move from one location to another.  

Other storage methods for last season’s clothing items include labeled bins or even suitcases. If you opt for bins, try to find clear options that allow you to see the clothing items inside. Even with clear bins, though, you should label the exterior so you know at a glance which bins contain your favorite t-shirts and which hold your long-sleeved shirts.

No matter what method you use to store your clothing, keep in mind that stored clothing tends to develop a stale smell when it hasn’t been worn in a while. To prevent this from happening, invest in a few scented drawer sachets or potpourri pouches. You should only need to put one pouch or sachet into each storage container of clothing.

If you’re storing your clothing in an unused closet, there are air purifier bags and moisture absorber products you can use. These products prevent your clothes from getting mildewy or smelly during storage.

Wash Your Clothing Before Storage

There are many ways to organize your closet, but remember that it’s always best to wash your clothing before storage. It’s pretty unpleasant to pull a winter sweater out from storage only to be assaulted by lingering body odors and year-old sweat stains. It may seem like an unnecessary step, but washing your clothing before stowing it away is important. You’ll be happy you did it when it’s time to pull the clothing out again for the new season.

In addition to saving you time and effort when you pull your clothes out of storage, washing them before putting them into storage serves another important purpose: pest reduction. As gross as it sounds, bugs love to consume body oils and old skin cells found in the fibers of stored clothing. To avoid making your stored clothes a haven for bugs and pests of all kinds, take the time to wash them thoroughly before putting them away for the year.

Don’t Forget Your Shoes When Deciding on Ways To Organize Your Closet

You don’t want sandals cluttering your closet in the middle of winter, so it’s important to put them away along with the rest of your out-of-season clothes. Don’t make the mistake of storing shoes with other items of clothing, however. Shoes should always be stored on their own. They tend to be dirtier and smellier than other items of clothing, and you don’t want those smells to rub off on your favorite t-shirts.

Putting away old shoes is one of the best ways to organize your closet. Take the time to clean your shoes before storage just as you do with your clothes. Dirt can be very corrosive when left on your shoes for a long time. Sneakers can often be thrown in the washing machine, but other types of shoes may require more delicate cleaning methods.

You can use a soft-bristled brush and water to gently remove any dirt from the cracks and crevices of your shoes. If you’re unsure of what types of soaps you can safely use to clean your shoes, check out the shoe brand’s website. You may be able to find detailed cleaning instructions there. If not, use the least-harsh cleaning products available and avoid scrubbing the shoes too hard.

Never put your shoes away in storage until they are fully dried. To speed up the drying process, try using an electric boot-dryer or simply place your shoes over the nearest heating vent so they can be air-dried. Once they’re fully dry, you can store them away in a labeled storage container, box, closet or anywhere else you decide to stash them.

Utilize Your Under-Bed Space

There are still ways to organize your closet even if you’re tight on storage space. If you have no idea where to put your out-of-season clothing, don’t forget the unused space under your bed. If you haven't put it to another purpose, why not use it to store last season’s shoes and clothing? You’ll just need to make sure you purchase shorter and longer storage bins that will fit easily underneath your bed. Taking measurements in advance is essential for getting the right bin sizes.

Add Cedar Planks to Your Closet

Pests are drawn to stored clothing. It’s almost like they have a sixth sense that tells them which clothing items are most likely to be left untouched for the longest period of time. People used to use moth balls to keep pests away from their clothing. Fortunately, there are better (and less smelly!) ways to keep clothes fresh.

Adding a few cedar planks to your closet is a great way to freshen up your closet while repelling pests. Cedarwood has a delicious, almost spicy wood smell that humans love but pests hate. If you’re not sure how to naturally incorporate cedar planks into your closet without making it look weird, consider laying a few in a row and placing your shoes on top of them. The cedar planks will act like a shelf of sorts and help keep your shoes upright while keeping pests at bay.  

Keep Clothes Stored in a Clean, Dry, Dark Space

One of the worst ways to organize your closet is to store clothing directly in the sunlight. The sun’s harsh rays can cause clothing colors to fade and can leave your vibrant blue shirt looking more like a sky-blue shirt the next time you pull it out of storage. If possible, store last season’s clothes in a dark, dry space with minimal sunlight. Any type of closet without windows is a great option. Avoid storing dresses in dry-cleaning bags because those types of bags tend to lock in moisture (which is the last thing you want for your clothing!)

Unpack and Organize In-Season Clothes

Now that you’ve successfully packed away last season’s clothes, it’s time for the fun part: unpacking this season’s clothes! Lay all of the current season’s clothes out in one location so you can pick through them and decide which items you want to keep or donate.

One of the best ways to organize your closet for the new season is to keep like items in the same location. For example, all jeans should be in one location, all short-sleeved shirts in another place, and all tank-tops in their own spot. The goal should be to keep your closet looking tidy while making it easy for you to find the exact item of clothing you want, when you want it.

Stock Your Newly Organized Closet With Stylish Clothing

Now that you know some of the best ways to organize your closet, it’s time to fill it with stylish clothing! From dresses to blazers, find trendy, runway-worthy clothes at Kate Hewko.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/828040/average-number-of-clothing-items-purchased-by-women-us/

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-organize-your-closet-2648411

https://www.marthastewart.com/2124895/tips-transition-closet-between-seasons

https://handymanconnection.com/vancouverbc/articles/tips-on-organizing-closet-for-winter/