Tip Tuesday – Seasonal Clothing Swap, Part Two

Here is Part TWO of my Rules for the Seasonal Clothing Swap!

STORE: You have CLEANED, EDITED and SEPARATED your clothing. Now you can store your current items in your closet, shelves, and drawers.

FOOTWEAR: I usually start here to plan where shoes and boots will live. Boots take up much more room than summer sandals so it is important to consider this when planning your space. Get rid of the shoeboxes and try to display footwear heel-to-toe.

HANG: It is easiest to HANG as much of your clothing as you can. Bonus points if all the hangers match! Hanging makes it effortless to see and choose your garments. Plus, hanging items are much less likely to wrinkle. Plan out your hanging clothes in this order:

• Start with your LONG hanging first, like dresses and long cardigans.
• Next are skirts, which may also need long hanging. Try to keep them all together if possible. And yes, separate your suiting. It will give you an opportunity to wear those pieces in new ways.
• Then hang the things you wear on TOP: blazers/jackets, blouses, casual tops, tees, shells, etc. Organize them together, long sleeve, then short sleeve, then sleeveless. Bonus points if you group them by color too!
• IF there is still space on your rod, then you can add in other things that you would like to be wrinkle-free and easy to see: pashminas, tennis clothes, workout wear, logo tees, etc.

TOP TIP: If your closet is adjustable don’t hesitate to move rods and shelves around to maximize your space.

FOLD: Next store folded items like jeans or sweaters, on shelves or in drawers. It can be helpful to use shelf dividers to keep stacks in line. Try not to stack more than 9” tall. In drawers, use drawer dividers to keep your “file-folded” items lined up and easy to identify.

BINS: Bins are a great solution to store belts, scarves, swimwear, shapewear, off-season items or anything that you may not need to keep perfectly folded. It is also much easier to get a bin down from a high shelf than a pile.

Always use the same kind of bin or basket for uniformity and make sure they are boldly labeled.

FINAL STEP! When your “seasonal switch” is over there is one last KEY step to do! Go through and put all the hangers on the rail “backward” so the hook is facing out. After you wear and wash your clothes, you can then return them to the rail the “normal” way. This simple cost-free idea makes it effortless for you to see what you’ve REALLY been wearing at the end of a season.

As for items in drawers, I use a small piece of painter’s tape to tape my garments closed. The same rules apply for use: wear it, wash it, and anything with tape on it at the end of a season becomes an excellent candidate for donation!

SHORT-TERM STORAGE: Ideally, you can keep everything on hangers and just switch seasonal items from your storage rail to your current closet. Clothes in drawers can be stored in lidded bins.

LONG-TERM STORAGE: If garments must be stored in an attic or basement, protect your hanging off-season clothes with a garment bag. For folded clothes, use sturdy lidded plastic boxes that can stack. Bonus points if you put a linen bag in each storage container with plain white chalk to help absorb moisture, or use silica packets.

SPACE BAGS: Do NOT put clothes you care about in space bags! I have seen too many impossible wrinkles and funny-smelling items come out after a season in storage. I am not a fan!

There you have it, my complete guide to your “Seasonal Clothing Swap.” To get lots more information, ideas, and tips every single Tuesday, please sign up at Simplify You. And to get your individual questions answered, join my vibrant FB group, “Organizing Solutions with C.Lee of Simplify You.”