Hey INPT readers!

It’s me, Tricia again– I hope you enjoyed my tips on ‘Switching Out Your Summer Clothes‘ for your fall wardrobe. Now all your new finds will have the space they deserve.

Once you’ve made it through the process of sorting through everything and reorganizing for the upcoming season, the next question becomes what to do with “out-of-season” clothes?  If you’re lucky enough to have enough space in your closet, the answer is easy, store them towards the back in the less accessible parts of your closet. If you’re worried about dust, fabric garment bags are a good option. Sometimes even just fabric eyelets like these will do the trick.

Natural Cotton Garment Bags and Natural Cotton Shoulder Covers

If you don’t have enough room in your closet, you’ll need to find storage elsewhere. Since summer clothes are generally less bulky than winter clothes, coming up with space shouldn’t be that difficult.

But before you even begin to think about packing those some summer duds, make sure everything gets freshly laundered. Don’t use fabric softeners or starches when cleaning your clothes because these products can attract buggies.

Next, you’ll want to fold and stack them loosely in a container, heaviest items on the bottom. Don’t  cram too many pieces into one container; clothes need to breathe or you risk the possibility of them growing mildew.

Plastic space-saver bags like these are not a good idea for storing off-season clothing for months at a time. Again, clothes need to breathe.

A cedar chest is optimal; a clean spare suitcase makes a decent second choice.  If you must use a plastic bin, line it with a clean bedsheet or acid-free tissue paper so the clothes don’t touch the plastic.  Again, plastic bags and cardboard boxes are NOT recommended for clothes storage.

Once everything is neatly packed, you’ll want to label the container(s) if possible and then store them somewhere cool, dark and dry.

Is your closet looking good?  Did you find space you didn’t know existed?  Pat yourself on the back.  You’re an organizing superhero!

If you have any questions or want recommendations on products to fit your needs, feel free to leave a comment below.

Happy Organizing!

-Tricia