Making Room for the Season Ahead

Time for a Closet Swap? A Gentle Guide to Changing Seasons

It’s getting colder out, which means it might be time to pull out those sweaters!

For some of us, that also means it’s time to swap out our closets because there simply isn’t room for every season of clothing at the same time.

If that sounds like you, let’s get started — and remember, this doesn’t have to be an all-day, take-everything-out-of-the-closet-at-once kind of project.

Start Small

Depending on the size of your closet, taking everything out at once and putting it all on your bed might feel overwhelming.

If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed by big projects, please don’t make this harder than it needs to be.

Start with one rod. Or one shelf.

Take everything off that rod or shelf and put it on your bed (or wherever you’re going to sort your clothes).

Since we’re doing a seasonal swap, only take out the things you wouldn’t wear in the upcoming season — summer clothes if we’re heading into fall or winter, for example.

Then, take a look at each item and ask yourself:

·         Do I still like it?

·         Does it still fit?

·         Is it in good condition?

·         Did I even wear it this past season?

And here’s the important part: there are no wrong answers.

If the answer is “no” to one of those questions, it might be time to let that item go.

That could mean giving it to someone who might get some use out of it or donating it. If it’s in really, really bad condition, maybe it can become cleaning rags. And sometimes, unfortunately, it just needs to be thrown away.

That’s okay, too.

If the answer is “yes,” leave it in your “keep” pile.

Some people might want to sort their clothes by color at this point. (That’s just me.)

Keep Going — One Section at a Time

Once you’ve finished with that rod or shelf, move on to the next one.

You don’t have to finish your entire closet in one sitting. You can take a break. Come back later. Do another shelf tomorrow.

The goal is to make your closet work better for you — not to create another overwhelming project.

Once you’ve decided which clothes are staying, put them back into the closet.

Then, when you’ve removed all of the current out-of-season clothes, put them into a container, storage bin, or compression bag and move them to another area — maybe the basement, another closet, or wherever you store seasonal things.

Now Bring Out the Next Season

Once the summer clothes are packed away, it’s time to bring out the fall and winter clothes.

And guess what?

You’re going to go through those, too.

Use the same questions:

·         Do I still like it?

·         Does it still fit?

·         Is it in good condition?

·         Did I wear it last season?

Because things change.

Your taste might have changed. Your size might have changed. Your lifestyle might have changed. Maybe you bought something that you love more. Or maybe you simply discovered that you never reached for that sweater last winter.

That’s okay.

We don’t have to keep things just because we’ve had them for a long time.

Give Your Clothes Some Breathing Room

One thing I really want to emphasize is this:

Don’t try to stuff more clothes into your closet than will comfortably fit.

You should be able to get your clothes in and out without having to fight with the hangers.

You should be able to see what you have.

And you should be able to reach for something without three other things falling on your head.

A closet doesn’t need to be packed completely full to be useful.

Make Room for What You Value

Going through your clothes at least once a season can be really helpful. Whether you’re swapping them out to make more room or simply giving your closet a little refresh.

If you aren’t wearing the clothes you have, they’re taking up valuable real estate in your closet.

And that space is valuable.

So, as you’re going through your clothes, try not to think about what you should keep or what you should get rid of.

Instead, ask yourself what you actually use, what you enjoy wearing, and what makes sense for your life right now.

Let there be room for what you value — not just stuff you don’t want to make decisions about.

And remember: you don’t have to do it all today.

One rod.

One shelf.

One small step at a time.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

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