Assess Your Inventory

To begin, the first step in any successful closet transition is to take stock of what you have and what you want to keep. Set aside some time to go through your wardrobe. You will want to assess each item to determine if it’s still in good condition and suitable for the upcoming season. Ask yourself “would I buy this today?” It’s our favorite question that cuts straight to the heart of the matter. Make 4 piles: donate, repair, store and toss. If it’s not something you’d buy today, let it go. It no longer fits your lifestyle, let it go. Is it damaged or stained?  Decide if you’re going to fix it. If you will actually fix it, get it fixed or let it go. If it no longer aligns with your style, let it go. See where we’re going with this?.

Sort and Declutter

Then once you’ve edited your inventory, sort through your clothing and accessories. Instead of just putting your Summer clothes back in your closet, sort your items into categories like tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, shoes, and accessories. As you sort, be ruthless and continue the  decluttering process. Ask yourself if you’ve worn each item in the past year, would you wear it today and if it still brings you joy. If not, it’s time to let it go. (yup, we said it again)

Store Off-Season Items

Whenever your decluttering is complete, it’s time to pack away off-season items to make room for your current wardrobe. Invest in storage bins like these Our Bins from The Container Store or we love these vacuum-sealed bags from Amazon to protect clothing from dust, moths, and other pests so that they’re in tip top shape next season. What’s more, be sure to label each container clearly, so you will know exactly what’s inside when it’s time to switch again.

Maximize Closet Space

Since you’ve cleared out the clutter and packed away off-season items, it’s time to maximize your closet transition. Obviously this is our favorite part. Certainly invest in quality hangers that will protect your clothing and make it easier to see what you have. We can’t say enough good things about the benefits of matching hangers. Our favorites are Non-slip Velvet Suit Hangers because they don’t take up a lot of space and keep clothes from slipping off into the abyss. In addition, to maximize even more space in your closet, consider adding shelves or adjusting shelf heights to take advantage of vertical space and keep items neatly organized. Also, if yoiu’re looking to add some shelves or maybe start from scratch,  a good investment is an Elfa system from The Container Store. You can create everything custom to fit your space perfectly.

Organize by Category + Color

Once your closet is prepped and ready, it’s time to organize your current wardrobe. You will definitely want to arrange clothing and accessories by category (e.g., tops, bottoms, dresses) and then further organize within each category by color. We like to use these zipper bags for bathing suits, it makes it easy to keep them together and it’s great for packing. This makes it easy to find what you need at a glance and ensures that everything has its place. Also this belt organizer is great to keep them visible and take up less space in your drawers.

Maintain Regularly

Finally, to keep your closet transition organized year-round, make it a habit to maintain it regularly. Occasionally, set aside a few minutes each week to tidy up and put things back in their designated places.  While simultaneously doing a mini decluttering session every few weeks and at the start of each season you will keep your wardrobe fresh and clutter-free. To put it simply,  your life just became easier, we swear!

Done + Done

Overall, by following these steps, you can conquer the closet transition with ease and maintain an organized wardrobe year-round. Remember, since organization is a journey, not a destination,  don’t be afraid to tweak your system as needed to suit your evolving needs and lifestyle. Here’s to a closet that is undoubtedly as stylish as it is organized!