Maybe you’re one of those lucky few with a walk-in closet the size of a small country, but the rest of us regular folk have to be creative when it comes to creating storage space for clothes. We chatted to Molly Pesce, a NYC-based professional organizer and owner of Order Patrol—and former host of A&E’s Clean This House— to get some fuss-free tips on how to store your summer duds for the winter.
Choose the space
Find a cool, dry place to store your summer clothes, like an attic or extra closet, if possible. Another option is a child’s bedroom. “I highly recommend that if you have a child with a small wardrobe, get them an armoire and take over the entire closet,” Pesce says.
Whatever space you use, be sure it’s clean. So bust out that broom. Dust thoroughly. And most importantly, look closely for any insects, moths or mold. “If you see any mold at all, really scrub the whole area down with disinfectant,” Pesce says.
Sort clothing
If there’s a piece you didn't wear this past summer, you won't wear it next summer either, so relegate that item to your giveaway bag. Once you’ve identified your “keepers,” launder or dry clean everything. “If you have one little piece of dirt on a piece of clothing and you put it away, you're really looking at it developing into a major stain,” Pesce says. “If you can't get the stain out, throw the item away or make it into a rag.”
Dry cleaning and washing will also eliminate any moth eggs that were laid in your clothes without you realizing it.
Make exceptions
Don’t get too carried away and pack everything. Some summer pieces can work splendidly for fall and even winter when paired with tights, say, or a cardigan. “If you have a black cotton dress that's short-sleeved, that's a perfect item to keep out for the transition,” Pesce says. “I also highly recommend keeping out heavy cotton sweaters.”
If your storage area is inaccessible, you might consider leaving out your favorite pair of shorts and your favorite bikini and cover-up, Pesce suggests. “You may take a trip at some point and won't want to go digging around for all that stuff.”
Send your duds packing
If you’ve got a lot of space, use storage bags that can hang on a rolling rack, Pesce suggests. Otherwise, plastic tubs with tight lids will do the trick. “I leave things on the hanger or in the dry-cleaning bag and just fold them in half in the bin,” she says. One definite advantage to bins: some will fit right under the bed, which not only keeps garments away from light, but is also a great space-saving measure.
As for purchasing acid-free tissue paper for the bins, don’t sweat it, Pesce says. “In a perfect world you'd use it, but I’ve never had a problem with any of my clothes being discolored from a plastic bin.”
Whether you hang or fold though, do organize your clothing by type. And be sure to throw in mothballs or a lavender sachet.
While you're at it…
A seasonal transition is a great opportunity to tackle other clothes-organization projects, Pesce says. “Go through your summer shoes,” she suggests. “Make a bag of stuff that you want to take to the shoemaker.” Pesce also recommends going through underwear and tossing anything with a hole, purging old makeup and getting matching hangers in your closet if you’ve been hankering to.
And bear in mind: seasonal transitions are big for sales. “Are you a golfer? Are you a tennis player? Are you a hiker? Right now is a great time to buy one tennis outfit for the random tennis game you're going to get next summer,” she says. “It’s a great time to do it because they are dumping every piece. Then stick it in the closet and you'll have it for next year.”
