The Best Way to Organize Clothing During the Fall Months

From September to November, our closets have mixed clothing from summer through fall and even some winter clothes. But not all closets can hold everything in them and be well organized. Some people need to remove items to make room for the next season. Instead of doing a one-time transition to your winter closet, which is usually impossible, we need to gradually move our clothing in as the weather changes from warm to cold. While you may not have the heavy items in your closet now, a few of your summer items may still be there to allow for layering on those cool mornings and comfortable afternoons. We are going to share with you how to organize your clothing during the transition months.

Jump to:

• Start storing away or purging those items definitely not being used to make room for winter things.
• Where to Store Out-of-Season Clothing to Save Room in the Closet?
• Sort shirts by length of sleeve for easy access.
• Sort clothing bottoms in order by thickness.
• Purge unwanted socks to make room for heavier ones.
• Group outfits together for a few different weather conditions during these months.

Let’s think of the closet as a flexible area during these months. It ebbs and flows with the changes, like buying new items or letting go of pieces. Keeping this closet organized is critical during these transition months.

First, let’s start with decluttering and pulling out the items you no longer need for these months.

Start storing away or purging those items definitely not being used to make room for winter things.

As we get closer to winter, the weather gets more unpredictable. There could be some days you really want to wear your favorite cozy sweater. Making space by pulling the items you absolutely do not need right now will give you that space. Reassessing your clothing and moving things around will reveal what doesn’t need to be there. Below is a list of items you may store away now.

Sandals

Thin Tank Tops

Very light-colored shirts and pants

Summer suits and dresses

Jewelry (Affiliate Link) specifically for clothing you wear in the summer.

Activity clothing that you may not use in the fall like bike shorts and summer shoes (Affiliate Link)

Where to Store Out-of-Season Clothing to Save Room in the Closet?

Now that you pulled out the clothing you do not need, you can place them in another area of the home. Below are some ideas on where to store these out-of-season clothing.

Under the bed (Affiliate Link) - these storage bins can be in a variety of different styles and shapes. Some have a zipper top; others are just an open bin.

In a dresser or chest of drawers - If you have a dresser in your bedroom or another bedroom, you can fold the items and place them in drawers for later use.

Another closet - Some people have extra closet space in another bedroom. They can transfer those out-of-season clothing to the other closet.

A Basement or Attic - Others do not have room in the bedrooms at all so they resort to a basement or attic. When storing in these areas, be sure to pick bins that are termite and rodent resistant.

An ottoman (Affiliate Link) or bench - These items have a place to hide clothing and shoes (Affiliate Link) away in them. They can be placed in a living room, family room, or bedroom.

Below are storage bins I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link) that you can use to help keep these areas organized.

Large Clothing Storage Bags 3 Pack (Beige 40L)

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Large Clothing Storage Bags, 6 Pack Foldable Gray

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(Affiliate Link)

Now that you have cleared out these items from your closet let’s focus on what clothing you can organize and other items you may need more right now.

Sort shirts by length of sleeve for easy access.

We all have short sleeves, quarter-length, long sleeves, and heavy sweaters displayed in various areas of our closets. Gathering these different types of shirts together will make it easy to know what colors you have and what is available for the bottoms you pick. Organizing your shirts by length of sleeves will help us decide what to wear, after listening to the weather forecast.

Sort clothing bottoms in order by thickness.

Let’s organize pants. Sorting the colors from lightest to darkest helps to make our closet more user-friendly. Some winter pants may be thicker than summer ones, so keeping them separated will help you find them quickly. Some clothing types during this time of year could be:

Capris

Cargo or Knee-length Shorts

Dress pants

Knee-length skirts

Leggings

Exercise Pants

Purge unwanted socks to make room for heavier ones.

Socks are the following clothing to organize. If you are like me, warm socks are fantastic in my closet. They keep my toes warm during those days of frigid weather. So, to make room for those items, I like to get rid of socks (Affiliate Link) that are starting to get worn out. Holes on the heels or toes are red flags that those items need to go. Also, go through socks (Affiliate Link) that do not fit well. Some socks (Affiliate Link) could have shrunk or stained from dark clothing during the washing. Removing these items will make room for your heavier socks (Affiliate Link).

Tights and stockings can also be sorted. We tend to pull them out during this time of year, so keeping the less thick ones in front of the thicker ones is great for pulling them out easily.

Group outfits together for a few different weather conditions during these months.

To get ready quickly, make a few outfits and gather them in one place. Include a shirt, sweater, pants, and necklace, and wrap a ribbon around the top of the hangers so you know it is an outfit. This will give you an easy go-to outfit for those late mornings when you are still getting comfortable with your new family schedule and weather change.

Try to organize your clothing for the fall, and let me know how it works out for you. As the month progresses, you can start transitioning heavier items, like sweaters, into your collection of clothes. Doing a little bit each month will freshen your wardrobe without spending a dime.

If you are looking for tips on what should be folded and hung, check out our Should You Fold or Hang Clothing for tips.

Visit our other posts below for more tips for organizing clothing.

How to Store Clothing in Really Small Spaces

How to Organize Sportswear on a Shelf

The Ultimate Closet Organization Tips for Seniors

DIY Affordable Week Day Organizer tags

5 Super Important Mens' Closet Organizing Tips

Below are some more clothing organization posts you may be interested in.

Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (Affiliate Link) and at no additional cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase.