Sweater weather is officially here! While we’re still getting the occasional warm, sunny day here in Michigan, we’re seeing a lot more chilly days. That’s when I know it’s time to swap out my summer clothes for my cool-weather clothes. In this post, I’m sharing how I transition my closet into winter. 

Twice a year, I do a clothes-cleaning. It’s kind of like spring or fall cleaning except it’s with my wardrobe. I pull out all the clothes I own and sort through them. (My bedroom is a mess all week!)  I ask myself a few questions:  Do I love it? Does it still fit? Does it look tired or worn out? Sometimes I will enlist the help of a good friend or my sister who both have good taste even if it’s not always my taste. But I trust them if I’m in doubt. 

I just finished this process which includes laundering, mending, sorting, trashing, and filling a couple bags for donation. Finally, I store all the off-season clothes in the cedar chest, I fill a time-out box, and I take an inventory of what’s left for the next six months. LIke why, oh, why do I have 8 pairs of leggings? And I haven’t worn these itchy wool sweaters for years, so why are they still taking up room in my drawer?

A few things you should know about me and my clothes… 

1. I learned everything I know about clothes from my mother. She was a stay-at-home mom who volunteered a lot. She took joy in dressing nicely. She didn’t schlep around the grocery store in her “cleaning” slacks. She dressed for every day.
2. Because of what mom taught me, I like nice quality clothes. I’d rather have one nice sweater than 15 so-so sweaters that are pilly and don’t fit well. (But then again, Mom did not have Costco.)
3. I like to have a minimal wardrobe. I don’t have a huge walk-in closet. Never did. And I get stressed if everything is squished together with too many choices. I want to know what I have and that every single thing is wearable and makes me smile. 
4. I like to be comfortable. Whoever came up with stretchy and soft fabrics, thank you. This makes me smile. 
5. I like to be sorta stylish. It’s much easier these days because “stylish” is not dictated by a magazine cover. Stylish is knowing who I am and what makes me smile. 
6. I like classics and neutrals and every once in a while, bright pink since I stopped coloring my hair.
7. I like to be organized. I sort my closet by colors and dressy to casual. (Yeah, and all the hangers match.)
8. I write down what I wear in my planner. Not every day but days when I teach or speak. This is primarily because of a sociology professor I had in college. The class met twice a week, and she wore one outfit every Tuesday and a second one every Thursday. My girlfriend and I noticed. I know. It’s very shallow, and I feel bad about that. I had a lot of growing up to do when I was 18 years old. But this experience reminds me to pay attention to what I wear when I’m in a classroom setting. I didn’t want to be the teacher who always wore the blue blouse on Monday. 

How to Transition Your Closet into Winter

If you have a huge walk-in closet, or if you use multiple closets, or you don’t have more than five different outfits, then perhaps you do not need to transition your closet into winter at all. As so many say these days, you do you. 

But if you are like me, and feel the nudge to simplify, sort, organize a couple times a year? If you’ve always longed for an organized wardrobe? Maybe this will help you do something similar. I don’t pretend to be a wardrobe expert. I’m just an ordinary gal offering my simple tips to help you transition your closet into winter.

#1. Pull out all your clothes. 

Now if this freaks you out because you have drawers and closets jam-packed? Then this might be the time to face it all. (Because do you really want your kids to have to go through those boxes of what-if clothes?) 

I’ve struggled with this step. After all, just starting is the hardest thing. But you can do this in stages. For example, I do all my tops, slacks, jeans. Then I tackle my shoes. Another day I do my coats. Another day my socks, pajamas, and underthings. 

Lay everything out where you can see it. The easiest thing for me is on a bed. It’s a good challenge for me to do this in my bedroom because I’m motivated to finish it quickly–by bedtime. But you can always do this in stages and use a guest bed or your dining table or a clean floor. 

#2. Separate everything into categories.

I like to have piles for these things, but you could set up boxes or bags. Whatever works best for you. 

1. All-season. These are items in my wardrobe for the entire year. Jeans, all-season sweatpants, tanks or t-shirts that can layer. 
2. Off-season. I put away cleaned off-season clothes, storing them in my cedar chest. I know some people prefer plastic containers or vacuum-sealed bags. I used to use those but I’ve gotten to a point where my off-season clothes can live quite comfortably in the pretty cedar chest that came from my mother-in-law. 
3. Repair. I try to take care of snags or lost buttons right away, but sometimes I don’t. This is a good time to set those aside.
4. Time-out. This is a new-to-me practice. I tend to be really quick to say goodbye to something I hardly wore this last season. But sometimes it’s good to just put it in a time-out box. Because maybe I’m just tired of it. And in two or three years, I’ll open that box and it will be like something new! This is also a good practice for clothes that have gotten too small or too big. 
5. Donate or sell. My philosophy is if I’m not wearing something, then maybe there is someone else who would want to wear it. I used to take nicer items to a consignment shop, but nowadays I take them to a local mission’s thrift store. Some people love to sell last season’s items online, so go for it, if that’s your thing! 

#3. Take stock of what’s left.

Now is the time to see what’s going on. It helps me to categorize once again. I also consider how many outfits I need in each category. (Do I really need ten different dresses when I rarely wear dresses anymore?) Here’s my loosey goosey categories. I sort of organize my closet this way. (Please look at my basement and desk drawers. That’s a disorganized story.)

1. At-home nice. This is what I wear almost every single day. All day.  My winter writing uniform is pretty much leggings/yoga pants/joggers and a long-sleeve shirt with a cardigan, if it’s chilly. 
2. At-home not nice. This is for cleaning house and yard work. The old ready-to-toss t-shirt that I accidentally splashed bleach on goes here. I have to be careful that this pile doesn’t get too big. Sometimes I just need to turn the tees into rags.
3. Workout. Joggers and ultra-light short-sleeve/long-sleeved shirt. Quarter-zip for outside.
4. Errands. Comfy jeans or cute joggers, vests, sweaters. 
5. Church or dressier weekday events. Skirts, dresses, blazers. 
6. Date nights. Cute jeans and pretty blouse/sweater. What exactly are “cute” jeans? They are the ones that are just a tad too tight for at-home lounging. And the pretty blouse or sweater? These maybe have a flouncy sleeve that gets in the way when I’m at my desk.

I remember that I said goodbye to a couple of sweaters because they were past their prime – stretched out, pilling, or oops, that one ended up in the dryer and now the sleeves are way too tight. I also set aside a pretty blue sweater that I probably got for a big discount about six years ago–I love the color, but it’s wool, and I just can’t do 100% wool. But I sure would love to find something in that pretty blue. I have too many black sweaters. Still. 

#4. Make a list.

Pull out a notebook or your Notes App and make your wish list. Do you need to refresh your sweats or yoga pants? Should you look for a good sale on a simple winter dress because you know you have a few dressy occasions ahead? Jot it all down. It’s a wish list. This will help you stay focused when you hop onto Amazon or online or at the mall, if you still have one of those. (That’s an entirely different post!) 

#5. Return everything to its home.

Hang everything or fold it all nice and neat. It feels so good when you’re finished. It’s like having a clean house! If you really want a lovely-looking closet, then opt for matching hangers. They don’t need to be fancy ones. But a mish-mash of wire, bright pink, and wooden hangers can make the space feel confused. If that brings you joy, though, then keep what you have! 

#6. Keep the main thing the main thing.

So what’s all this talk about how to transition your closet into winter, organizing a closet and the clothes I’m wearing? Well, we do need to put on clothes every single day.  These outer garments do say something about us. I don’t mean the price of the clothes or the style, necessarily. I think it’s simpler than that.  What I put on can speak volumes about showing up for the day to the people I love. If I schlep around in my pajamas and robe all day, which I have done, it’s because I don’t feel well or I’m not ready to participate or I don’t give a hoot. When I put on something nice, I care. (And what is nice is unique to you!)

But I also know that we don’t need to worry about this. We don’t need to worry about the right style or the fit or the patterns; we don’t need to stress or overspend or compare; we can think about it, if that’s our thing, and then set it aside for the main thing. 

Take a moment and read these verses:

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:28-33

Seek first His kingdom.

He knows you, loves you, and redeems you, no matter how your transition your closet into winter, spring, summer. No matter what’s inside your closet. 

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