I confess to preferring my winter wardrobe- chunky knitwear, oversized coats and numerous pairs of boots. There's just one issue, they all take up a lot more room in your wardrobe than lighter, summer clothing. Luckily, I love organising wardrobes and I'm going to share some of my favourite tips to create a perfectly organised and clutter free winter wardrobe.
Top Tips for Organising Your Winter Wardrobe
1. Declutter First. Always.
Decluttering will always the be the most important step in achieving a well organised wardrobe. There's no point allocating valuable storage space to items that you won't wear. If you're feeling brave, empty your wardrobe completely or take one category at a time i.e. dresses or coats. This might seem daunting but it's the only way to really consider your clothing collection as a whole. Do you have duplicates, items that you don't think suit or fit you, or just no longer like? Be ruthless and donate or recycle them. I promise that decluttering is the one thing that will make the biggest difference to the look and feel of your wardrobe.
2. Consider rotating your wardrobe
If you are short on space and find that you are cramming clothes into your wardrobe, consider rotating your clothing. Separating items that you will only wear in the summer or on holiday can free- up much needed hanging or shelving space. Visually, I prefer not to see the same items in my wardrobe all year round, preferring to re-discover my summer or winter pieces when the seasons change. Storing these items needn't take up a lot of space either, consider storage bags (I love these from the Camouflage Company) or if you need something more compact, vacuum storage bags. If you're storing anything that may be susceptible to moth damage, pop in some cedar rings or similar deterrents.
3. The right hangers can make a big difference
It may seem like an unnecessary expense but investing in good quality, matching hangers will not only save a huge amount of space but help to protect your clothing and ensure your wardrobe looks co-ordinated. I have an entire blog post dedicated to choosing the right hangers. The wrong hangers can damage your clothing so make sure you use the right ones, particularly when hanging coats or knitwear. If you have the space, it's better to fold jumpers, particularly those that are heavier, to avoid them becoming misshapen. If, like me, you find nothing more satisfying than seeing perfectly stacked jumpers, you could buy a folding board to make your folds perfect each time. I mentioned it above but don't forget to protect your clothing against moths which will attack natural fibres like wool and silk. I prefer to use the cedar moth deterrers as opposed to the more artificial products on the market but anything is better than nothing!
4. Don't forget to protect your boots
Long boots can be tricky to store and if you're not keeping them flat in their box, can become misshapen. I always recommend using boot shapers to maintain the appearance of your boots and enable them to stand better in your wardrobe. There are many different types available on the market but I often recommend these from Lakeland, which can be cut to size.
5. Consider adding containers for your Winter accessories
On cold winter mornings, the last thing you want to be doing is searching for a missing glove, hat or scarf. It's all about ease and containing everything in one place is a simple way to make getting ready in the morning that little bit easier.
I hope you find these tips for organising and decluttering your winter wardrobe helpful. If you would like our help to organise yours, then please contact us, we would love to hear from you!