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May 1, 2014
Spring Closet Cleaning


spring cleaning, closet organization, changing seasons in your closet


It’s officially Spring! Well, in my book anyway. May marks the end of anything that might require a boot, heavy coat, or dare I say it .. pair of gloves. That means it’s time for me to do my bi-annual “closet switch” … and this one is definitely my favorite of the two!

Moving to Chicago was a big change for me seasonally and something I really had to adjust for in terms of my wardrobe. I moved here with 12+ pairs of peep toe shoes, one pair of boots, and 2 pairs of closed toed heels.. can you say #imfromthesouth? I had never really experienced all 4 seasons prior to living here and I had to adjust accordingly! I also have about 1/4 of the size of closet and storage space, so I really have to make the most of it! It has become absolutely necessary to rearrange my closet when the seasons change and also is an exciting milestone to say goodbye to winter.

I’ve picked up a couple of helpful tips along the way that I thought I’d share for everyone else who has to make this big switch too! Not only do these things make a big difference come Fall, but I really believe in being able to physically see all of your favorite pieces. It helps make it much easier to be creative, especially if you’re as visually driven as I am!

SEASON CHANGING TIPS

•  Take your boots to the cobbler and as for them to be cleaned and fix the soles/heel tips. This only costs about $10-15 per pair of shoes and truly prepares them for another season of wear. Why now and not later? 2 reasons. You invested money in them and proper care WILL extend the wear. It’s how you build a shoe collection over time. Also, come Fall you won’t want to spend $60 on fixing up your old shoes, you will want new ones so take care of it now.

•  Store your boots with boot shapers inside and cover them so that they don’t pick up dust and dirt now that they’re clean. If you still have the old boxes they came in, store them away like they’re new shoes at a store. If you don’t have molds, I use thicker tissue paper and stuff them in the boot to help them keep they’re shape

•  Store your hats/mittens/winter scarves and gloves in a shoebox lined with tissue paper after gently washing them. Have you washed them all winter? No, right? You don’t want all of that dirt to sit for another half a year! Keeping them all together ensures you won’t lose that one, glove… that’s the worst.

•  Pull our your Spring stuff and decide what you’re excited about wearing again. If you’re not excited about it and you didn’t wear it last year, there’s a good chance you won’t ever wear it again. Put those in a pile to sell or give away. Find the nearest Goodwill or local clothes dropoff spot near you. Please, please don’t throw away any clothes! There’s someone out there who needs it.

ORGANIZATION TIPS

•  Move all of your thicker sweaters to the back/least visible spot in your closet and then arrange your lighter sweaters next. There will be plenty of Spring nights and Fall days when you need a light layer, but the heavy stuff you won’t need for at least 7 months

•  I organize from least coverage in the front (tank tops, etc.) and go away from the front of my closet in increasing weight/length. It helps me logically get dressed if I need to layer.

•  Hang strappy tops and dresses of similar colors/patterns together on hangers to save space – those are typically thinner in material and combining will allow for more room

•  For everyday sandals and flip flops, store them all in a basket so that it’s easy to move around and they’re not all scattered around your closet

•  If you’re tight on space like me, I fold up all of my shorts and jeans in shelves to save space and put the darker, wintery shades at the bottom and move my brighter colored ones to the top of the piles. I hang skirts, all tops, and all dresses.

• If you’re really tight on space, try folding up your sweaters in a hanging shelf in your closet

•  I put all of my favorite things in one spot – on a clothing rack in my room – just because I like to have them together and it helps me stay excited about the things I have invested money in. I’m a big mixer and matcher of old/new and different styles and find it helps me stay creative!

 

These are just a few of my go-to organizational and season changing tips for this time of year. What else do you do when you switch from Winter to Spring?

SHOP CLOSET ORGANIZATION


Image via The Coveteur

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