How to Store Your Off-Season Stuff

If you live in an area where the #seasons change, you probably have multiple wardrobes based on the outdoor temperature: shorts and T-shirts for #summer, corduroys and coats for winter, and multiple layers for everything in-between. That demands a lot of #storage #space.

If you’re a person who is blessed with giant walk-in #closets dedicated to different seasons, you won’t have any concerns. But in terms of #clutter, it never hurts to pare the #wardrobe down to the things you actually wear and have them at the ready when the weather dictates.

Many of us perform a biannual swapout to prepare for the new season — or at least we should. Otherwise, you’ll need to sort through your swimwear in order to find your favorite sweater, and vice-versa. Take advantage of the change in seasons to #organize and edit your #clothing.

“Before you put anything in storage, you must take stock of your current off-season inventory,” says The Home Edit. “Editing will give you the opportunity to reevaluate your wardrobe to clear space and start fresh.”

Set aside anything that doesn’t fit, doesn’t fit quite right or fits uncomfortably. Set aside any items you haven’t worn in more than a year. Now’s the best time to get rid of any summer #clothes that didn’t get worn since the season and what you wore is fresh in your mind.

Next, sort the #stuff you want to wear during the #fall and #winter into the easiest-access #storage real estate — those shelves, hangers and hooks that you see as soon as you open the closet door. Do the same edit on the incoming fall goods, setting aside anything you can’t envision wearing.

Store the off-season “keepers” separately from the incoming season’s must-haves. That might mean a high shelf, under the bed or in the basement; just try to make sure those garments are protected from moisture, mold, mildew and insects.

Finally, bag your lightly used set-asides and #donate them to ClothingDonations.org by scheduling a #free #donation #pickup. Any damaged or stained garments can be thrown directly into the trash or shredded into rags.

#Streamlining clothing storage with the change of seasons will pay off by keeping your drawers and closets #clutter-free. What’s more, you’ll save lots of time by being able to find what you want to wear when you want to wear it, all season long.

Clear Your Closets for Colder Weather

With the temperatures falling and the days getting shorter, you’ve probably started getting out a few cold-weather garments that you haven’t seen for several months. It’s a great time to #clean out your #closet and decide what you will and won’t be wearing this fall and winter.

Start by taking everything out of the closet, Cleaning Is Caring suggests. Wipe the walls, doors and baseboards, and dust the ceiling, shelves and light fixtures. Empty and clean any bins, too; finally, vacuum or mop the floor.

Now the #decluttering and #organizing can begin! Separate all of your #clothing into piles designated #keep, #donate or #trash. Be honest with yourself — if you haven’t been that size for years or the garment is just too shabby to wear again, get rid of it. It’s only taking up space.

You’ll have to say goodbye to summer, The Spruce says, washing or dry cleaning the warm-weather wear you decide to keep before storing it in a location other than your main closet. Vacuum-seal bags and plastic storage bins are ideal for this.

Now that you’ve thinned the herd, you can put the things you do plan to wear back in your closet in a more #organized fashion. Houzz suggests folding most casual knits and putting them on shelves, while hanging dresses, pants, button-down shirts and outerwear. Smaller items such as socks and jewelry can go in drawers, bins and organizers.

If you notice an item or two that you would like to add to your #fall #wardrobe, feel free to buy it! But take that heap of also-rans that didn’t make it back into your closet or storage, bag it up and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup.

You’ll be able to find the things you want to wear faster when you need them, reducing #stress, and keep your #closet consistently more #clean and #organized. Bonus? #Donating to ClothingDonations.org helps #veterans. So you’ll look good and feel good, too!

The Crucial Step in Closet Decluttering

One of the most important steps in #decluttering a #closet is to actually get rid of the things you no longer want, says organization guru Andrea Dekker. Once you’ve done the hard work of #sorting, #purging and #organizing, don’t backpedal on your decisions or fail to remove unwanted #clothing items from your home; you could easily reconsider your decisions and reintroduce those ill-fitting pants or that garish sweater to your shelves, creating #clutter. “Please, if you’re putting in the work to #organize your closet, FINISH THE JOB,” Dekker says. Schedule a free, #contactless #donation pickup with ClothingDonations.org, and everything will be whisked away quickly.

Keep an ‘Outbox’ in Your Closet

One shortcut to a #clutter-free and more #organized #closet is to place an empty box or bin in it, says Apartment Therapy. That way, when you’re trying things on and discover a #garment that you haven’t worn in more than a year or just don’t like, it can go directly into the box. It won’t be long before that “outbox” is full and ready to #donate to to a charitable organization such as ClothingDonations.org. “I had a container I wasn’t using, so it cost me nothing, and it took me about five seconds to add it to the space,” says author Olivia Muenter. “After a month, I had a full box and an emptier closet.”

Resolve to Cut the Clutter in 2019

Now that the busy holiday season is over, it’s the perfect time to take stock of your home and all of the worldly possessions that continue to spill out of your closets and cupboards. Resolve to cut the clutter this year! Go through your closets and chests of drawers  — is there anything there that you didn’t use at all in 2018? Get rid of it. Likewise with those crafty little projects that never got started: “Perhaps you have a chair you wanted to paint, or a picture frame you wanted to repurpose,” A Few Shortcuts says. “If you have been holding onto these objects for a year, it is time to let them go. Let go of old and undone projects so you can make way for fresh opportunities in the new year.”

Happy New Year from ClothingDonations.org!