Seasonal Clothing - 5 ways

So you've transitioned into your cozy fall wardrobe....but your warm season clothing is taking up valuable space in your closet. Of course, if you had the room, you'd keep all of your clothing together in a wonderfully large, accommodating space. But if you have limited space in there, fear not, there are a number of solutions you can choose today to unclutter your closet and still have the items you need at the ready for THIS season, while keeping the off-season items still accessible for that mid-winter vacation into the tropics (if need be!)

SOLUTION ONE: Find an extra dresser or closet space somewhere else in your home

Do you have a guest room or a closet in an office which you are not using much? There's your extra space. This solution is probably the quickest (and cheapest) one. Just pull the folded clothes off the shelves (or the whole bin if that contains them now) and the hanging clothes off the rack. Take them right to that extra space. Anytime you need to, you can go grab an off-season item for that vacation or that unseasonably warm winter day.

SOLUTION TWO: Under-bed storage

You can purchase a specialized container which will fit under your bed. It's even better if you can find one with wheels. There are some downsides to this solution. Many platform beds (which are very popular now) sit too low to accommodate much underneath. One work-a-around is to purchase risers to lift the bed frame up and create more space underneath. Another down-side is that hanging clothes don't fit well in one of these under-bed storage containers. You might try a garment bag laid flat - but then you may have to press that clothing later.

SOLUTION THREE: Storage room/Basement

You might have some extra space in your basement or garage (or even a workshop) but no closet in that space. You can still use it. There are a number of plastic storage containers that will do the job. I recommend clear containers with latching lids. You can see what's inside and the items stay dry! For extra protection against humidity, you might want to add some desicant packs inside to absorb any moisture that creeps in. Alternately, you can purchase a temporary wardrobe system (usually made with fabric/canvas wrapped onto a metal frame. I recommend this only if it seals shut - usually with a zipper.

SOLUTION FOUR: Vacuum seal bags

I have never used this solution, mainly b/c I may need to get at that swimsuit mid-winter for a hotel stay...or whatever. I don't want to unseal and re-seal the container. But if that doesn't bother you, then this is a great way to compact your off-season clothing into a tiny space - wherever that may be - under the bed, on a high shelf, in a container in the garage, etc... You would need to purchase the specialized bags which have an opening for household vacuum cleaners. Use the system to suck the air right out of the bag of clothing and shrink it down to a manageable size. It makes so much difference in size, that some people like this method for packing a suitcase.

SOLUTION FIVE: Shift items in your large closet. If you DO have that large closet, but just don't want to sift through all of your off-season clothes to find your outfit for the day, you can "shift" the layout. I usually use a combo of solutions one and five. I leave my hanging

clothes in my closet, moving the off-season ones to the far ends of the rack. I remove the folded pants & tops and put them in a dresser drawer in the bedroom. We don't really use the dresser for clothing anymore, but it looks nice in the room and is great for hidden storage. Bonus: it keeps my clothing at room temperature, and free of dust and humidity.

So go ahead and get a fresh start to the new season by donning those outfits you haven't seen in 6 months. Isn't that fun?! And make extra room to enjoy them by using one of the solutions above.

Until next time,

Dianne Collins

Your Sort & Sensibility Organizing Friend

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