Winter Best Time to Declutter Your Summer Wardrobe

Written by Menswear Style
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Tips & Advice

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27th November 2024

The long summer days when the sun shined high in the sky are long gone, and so the breezy outfits you wore during the months of scorching heat gave way to thicker layers meant to keep you warm and cosy as the temperatures continue to drop. However, transitioning your wardrobe to the cold season doesn’t just imply bringing out your sweaters and jackets but also taking a last look back at the garments that served you so well in the summertime and doing some much-needed decluttering before you put them away.
We know, wardrobe decluttering is not the most pleasant activity as it can take up plenty of time and energy and be emotionally exhausting, probably because of all the decisions you have to make. It’s understandable that you’d much rather watch grass grow (or wither) than tidy up clothes.
Nevertheless, decluttering is a necessary task that’s going to make your life so much easier afterward. You’ll thank yourself for putting in the effort when summer comes around next year, and you’ll have all your fits neatly organised and ready to go. Besides, if you’re one of those people who always have summer on their minds, preparing your wardrobe in advance shouldn’t feel like such a dreadful chore.
If you still need a bit of help to get decluttering underway, this quick guide might come in handy.

The ones that have to go 

Some consider it’s best to ease into decluttering gradually to make it feel less overwhelming. But we believe that ripping off the band-aid and jumping straight into it is the most effective approach, so you might as well fling your wardrobe doors wide open and face the situation. Take all your summer outfits out where you can see them, and let the selection process begin. You need to go through every piece you own and ruthlessly decide what stays and what goes.
For smoother decision-making, you should ask yourself a few questions as follows:

Do you still wear it? 

With summer gone, now you know exactly which outfits you had on rotation and which clothes didn’t make the cut. If you haven’t worn an item all summer long, it’s highly unlikely you’re going to wear it next year. You should only keep clothes that you genuinely love and wear in your closet. Conversely, as you’re rummaging through your dressers and drawers, you might also come across pieces you love but have forgotten all about because they got lost in the pile. 

Does it fit? 

The simple reality is that our bodies change with time and age. The clothes you own have to adapt to these changes and fit your current body, not the other way around. You can tell yourself that you’re going to lose (or gain) weight, and while that remains a possibility, you shouldn’t pack your wardrobe with garments that don’t fit you anymore. 

Does it match your style? 

It’s not just our bodies that change, but also our sense of style and fashion choices. In this case, your wardrobe has to catch up with your preferences, so there’s no point in keeping items that don’t reflect your present style. So, if you’ve upgraded from basic run-of-the-mill shorts to stylish men designer swim shorts, you need to bid the former goodbye. 

Is it too worn out? 

We’re by no means encouraging anyone to partake in the fast-fashion trend and throw away clothes after just a few wears, but if certain items show clear signs of wear and tear and are damaged beyond repair, you might want to downgrade them to loungewear or simply get rid of them. 

At the end of this decluttering session, you should have three piles of clothes: keepers, clothes that are still in good condition and you can donate or sell and unwanted items that you can drop off at textile recycling points near you.

Try it before you toss it 

So, you’re not sure what to do with some of the clothes you have hanging in your closet. We get it, it’s not always easy to part ways with certain pieces because you’ve grown emotionally attached to them and you don’t want to regret your decision later on.
That’s where the try-on test comes into play to help you make up your mind. But don’t just put clothes on to see how they fit. Try to create different outfit combinations to figure out if they still have potential or if they’re a lost cause and have no future in your wardrobe. 

Organise your closet 

After you’ve gone through all these steps, there’s only one thing left to be done: putting your summer clothes back in your closet until the time comes to wear them again. Since they’re going to spend many months on the sideline, you should organise them properly and use adequate storage solutions to create a practical seasonal swap system. For that, you’ll have to decide on a suitable place to keep them and invest in some storage supplies such as space bags, tote bins, shoe bags, and labels. Put these to good use and tidy up your clothes accordingly. 

Make a wish (list) 

Apart from making you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders, the best part about decluttering is that you get to make room for newer items that match your needs and style preferences. This doesn’t mean you should replace all the clothes you’ve gotten rid of, but you can give your wardrobe a bit of refresh since you now have the space.
Think about what kind of clothes you might need for the summer and are missing from your closet and since the holidays are fast approaching, you can to include them on your holiday wish list and make it easier for your friends and family to find the perfect gift for you. 

That being said, we hope your wardrobe decluttering goes as smoothly and effortlessly as possible.