There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
So it is with nature, life, and your sweaters.
Twice a year. I make the pilgrimage out to the shed, bring in the seasonally appropriate clothing, and do the seasonal clothing swap. This is one of the things about being an adult that’s not as fun as being able to stay up as late as you want.
A good friend recently told me: “Being an adult is the difference between saying you’re going to do something, and actually doing it.” With that guilt trip in mind, let’s make this easy. Here’s your checklist:
OUT WITH THE OLD
Go through all closets, drawers, and cupboards and pull out anything too summery to survive the next 6 months of Canadian weather.
Purge: If you haven’t worn it since the spring clothing swap, it needs to go. Here are some great places to donate:
Purging is a full-time hobby for me. If you have trouble with this step, just give me a shout. I've been known to take clothes directly off of my husband and put them in our donation bag. I've also been known to commit a little sock-icide every now and then...
Wash ‘em. Spit-up on shirt sleeves is much harder to deal with after a six-month set-in period.
Pack your spring/summer items in:
Tubs. Make sure to label the top and side for easy access.
Vacuum bags. This was my first year trying this method: Easy and great for those with less storage! When my husband and I first met I lived in a four-hundred-and-fifty square foot bachelor appartment. She was a cozy wee place with just enough room for breathing and sleeping. I wish I had known about these then.
Clear shoe boxes. These deserve their own post at some point. Their clear sides make for easy identification! My stepmom has a slight shoe addiction, so these work for her everyday shoes as well as the seasonal ones.
Stow the tubs/bags/boxes until springtime. Put them wherever your space permits: garage, top of your closet, or under the bed. See you soon, sandals!
Set yourself a calendar reminder to spring into action for your spring wardrobe: You will want to aim for early April. This is Canada, so be both optimistic and flexible.
IN WITH THE NEW
Purge: the sequel. When it comes to fashion, my mom always says, "Doubt means don’t." Get rid of it unless you're certain you’ll wear it again.
For your kids, this is an important step because it’s likely they have outgrown many of last year’s fall/winter items.
Wash ‘em. Get rid of dust and any crusty critters.
Make any repairs required.
Fall in love with your new(ish) wardrobe!
It’s tough to be an adult. But this wasn’t so hard, was it?
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