Reboot Your Closet for Colder Weather

Say goodbye to the ‘ I don’t have anything to wear’ blues with this cheat sheet for organizing your closets and drawers.

With cooler weather on the way, fall is a natural time to reboot your closet for colder weather. From making necessary repairs (like fixing the heel on your favorite boot or replacing the button that fell off your coat last winter) to letting go of worn-out (or just unworn) items, check these to-dos off your list and face the season ahead in style.

Clarify your style. When was the last time you considered what’s really you when it comes to your personal style? If it’s been a while, or if you are currently going through a transition period (new job, new baby, new school), step one is to clarify what you want your wardrobe to look and feel like.

Reboot your closet – Assess your current wardrobe. Once you have a clear idea of what you want from your wardrobe, it’s time to get in there and do some digging. If you still have fall or winter clothes and accessories hidden away in storage, get them out so you can see everything you have at once.

• Grab a few bags for collecting items that need repair or cleaning, or that you’ll donate or consign, and keep them nearby while you work.
• Let go of items that no longer fit or that feel uncomfortable.
• If you love a piece but don’t wear it, consider why that may be: Is it more formal than your current lifestyle, or are you simply missing a necessary basic piece that would allow you to make a complete outfit?
• Be discerning about what you choose to keep from your summer wardrobe too. If you didn’t wear it (or didn’t love wearing it) all season long, it probably isn’t worth the space it’s taking up.

Reboot your closet – Mend, repair and clean items as needed. If you are handy with a needle and thread, carve out some time to sew buttons back on and mend fallen hems. But if you’re not, no worries! Be honest with yourself that you’ll never mend these items yourself and stash them in a tote bag to bring to your dry cleaner or a local seamstress.

• Drop off any winter wear that needs dry cleaning.
• Mend pieces that need new buttons, hems or zippers.
• Drop off shoes or boots that need repairing.
• Spruce up sweaters and coats by rolling a lint remover over them.
• Clean and polish leather shoes and boots.
• Clean out totes and purses.
• Catch up on laundry, including hand-washing, and fold everything neatly and put it away.

Reboot your closet – Sort and edit accessories. From the earrings beside the sink to the handbag and scarf tossed by the door, accessories have a way of hiding in the strangest places. Gather up all of your accessories, from jewelry and scarves to gloves, bags and shoes, so you can get an overall picture of what you currently have.

• Clean fine jewelry as needed.
• Set aside accessories you haven’t worn recently, and drop them off at a charity donation center or consignment shop.
• Clean and put away spring and summer accessories (beach totes, sandals) for next year.
• Use trays, boxes, hooks or pouches to organize your “keeper” jewelry and accessories.
• Place shoes and boots on a shoe rack or shelving.

Reboot your closet – Go on an outfit-making spree. Getting dressed in the morning is such a common challenge, and I think one reason for this is that it’s a creative endeavor. But take some time to create loads of potential outfits now, and you’ll accomplish two things. You’ll avoid that early-morning nothing-to-wear syndrome, and you’ll identify holes in your wardrobe that need to be filled.

• Set aside at least an hour  for a major outfit-making spree. Make yourself some coffee or tea, and put music on to get in a positive state of mind.
• Dig deep into your closet and drawers to find items you haven’t worn in ages — see if you can find a way to work them into a new outfit.
• Put together as many outfits as you can. Let yourself make mistakes — after all, no one is watching!
• When you do hit on an awesome combination, take a photo of the outfit laid out on your bed or on a hanger, and keep the photo for reference.
• If you notice a hole in your wardrobe when trying to create an outfit (for example, what you really need with those pants is a crisp white shirt) write it down on a shopping list.
• After your spree is over, notice which items you were not able to work into outfits, and consider donating or selling them.

Reboot your closet – Neaten up what’s left. Once you’ve finished pulling out items to donate, sell, repair and clean, you should have some extra room in your closet. Neatening everything up will make getting dressed faster and more pleasant.

• Fold slouchy knits and place them in drawers or on shelves (with dividers to prevent toppling).
• Hang dresses, trousers, button-down shirts and outerwear.
• Place bags on shelves or in baskets or bins.
• Line up shoes on shelves or a shoe rack.
• Hang scarves and necklaces on wall hooks.
• Stash small accessories in trays or drawer organizers.

Make a shopping list. After giving sorting through your wardrobe completely and doing the outfit-building activity, you should have a pretty good idea of what’s missing from your wardrobe.

• Make a shopping list for fall that reflects what you actually need.
• Consider what colors, patterns and materials will work well with what you already have in your wardrobe.
• Look ahead on your calendar and plan early for special occasions.
• Don’t forget the basics: undergarments, sleepwear and socks all need replacing sometimes too!

Spruce up your dressing area. Make getting ready a joy with a well-thought-out dressing area. Even if you have only a small reach-in closet in your bedroom, you can still create a welcoming zone adjacent to your closet with a full-length mirror, good lighting, a hook for the current day’s outfit and a surface to store accessories.

Tell us what’s on your fall shopping list?