Ten Minute Tuesday: Wake Up Winter Clothes!!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been holding out on the last few days of summer goodness by… well, by putting yourself at risk for pneumonia. Let’s be honest, Mid-Western ladies, it’s cold out there. Those cute tank tops, Capri pants, and sandals may represent the last stand of summer, but it’s time to put ‘em away. I know, I know, it was totally 55 degrees the other day, and that’s still pretty warm… frostbite isn’t that bad, after all… shivering all day burns calories!...

Take a deep breath. Just think- cozy sweaters. Cute jeans and boots. Peppermint mochas (or Pumpkin Spice Lattes, if you like those better). Mmm. See? Summer’s over, and that’s okay.

Let’s take ten minutes today to get our wardrobe ready for it!

“Ten minutes?” you say. “How is that possible?” Oh ladies, it’s possible.

Okay, if you’re trying to get everyone’s clothes switched over, it may take longer. Especially if you have lotsa kids. We’re just talking about your wardrobe, here. Because come on, yours is the one that probably gets neglected anyway, right?

Let’s do it.

Hello, my fuzzy sweater friends. I have missed you...

Dump the clothes in a central location. (For me, this is my bed). The first thing I do is take out all of my winter clothes that have been in storage throughout the summer. I put them all on my bed, and set the empty storage container on the floor.

I rock a lot of tie dye in the summer. I live at a Bible Camp.

Put away your summer clothing. Next, I go into my drawers and closet, and pull out anything that I know I won’t be wearing until next summer. There may be a couple of items that I keep out (like a couple t-shirts that look nice under cardigans, or t-shirts for knocking around the house). Fold the summer clothes, if needed, and put them directly into your storage container.

Don’t get sentimental. I have a hard time with this one. Clothes aren’t just clothes to me, they’re memories. Putting that top I wore that one romantic day at the beach with HH sends me into a flurry of daydreams. Don’t do that. Just get it done.

Take a couple extra seconds to try on winter clothes before putting them away. Before putting the winter clothes sitting on the bed away, I try on almost everything. This doesn’t have to take a long time- put it on, decide where it belongs, take it off.

That pair of jeans you can’t remember the last time you wore? Try ‘em on.  If they don’t fit anymore, make a quick decision about whether you want to keep them or donate them. Do it now. Putting clothing in your closet that you aren’t going to wear is a waste of space. You should now have a pile of “keep” clothes, and most likely, a pile of “donate” clothes.

Put away the clothes you’re keeping. In going through your dresser and closet and pulling out summer stuff, you’ll now have some extra space. Reorganize if necessary (for example, during the summer, I have tank tops separate from t-shirts. Now, I’ll put the ones I’ve kept out together in one drawer). Fold it and put it where it belongs. Fight the urge to just toss stuff wherever- do it right the first time, and you won’t have to mess with it later!

The remaining t-shirts.

Pick up the stragglers. I typically have a couple of left over summer items floating around in the laundry, or I’ll find a tank top or pair of shorts hiding behind the dryer or under a bed. As soon as you see these summertime stragglers, wash ‘em, fold ‘em, and stick them in your storage container.

Step back and gaze at your newly organized and restocked closet and dresser. Ah, a fresh start for Fall!