Twice a year I switch over my wardrobe so I have only the things I will wear now in my active closet. This saves me from having to filter through too many things every time I get dressed just to find what is appropriate for the weather. And it keeps my clothes from looking all squished and congested in my closet which feels more peaceful.
If you also live in a climate where you have distinct seasons, I suspect you do the same thing whether you move them from one closet to another or shift them around within your closet.
While I’m moving things, I also have a chance to assess whether something still deserves a place in my closet or if it has served its purpose and needs to move on.
This Fall, we have been experiencing rather warm temperatures so I decided to start with my shoes and wait a bit on my clothes until the weather cools down. This is what my summer shoe shelves look like.
You’ll see later that I keep a few favorite sandals handy just in case we have more unseasonably warm days ahead.
What’s are the steps I take to make the switch?
Step #1
I move ALL my shoes from my closet to my bed. I always think of Marie Kondo when I do this!
Step #2
I wipe down the shelves so I can move my Fall shoes and boots to a tidy space.
Step #3
I strategically add my shoes and boots – with my favorites the most visible – while also sorting, as much as possible, by color. Here’s what my Fall shoes shelves look like:
Step #4
As I move my off-season shoes out of my closet, I must handle each pair of shoes so I can easily assess whether they deserve to be stored or need to move on. Then, as I’m adding my current season’s shoes to my closet I, again, must handle each pair and I found two pairs that I realized I haven’t worn much for a while or are worn out. Here’s the small pile of shoes and boots that are being donated.
Step #5
I gently place all my sandals and summer shoes into bins. Maybe it’s not the most elegant way to store them, but, living in an older home, I have limited closet space. I separate each layer of shoes with packing paper and have found they hold up well in storage.
I then step back and admire my work and am thrilled that I’m ready for the next season. Surprisingly, it really only takes me about an hour to complete this task, but it brings me so much joy and ease. I’ll move on to my clothes soon, but I sometimes do those in stages as our temperatures continue to change.
Of course, the kitties are happy to have the bed back for their afternoon nap — as you can see by the three girls (Hattie, Ivy and Millie) who have claimed the bed for themselves!
I’d love to hear what your process is for switching your clothing with the seasons!
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Need Help? If you find that you are constantly moving things you rarely wear, you might need some help finding out why you are not wearing them. It could just be that you need assistance feeling more confident that you can let them go and won’t miss them or help making outfits so you CAN wear them.
If so, be sure to check out my ‘Create Your Personal Style in 6 Weeks’ class where I not only give you tools and strategies for creating your wardrobe, but also answer your questions in great details. Janelle from California, says it well, “Ginger’s expertise and intuition are incredible! Each week she adds examples for us to see on how even the slightest changes can make a huge difference. And when she says we have her live, that is the best part. She answers every single question either submitted ahead of the class or submitted on chat during (and there were a LOT!). She provides links and guides on where to buy things. I feel completely different and confident on how I will dress in the future. And FINALLY, I have the guidelines as to what to keep in my closet (as well as what to buy in the future!) and what to pass along or donate. That is such a huge benefit!”
