Hats, scarves, mittens, and sweaters are all necessary when they are needed but don't have to have a prominent place in your closet year-round. (Note And if you are really pressed for space, you can change out your clothes seasonally and store them in containers out of the way.
To get this started, it will, of course, require you to rummage through your closet and your drawers to sort and separate seasonal items. So, while you are doing that, you may as well fill up a bin with the stuff that you haven’t seen, let alone worn, it over a year.
You can then take that newly filled bin full of lovely items to your local Goodwill store. There are two great reasons to do this.
First, when you donate your items that are in working condition, contain all of their pieces and parts, and are free of stains and rips, your helping your local Goodwill organization who in turn will help people in your community find jobs. They also help people with access to computers and mobile devices to access Goodwill education, training, mentoring and online learning services to strengthen their skills.
Second, while you are there donating your items, you are going to pick up the things you need to organize your seasonal clothes! There is no reason not to pop into your Goodwill store while you are making a donation and see what types of storage bins they have to offer for your new mission to organize your clothes.
Tips for organizing and storing your seasonal clothes:
Clean the clothes that you want to store.
If you put your clothes away before you give them a good wash, they might wind up with a funky odor later. This is also a great time to make note of anything that has a stain you want to try and remove, or even get rid of those things where the stains won’t come out. While you’re at goodwill, look for items like stain removers or other laundry care items you can get a great bargain on.
Use the right storage bins.
While cardboard storage can be used temporarily, I would not recommend using it as a long-term solution. Plastic storage containers are best for storing your clothes. This is where that Goodwill shopping spree will come in handy. When I was there recently, there were tons of storage tubs of all shapes and sizes to pick from! One thing to note - fibers like wool and cashmere shouldn't be wrapped in plastic of any kind, as they need to "breathe" so fabric storage boxes are ideal. We found lots of these in all shapes and sizes at Goodwill also.
Pick a spot with temperature control to store your clothes.
Since you’re just storing your clothes and other items for the season, something like temperature controlled storage isn’t necessary. Just find a place that will not be sweltering during the summer or below freezing in the winter. This probably means the attic, or the basement isn’t an option. We like to use tubs that will easily slide under the bed.
Now – doesn’t that feel great? You’ve spent time decluttering the stuff you no longer need and given that stuff an opportunity to be useful to someone else, you’ve helped people in your community find jobs and stability, and you’ve created a nice clean and clutter free space for yourself. Job well done!
If you used our tips and took a haul while shopping at Goodwill – share your photos with us on social media using the hashtag #ShopGoodwill. We can’t wait to see what you’ve done!
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