- filed under: Family Life, Organizing Tips & Tricks
How to Organize Seasonal Clothing
Organize Seasonal Clothing
With the changing of the seasons comes the bitter-sweet task of putting away all those sandals and sun hats and digging out all the boots and winter coats. The rotation of organizing seasonal clothing never seems to end and, with multiple children, the chore is compounded with storage for clothing to be worn in future years by a sibling. I’m an organized person, and even I find it exhausting to stay on top of it all, especially when there is limited space to stash it all. Here’s what has worked for me over the years when it’s time to organize seasonal clothing for storage. This post contains affiliate links for your convenance.
Donate or sell
When you commit to organize seasonal clothing, also take the time to sort what won’t be worn again. If there is no one in your house that can wear that coat, know that it will be happily accepted by any number of charities for a needy child next winter. If your child wore a pair of pants only once this season, chances are very good they are not worth saving for next year. Pass them on to a cousin or friend. It’s good karma and makes space for all the hand me downs you are receiving! Many charities in your community will even pick up items from your home so you don’t even have to get everyone out of the house to do a good deed! And don’t forget about your local “shop and swap” on Facebook or the increasingly popular Varagesale to connect with same stage parents in search of exactly what you are looking to get rid of!
Clean and sort
Launder everything that will be stored and sort like with like. Make piles of winter tops and sweaters, mitts and hats, ski gear and holiday party dresses. Once you can see how much you have (are you sure you really need to keep all this for next year?) look at what storage you have available to you.
Smart storage
Choose out of the way spaces to store off season items. If you don’t have a high shelf in your closet, now is the time to install one. Use often forgotten hide-aways, like the empty space under a bed frame, under bed storage boxes or a portable closet system that you can zip up and keep in your garage. Ziplock makes great Space Storage bags that can be used to compress your out of season storage into tidy bundles. And when you store everything, be sure to label it clearly so you are not frantic when you need whatever was that you are sure you wouldn’t need! Mabel’s Labels makes the BEST labels. Check out their labels here!
Think about your year ahead
In the Fall, as you swap everything over again, be sure to keep the essentials for any upcoming trips to warm climates in accessible bins. Not everything has to be at the ready, but you certainly don’t want the extra chore of undoing all this work for what is supposed to be a relaxing holiday. Plan ahead!
An organized closet means everyone has what they need, when they need it. And quite frankly, I’m a happier parent when the kids can get their own clothes in and out without my daily assistance.