\nFind out 10 tips from pro organizers for getting your closets in tip-top shape heading into fall.\n
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There are always those items you pull out year after year, but no longer love \u2014 and never wear. \u201cLook at that raincoat \u2014 or all seven of those raincoats \u2014 and ask yourself, \u2018Are they worthy of storage?\u2019 \u201d says Michele Vig, founder and chief organizer of Neat Little Nest.\n
Paring down doesn\u2019t take as long as you think if you do it each season, Vig says. The longer you wait, the more onerous the task becomes. All the more reason to keep up with it!\n
Can\u2019t quite part with something yet? There\u2019s a bonus to hanging on until next year: Consignment shops won\u2019t usually buy out of season. Store the summer items you\u2019re undecided about together, and maybe the money you could make will help you make the hard decision come spring.\n
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It might be tempting to simply yank all your summer things out of the closet and shove them in a bin until it gets warm again, but Vig says that would set up a toxic decluttering cycle.\n
First, give the items any attention they need, such as dry cleaning, mending and de-pilling. \u201cWhen you take a little bit of time to get the dirt off, you will have a different feeling when you pull stuff out later,\u201d she says. \u201cYou won\u2019t pull out a task, you\u2019ll have things you\u2019ll be excited to wear.\u201d\n
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Shoe volume goes up in the fall and winter. Re-think storage based on family habits. \u201cAsk yourself: Am I a kicker or placer?\u201d Vig says. For those who kick shoes off, use bins to corral shoes and boots. For placers, try an individualized shoe rack to keep those pairs paired.\n
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Vig says families commonly make one mistake in their mudrooms: sorting cool-weather gear by category (mittens, hats, scarves) instead of by person.\n
\u201cOpen-top bins labeled with each person\u2019s name make it easy for everyone to get what they need,\u201d Vig says. \u201cPlus, it\u2019s very obvious who didn\u2019t pick up their stuff. Great for accountability.\u201d\n
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Pull out your heavier quilts, blankets and duvets. Wash them and\/or run them through the fluff cycle on the dryer so they\u2019re fresh for fall beds. If you prefer flannel sheets, time to start switching into those from your cotton ones, or at least putting them toward the front of the closet shelves for easy reach when temps dip. Donate any extras you\u2019ve accumulated.\n
Vig offers this tip for folding and storing sheets compactly as sets: \u201cTo keep things neat, fold your flat, fitted and one pillowcase, then slide inside the second pillowcase to store it.\u201d\n
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Odds are you\u2019re ready to retire your coconut candle and pull out a spiced apple pie or pumpkin scent instead. \u201cPut your summer stuff in a bin labeled that way and pull out fall stuff,\u201d Vig says.\n
She puts seasonal d\u00e9cor such as chargers, candleholders, pillowcases and photos on shelving so she can shop her closet. Holiday-specific d\u00e9cor goes in bins labeled by holiday. Seasonal switchout decorating becomes fun and just an arm\u2019s-reach away.\n
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The game cupboard or closet is often forgotten until fall. \u201cWe\u2019ve been spending all summer outdoors and now it\u2019s time to curl up in our comfy pajamas at the game table to make memories with our families,\u201d says Michelle Hansen, founder of Practical Perfection.\n
Organize games and puzzles. Donate any that your family has outgrown or just those extras accumulated during the pandemic lockdown. Missing pieces? Be sure to mark the box when donating. Alternatively, give away what you have on NextDoor or Craigslist to complete someone else\u2019s set, or repurpose pieces as crafts.\n
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Add this step when you\u2019ve pulled everything out of your closets or dressers, before loading in the wool and cashmere. \u201cThe change of season is a great time to change out closet air fresheners or drawer liners,\u201d says Brenda Scott, owner and professional organizer of Tidy MySpace. \u201cIt starts the season off fresh and odor-free.\u201d\n
Plus, beautifully designed drawer or liner paper can add a feeling of polish and luxury to a ho-hum space.\n
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A pantry is basically a closet for food, right? That needs regular decluttering and organizing, too. According to Marie Clark, managing editor at Cost Contessa, now is a good time to organize the pantry because we\u2019re 18 months or so past the start of many pandemic lockdowns.\n
\u201cYour pandemic food stock is starting to expire,\u201d she says. \u201cMany items we consider shelf-stable have a life of one to two years, so if you haven\u2019t sorted through them yet, it\u2019s time. Check all of your expiration dates and make a note of which products are about to expire and incorporate them into your meal planning, meal prepping or donate them.\u201d\n
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\u201cMost people take a break from baking and cooking in the summer, but as soon as the temperatures start to drop, everyone starts baking again,\u201d Hansen says.\n
Toss the stale sprinkles and barely-there rolled-up chocolate-chip bags in the back of the cabinet, and stock up on any staple ingredients you need. While you\u2019re at it, add extra baking sheets and pans to the donate bin, too.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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