9 Ways to Organize Your Closet for Fall

Can you believe autumn is approaching? Here come the comfy sweaters, adorable booties, warm colors, and cozy accessories! (Oh, and we can’t forget about the pumpkin spice flavored everything…A personal favorite here at Current Boutique!) That means it’s time to organize your closet for the new season!

It’s time to store away the tank tops, summer dresses, and bathing suits (for better or worse) and break out the warm winter clothing and accessories (that have been hiding under your bed or in the back of your closet these past few summer-sleepy months).

How do you transition your closet from summer to fall?

I’m giving you the ultimate breakdown to not just re-organize your wardrobe…but to actually clean it out, upgrade it, and take your fashion game to the next level this season! Check out my 9 ways to organize your closet for Fall.

1. Take out summer clothes

Your room’s about to get a little messy - before it gets super clean! Take everything from your closet that’s warm-weather and put it in a pile on your bed. (We recommend using the bed to organize, because then you’re forced to finish cleaning before you can go to sleep.) It’s time to sort through last season’s clothing before you organize your closet.

2. Wash everything

Summer clothes tend to get a little “funky” with sweat, sunscreen, and other stains. You’ll want to re-wash all your summer clothes to make sure you’re storing or selling them clean and fresh. (Storing stinky materials can actually damage the clothing and attract pests, so always wash before storing.)

3. Does it spark joy?

Now it’s time to go Marie Kondo on your summer clothes. You don’t want to use up too much storage space or leave your clothes wasting away. When you organize your closet, see if there are any clothes or accessories it’s time to get rid of - that you can give a new home with someone who will love them even more.

Take a look at each piece of clothing you own, and ask the following two questions:

• Did you wear the piece this past summer?
  Does it make you happy?

If the answer is no to both questions, it’s time to get rid of it.

Don’t just throw your clothes out, though. The average American wastes 70 pounds of textiles and materials each year…and 90% of that waste could be recycled or reused. Click to learn more about the textile problem - and how sustainable fashion is changing the world.

Don’t contribute to the inefficiencies of the fashion industry. Be a part of the solution! Instead of throwing out your old clothes, why not sell them? You’ll give your clothes a new life (with an owner who will love them) - and you’ll make a little money in the process! See the 5 best websites to sell your clothes online here.

Anything you can’t sell, donate!

4. Store your summer clothes

How and where you store your clothes depends on your living situation. If you live in a big house, you might store your clothes in the attic - where you’ll want to keep them in garment bags to protect from moisture and weather elements. If you live in a studio apartment, your summer clothes may need to fit in a bin under your bed.

We’ll give you a few tips to get you started on storing your clothes, so they’re out of sight and out of mind until next season:

• Organize before storing. Keep T-shirts together, shorts in the same spot, and accessories together, for example. This will make it easier to unpack next spring.
• Roll your shirts, blouses, and lightweight dresses instead of folding. This gives you more room and will prevent wrinkling while in storage.
• Keep dresses and fancier clothing on hangers to maintain their shape. Store these in a garment bag, either hanging up or laying flat.
• Store items in an airtight garment bag or bin to protect against any climate changes.
• Separate white clothes from red or other dyed clothing. You may want to store heavily dyed items separately to avoid transference or color bleeding.

5. Wash everything (round two)

Now that your summer clothing is away, it’s time to get your Fall clothing sorted, organized, and ready for wearing. You’ll want to go through a similar process taking out your autumn clothes as you did putting away your summer clothes.

First, you’ll probably want to wash your fall clothes. They’ve been in storage for a few months, so they may have a slight smell to them. There’s nothing better than starting to organize a closet that’s already completely clean and fresh!

You may also want to get heavy jackets and coats dry-cleaned, especially if you didn’t do that last season.

6. Does it spark joy (round two)?

Repeat step three, but for your fall and winter clothes. If you didn’t wear it last season, it doesn’t fit, or it doesn’t make you happy…it’s time to sell it or donate it.

7. Sort with love

Finally, it’s time to organize your closet with all your favorite fall goodies. How should you organize your closet?

• First, organize by type. Separate tank tops, short sleeves, long sleeves, blouses, cardigans, and more. Also separate out your work clothes, so it’s easier to grab-and-go your professional look each morning.
• Then, sort by color. Once broken down into type, hang the pieces in the closet by color. This makes it easy to browse your closet based on your mood and color preferences.
• We’re huge fans of felt hangers. These grab on to your clothes, so it won’t stretch the fabric. They’re also gentle, so they can help prolong the life of your clothing. (Check out these 10 easy hacks to make your clothes last longer.) Heavier jackets might require hefty plastic hangers, though.
• Fold sweaters. Hanging them could cause them to lose their shape. Fold them and put in your dresser or on shelving units in the closet.

Don’t forget to clean out your wardrobe, so you love everything inside!

• You may want to line your dresser or cubbies with fabric or heavy paper to prevent mildew and damage. You can even spray this fabric with a mixture of water and a few drops of peppermint essential oil to keep your clothes smelling wintery-fresh - and to keep winter pests away! (Insects and animals don’t like the smell of peppermint, so it will deter them from making a home in your bedroom.)
• Keep heavy coats and jackets closer to the door in a separate closet or on wall hooks. This leaves space in your bedroom closet and protects your other clothes from snow and water that your jackets might track in.
• Keep winter accessories like scarves, gloves, and hats in a separate area, preferably by the door for a quick grab-and-go. We recommend hanging them on individual hooks or getting an accessory organizer. You’re more likely to remember and wear your cute wintery accessories if they’re in your line of sight.
• Use a shoe organizer, either a rack or designated bins. For boots, you can use boot clips to hang them in your closet, which helps maintain their shape and get them off your closet floor.

8. Brighten your closet (and your day)

The days are getting shorter and shorter, which means you’re also getting less light—especially in the mornings when you’re getting ready for the day. Adding lights into your closet can help wake you up in the morning, and it’ll make sure you don’t end up matching one black shoe and one blue shoe!

If you don’t want to install overhead lights, you can purchase a few inexpensive battery-powered push lights that you can click on for more light in a snap.

Get bright, get beautiful!

9. Treat yourself

You’ve put in a lot of work to get your summer storage and fall closet spick and span. So you—and your organized closet—deserve a treat.

Why not buy a few new pieces to replace the ones you sold—to make you feel good and to take your wardrobe to the next level? You can buy designer clothes at a fraction of the price if you shop secondhand! Pre-loved fashion is the hottest craze because you get access to high-quality clothing at a low price - and you’re helping to give clothes new life and love, which also promotes the sustainability of the fashion industry.

Start shopping with these seven websites that sell secondhand designer clothes and/or these six brands that offer affordable sustainable fashion!

Is your closet fall-ready? Start cleaning and organizing…and shopping for the perfect season transition!