Ah – summer is finally upon us, granted a bit weirdly because of the pandemic but the earth still rotates and the sun still shines brighter! So what, you say? So, it’s time to do the summer clothing switch!
If you’ve never done this before and your summer clothes from last year are still in your closet next to your heavy sweaters, then maybe we need to take a step back and have the ‘less is more’ conversation so you can see why this is a must for your pre-season routine. So, you know that feeling when you’re certain you have something but looking for it is so much of a pain that you just go straight out and buy a new one? Yep – having more clothes in your immediate field of view will make it so you can’t even see what you have. Having less to look at, on the other hand will allow you to see what you’ve got so you can actually use what you have. Save time, save money, feel good. Got it? ‘Nuff said. Here’s how you do it: Step 1 – Set it up. Get yourself a cool beverage and put some music on (we’re creating atmosphere here, folks). Now, select a drawer, closet or shelf where you store your current clothing (yes, a pile on the floor counts, too). Step 2 – The quick sort. Go through each item in your chosen area one-by-one and decide if it’s more a spring/summer or fall/winter item. When in doubt, consider it for the current season. Don’t worry about what to keep/not keep - we’re not getting rid of anything yet, grasshopper, so it all stays for now. Step 3 – The second sort. Now, sit yourself in front of the fall/winter items and again, go through each item, one-by-one and ask yourself if you wore it at all last season. If the answer is yes, then it goes into an area for next fall. If the answer is no, then think long and hard about why you have it and whether you can handle getting rid of it. It’s ok to keep things, just make sure you have a good reason. Step 4 – Same as Step 3 but do it with your spring/summer clothes. Go through them one-by-one – keep if you wore it last summer and think hard if you didn’t. Step 5 – Put the fall/winter things away from immediate access. This can be in an attic or basement, but can also be on a less accessible shelf in your closet. Just get it out of immediate reach – you need those areas for your current clothes. Step 6 –Put the spring/summer clothes back – with a twist. If you’re hanging things back up in your closet, then do the ‘reverse hanger trick,’ where you hang everything up backwards. Then, when you wear it, hang it up correctly. If you’re doing this in drawers, then put each item in folded differently than you usually do. Once you wear it, put it back the usual way. (If you chose a pile on the floor, this is your chance to actually put the clothes away – you know, like grown-ups do:) Within a month or two of using this system, you’ll see what you’re not wearing and can decide if it’s worth keeping. Again, save time, save money. I’ll be back in the fall to do the next season switch! Aubrei Krummert is a Certified Professional Organizer in Athens, Ohio. She specializes in Home Productivity and works with clients across the United States, doing on-site and virtual sessions. Contact her now.
This article is also available at yourtango.com
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