7 Best Advice for Preparing Your Clothes for the Upcoming Fall/Winter Season
Spring cleaning comes to mind as many of us enter the Spring/Summer season, but don’t limit it to your major household duties — your closet also needs a refurb! I frequently stress the need of spring cleaning your closet and going through your clothes at least twice a year for a clean refresh before the new season. It’s time to consider the clothing you’ve worn lovingly and get it ready for the upcoming Fall/Winter season.
Without further ado, take a look at our top 7 suggestions for getting your closet ready for the next fall/winter season.
7 Ways to Get Ready for Fall and Winter Dry Cleaning Your Attire: Don’t shy away from dry cleaning! It’s simple to remember your daily necessities, but don’t forget your scarves and winter coats. Make sure to take the garments out of the temporary plastic garment bags before bringing your items home. This allows your clothing to breathe and let any cleaning agents that the dry cleaners employed to air out. To prevent any fabric fading, this is crucial.
Use a Cobbler: After carrying you from place to place all season, it’s time to give your shoes some TLC. Keep an eye out for any shoes that might need their bottoms resoled, and don’t forget about texture! Make sure the shoe is moisturized if it is leather, and sprayed for increased stain and water resistance if it is suede (more on that later!).
Protect Your Suede: Many dry cleaners have specialized partners that they use to recondition your shoes if you reside in a location with few cobbler alternatives. Once more, doing so helps to avoid stains and water damage. And now for a cheeky replacement: A fantastic and reasonably priced DIY suede protection for your shoes is Scotchgard. (PRO TIP: You may also use the Scotchgard spray on your jackets, gloves, and suede/nubuck handbags!
Care for fur (for those who enjoy fur!) Get your prized furs to a furrier as soon as the cold seasons are finished because warmer temps can seriously harm your investment pieces. A furrier is a terrific alternative since they safely store your furs and keep them in a climate-controlled environment to ensure there is no pelt disintegration because furs need to be in colder temperatures. Find trustworthy local furriers by asking your neighborhood fur stores or using Google.
Storage: If there are any items that don’t work with your spring or summer wardrobe and you won’t be wearing them for a while, I advise putting them in canvas storage or breathable garment bags. The canvas storage containers are excellent for folded items like sweaters, scarves, etc. while the garment bags are useful for hanging items. Any of these techniques will shield your priceless apparel from dirt, insects, and damp conditions.
HACK: As I demonstrated in my Welcome to My Closet video, repurpose designer garment boxes from merchants to store your out-of-season apparel! (Net-a-Porter has several of my favorites!) You should avoid using an airtight container if at all feasible because your garments need to be able to breathe. It is for this reason that I do not advise putting clothing in plastic or storage containers, as doing so encourages discoloration (and mustiness!).
HACK: To safely keep my boots in my wardrobe between wearing them in season and out of season, I use boot storage bags. These boots are excellent in reducing dust and shielding clothing from dampness. They exist in several sizes and provide protection for any boot height up to the knees, which is another benefit (FYI, structured over-the-knee boots will not fit.) PRO HINT: I also use a boot shaper when I store my boots to keep the shafts from collapsing and wrinkling until I wear them again.
Protect the leather on your shoes, handbags, and clothing by moisturizing it. Anything made of smooth leather requires conditioning and moisturizing since they will break in the absence of sufficient humidity or moisture. A little goes a long way with the Otter Wax Leather Salve, which I prefer to use.
Closet Cleanse: Take a close look at your fall/winter wardrobe and spend some time evaluating the items you DID and DID NOT wear. Examine whether you need it, whether it fits you, and whether wearing it makes you feel beautiful. When we are going through my Signature Styling Services, I ask my clients these questions. Many of us have a tendency to preserve clothes that no longer fit us, but we may do so out of sentimentality or the false belief that “one day” we will once again be able to fit into them. It’s time to let go so you can create a place for lovely clothing that will make you FEEL and LOOK amazing.
A nice activity to undertake amid significant seasonal shifts is this one. Do you still adore them? Do you still wear them? It’s time to get rid of that thing if the response is “no.”
HINT: I strongly recommend that you sign up for my FREE 8-Day Cleanse Your Closet Challenge if you need some inspiration and professional assistance sorting through your “must-haves” and the “need-nots.” This free online tool will assist you in easily and gradually purging your closet twice a year (or whenever you choose!).
There you have it, then! These are my top suggestions for preparing your wardrobe for the next fall and winter seasons. What other methods do you use to get your wardrobe ready for the upcoming season? Leave a comment below with your advice!