Home: How a seasonal wardrobe flip gives you more space

The seasonal storage solution for space-strapped homes is wardrobe flipping, writes Carol O’Callaghan

Wed, 02 Oct, 2024 - 18:42

Hardcore declutterers who watched Netflix’s The Minimalists: Less Is More, will remember the 90/90 rule where you pick an item and ask yourself, have you used it in the last 90 days? If not, will you use it in the next 90? If not, then let it go. It’s a good one to apply to your wardrobe as the seasons change, saying goodbye to clothes unworn long-term.

Lauryn McLoughlin, owner of cleaning and home organising company The Dust Fairies, says: “We think we will wear it at some stage to some occasion, or we think we will fit into it again, or that it will come back into fashion. The problem with this is a lot of the time we don’t have room for all of the clothes which means you don’t wear most of it because you can’t access it or even see it.”

Making space

“Personally, I find knowing what’s in my wardrobe is a massive game changer for getting ready on a daily basis or even for an occasion.

“If you have clothes stuffed away, numerous items per hanger and clothes rolled into drawers, you will be stressed before you even get out your front door just trying to find something to wear, never mind the mess your room ends up in.

Flipping your wardrobe means seasonal clothes are clearly visible while out of season items are stored away.

So what should we do? “I tend to advise clients to flip seasons from spring summer to autumn winter,” says Lauryn. “We will keep out our staple items but the rest can get boxed up for storage to make room in our wardrobes for the season we are currently in. This is also great for when you take your stuff back out as you haven’t worn it in six months or so and it can be like a new item of clothing.”

Weather-resistant

Lisa Skinner, professional organiser and co-owner of Order in the House, advocates rotating seasonal clothing while accommodating our climate.

“Living in Ireland with its unpredictable weather we can’t fully rotate everything so we keep versatile items like cardigans, lightweight sweaters, jackets, scarves, and layering pieces in use year-round, paying attention to seasonal colour schemes," she says.

"We recommend storing these pieces within your wardrobe if you have space, or a labelled box that’s out of sight but still easy to access.”

Storage solutions

We typically store our off-season clothing in breathable fabric boxes, adding cedar blocks or lavender pouches to keep them smelling fresh and to ward off moths, according to Lisa. “It’s important to ensure that all clothing is clean and stain-free before packing it away," she says.

Compartmentalised containers keep small clothing items in order and clearly visible.

"When you take it out again, give the items a quick refresh with a steamer or a wash, if necessary. If you tend to go on hot holidays in the winter season, a holiday box can also be helpful. This can include other travel items, such as adaptors, and beach towels. If you have high shelves in your wardrobe, they can be a great spot for storing seasonal boxes but underbed storage works well too.”

It's certainly easier to find what you’re looking for when you don’t need to rummage through the entirety of your wardrobe, Niki Bowman of Simplify & Sort maintains.

Top tips

“Use harder-to-access storage space to store seasonal items when not in use - top of the wardrobe, spare bedrooms - and keep easy-to-access spaces for the clothing you will be wearing the most,” she says. “Studies show we wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time. Having less in your wardrobe actually helps you to see what you have which helps you to wear more of your wardrobe, rather than the same 20% all the time.”

She also sees flipping the wardrobe as a way of carrying out an inventory of what you have and also focusing on other clothing storage areas in the home and not just the wardrobe.

The best shoe and boot storage can be in separate compartments to avoid scuffs and damage.

“Do a quick declutter of seasonal items before storing them away, that way when you come to get them out next season you only have things in good condition that you will actually wear. This also saves on the amount of storage you need for these seasonal items.

“Look at other areas too where you store coats and shoes, like the hall, entrance or utility room. Put away the spring-summer shoes and coats and put out the autumn-winter ones.”