Fall Organizing Project: Get ready for the holidays!

That’s right – Christmas is coming! As December approaches, it’s time to undertake a fall organizing project to get your house ready for the holidays.

Many of us accumulate a lot of “stuff” during December. We have to bring out or buy a winter wardrobe, take out decorations and put them up, and of course, give and receive gifts with family and friends. These items tend to take up a lot of room in a home, and soon enough even more will be added.

Now is the time to undertake a fall organizing project of any rooms that will be affected during the holidays – any major gathering areas, storage rooms for decorations, or toy rooms where gifts are most likely to accumulate. Then, the sorting, purging, and organizing process begins! Carefully go through each of your items, and consider whether you should keep it, donate it, or toss it. Keep these questions in mind when you’re going through your items:

• Do I need this?
• Have I used it recently?
• Why am I keeping it?
• Does it still work, or is it fixable?
• Can (or will) it be replaced?

This process can be time consuming and overwhelming, especially if you have a lot of items to go through. Split the project up by room, and give yourself plenty of time to go through the items. Always keep in mind that the holidays are coming, and you will have even more items to store or put away. If you’re expecting a new gift, or know your kids will be getting new toys, then it’s important to make sure you purge some of these items to make room for new ones. When you’re going through decorations, check through ornaments and lights to see if anything is broken, and if anything is, either repair it or toss it. Christmas decorations can have a lot of sentimental attachments, but if they haven’t been used for decorating in the last couple of years or if you have no room to put them up, consider donating them to someone who can.

It’s difficult to add more closets and storage spaces to your home, but it’s easy to make room in your existing spaces. Take the time to go through the items you already have so your home is ready to accommodate any new additions during the holiday season!

It's time to transition your wardrobe for fall!

The warm weather may be here for now, but it won’t be long before the temperature drops and the snow falls. To make sure you aren’t caught unexpectedly without the right clothing, jackets, and shoes, start transitioning your wardrobe and organizing your closets for the fall season! Below, we’ve got some suggestions on how you can get the process started:

Don’t switch everything at once

Once September hits, you may be tempted to put away all your summer clothes, but the truth is Calgary can still get warm weather right up until the end of the month, but we can also get cold weather as well! No one can predict what kind of clothes you’ll need, but it may be a good idea to keep a few pieces from your spring and summer wardrobe, like t-shirts and darker-coloured blouses or tank-tops, just in case it stays warm outside. It also wouldn’t hurt to keep a pair of flats or lighter shoes for this reason. As we get further into the season and the warm weather is gone for good, these items can be put into storage with the rest of your clothing and accessories.

Declutter! 

Whenever you’re taking a large amount items out of your closet and putting them into storage, it’s time to go through them! Take this opportunity to go through your spring and summer items, and determine what should stay, and what should go. Did you wear all your items this summer? Chances are there are a few older pieces that are out of style or don’t fit anymore that you haven’t touched all summer, and there is no reason to keep these items for another year. If they’re still in good condition, donate them to a charity or bring them to a consignment shop.

Make sure everything is clean

Before you put everything into storage for the next summer season, make sure all your items are clean. Take this time to run everything through the wash one more time, or send them off to the dry-cleaners if they are more delicate items to make sure they are ready to be put away. You can also take this time to make sure everything is either hung nicely on a clothes hanger, or folded nicely into a drawer or storage bin. Depending on what kind of clothing you have, you may want to use different methods to avoid wrinkling the fabrics too much.

Organize your storage

 Once your clothes have been cleaned and are ready to put away, sort each item by type. Put like objects with likes, whether they are t-shirts, shorts, blouses, sandals, heels, or purses. Avoid using wooden or cardboard boxes as they can affect the clothing and it is harder to determine what items are stored in what boxes. Instead, try using clear plastic bins to store your items. Alternatively, you can use a section of your closet or a closet/wardrobe in a spare bedroom – just make sure you remember where you put everything by using labels or signs.

Sort fall items by type and colour

When you take your fall and winter items out of storage, you can also do a declutter of items that don’t fit, look out-of-date, or probably won’t be worn. Once this is done, organize each item into type, like sweaters, pants, jeans, and boots, and then sort these items by colour. This way, it will be easier for you to create outfits and find specific items of clothing when you need to. Leave hanging space for blouses, dress pants, skirts, dresses, and jackets/blazers, and fold the rest of your items.

Place items practically

Clothing and accessories that you are more often to wear, like jackets and boots, place in a more accessible location, like your hallway closet by your front door. This way, it will be easy to find and put on before you leave for the day. Clothing that you wear regularly should also be stored at eye level and within easy reach, whether it’s in your closet or your wardrobe. Other items, like heavier-weather clothing or special occasion items can be kept on higher shelves or towards the far right/left sides of your closet, because you won’t need to access them as often.

Don’t waste time trying to find the right clothes for the season. Take the time before the weather starts turning to get your wardrobe organized!

Fall is here - and winter isn't too far behind!

Now that summer is definitely over, it’s time to start preparing your home for the fall and winter seasons. This means clearing out your closets, mudrooms, and bringing in the clothes, shoes, and accessories that you’ll need in the coming months.

To make room for your seasonal clothing – especially bulkier jackets – pull out any summer or spring clothing and take this time to go through your items. Donate anything that is old or too small. Also, think about how often you wear it or if you even wear it anymore. If you don’t like it, don’t keep it. Donating these items to someone who could use it is better than letting it take up storage in your closet or wardrobe.

Summer clothing is often light-weight and made out of in-expensive material that doesn’t last long. Don’t hold onto the items you know won’t hold up until the next summer.

Summer shoes can also be taken out and sorted through. Any flip flops that are falling apart, or flats that have seen better days should not be kept. Try on your other shoes to make sure they fit, and take this opportunity to repair any heels or pairs that need repair.  

Once you’ve decluttered your summer items, consider moving them to the back of your closet or another area that is out of the way because you won’t need to access these items on a daily basis. Clear storage bins can also be used to store summer clothes under the bed, or on top of a closet shelf.

Alternatively, a rolling rack can be installed in a basement or spare bedroom closet to hold your summer and spring clothing, and clear plastic bins can hold shoes. If you don’t have clear bins, make sure you properly label what items are in each container and who they belong to. Make sure they are stored properly – avoid having to re-iron creases in blouses and work shirts if you choose to store them in a drawer or container.

Once this is done, you can pull out your warmer jackets and sweaters, and store them in the front area of your closet, or the easiest accessible drawers and cupboards in your wardrobe. Pull out boots, hats, toques, gloves, and scarves. However, because Calgary’s weather is constantly changing and we can get mild weather even in the winter, consider keeping a few lighter pieces out, like a thinner jacket or t-shirt just in case. Also, if you’re planning on taking a winter vacation to a warmer location, it might be easier to store a few items from your summer wardrobe in an accessible location.

When you’re going through and changing out your seasonal clothing, the most important thing to keep in mind is organization and efficiency. By placing your everyday items in a location that is easy to access, you can stay organized in your daily routines. Swapping out clothing in your closet gives you more space for the items you actually need, and keeps the items neat and tidy and quick to take out.

Winter is fast approaching so make sure your home is ready for it! [INSERT TWEET THIS LINK]