As much as we want to hold onto summer, cooler nights will turn into cold weather, requiring a wardrobe change. Before you start switching out your closets from summer to fall, try some of these tips for best results.
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Start Fresh
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Do laundry first because you don’t want to store anything with stains. Not only could they get worse and pulling out dirty clothes in spring would be terrible, but clothing stains can attract insects.
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Sort
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Not everything needs to be packed away. Seasonal clothing changes are a great opportunity to weed out what you’re no longer wearing. If you didn’t wear an item at all during the summer, consider donating it to a charity. Why take up space with things you don’t wear?
Some people are trying a capsule wardrobe approach. This means paring down to what you actually wear. While a combination of 65 items total from a mix of tops, bottoms, shoes, dresses and jackets is a recommended number you can use whatever number you like. Items like workout clothes, swimsuits, underwear, pajamas, painting/messy work clothes, accessories, jewelry, etc. don’t count toward the number. The point is to make your life easier by avoiding excess.
Don’t pack summer clothes without thinking. Winter weather means layers so some warm weather clothing can be used year round. Tank tops and t-shirts can be layered under long-sleeved shirts, add extra comfort to a sweater, etc. Summer dresses can be paired with leggings, boots and a cardigan. Really look over your summer wardrobe, keep the items that can be layered in winter and pack the rest.
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Pack
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Now that you’ve separated your summer clothing in to piles of “get rid of,” “keep out for layering,” and “store for winter,” you can start packing. If you did the first step, everything should be clean. As you fold it, look for anything that needs a repair. Get it done now so unpacking is easier in the spring – or reevaluate and send it to the get-rid-of pile.
Pack your summer clothing into plastic bins or something similarly sturdy. That will keep insects from getting to it, protect it from water in the event of a leak, frozen pipe, etc. If you store with Box&Co., we send you plastic containers marked with an I.D. code so when you want them back, you request the specific bins and we deliver them to you.
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Clean
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While your closet is empty during the switch over, take the time to vacuum and dust it. No reason to return clean clothing to a dusty closet.
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Unpack
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When removing fall and winter clothing from storage, give it a quick inspection – especially if it was stored in cardboard boxes.
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Organize
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Try a new folding and storage method, both for what you’re putting into storage and for what you’re keeping around. Systems like the KonMari folding method often let you keep more in less space and keep it organized well. Others use the military roll or Army roll to accomplish the same thing a different way.
If you’re not sure how much of your wardrobe you wear regularly and want to eliminate waste, put clothing in your closet with the hanger backward so the open part is facing you on the rod. As you wear an item, flip the hanger. You’ll be able to see what you wear and what is just taking up space so you can get rid of the latter.
Box&Co Makes Summer Storage Easy
When you’re ready to store summer clothing, Box&Co can make things incredibly easy for you. All you have to do is ask for storage containers, and we’ll deliver them. Then, you pack your items and when you’re ready, we’ll pick your stuff up and store them. We’ll return your items when they’re needed, and you can keep track of your stored items online. To learn more about our on demand storage options, contact us today.
