Looking at turtlenecks and faux leather when it’s 90 degrees or above is about as appealing as eating peanut butter with tuna fish. They each have their place, but they’re better separate. If your winter closet takes up a lot of space (of course it does, winter clothing is big an heavy) you may want to invest in some extra storage for your off-season clothing. If your closet is ready for a seasonal makeover, I’ve got a step-by-step guide to get your closet transitioned for warmer weather.

Step 1. Separate Your Fall and Winter Clothing
Go through your closet and pull out any of these items and their like counterparts:

• Furs, Leathers, Velvet
  (and their Faux and Vegan Counterparts)
• Blanket Scarves, Ponchos
• Mittens, Gloves, and Woolen/Felted Hats
• Boots and All Season Shoes
• Heavy Coats and Jackets
• Wool Trousers and Skirts
• Turtlenecks and Chunky Knits
• Thick Socks and Opaque Tights
• Winter Handbags

Step 2. Wash Everything
If you’re like me, you don’t wash your clothes every time you wear them. (If you do- stop doing that! Only wash them when they’re dirty or require freshening. Click for details on how this keeps clothes new longer.) However, before you archive seasonal clothing you want to make sure everything is immaculately clean, so wash or dry-clean as the label directs. Any trace of perspiration, skin oils or stains can end up permanently damaging the clothing. There’s nothing worse then pulling your favorite top out of the seasonal archive bin and finding it will forever wear a spaghetti stain scar.

If you barely have time to wash your regular laundry, here’s a trick. Skip the stitch by stitch analysis and pre-treating and use a washing detergent that does it for you. I like Persil ProClean 2 in 1 because I only have to wash once. It removes stains I’ve never even had the displeasure of meeting. I wash the batch, stow it away, and enjoy the fresh scent when I open my bins up in the Fall. If you want to try it out, I’ve got a $2 Persil ProClean coupon for ya’.

For your dry-clean only items, be sure to take them out of the bags. Moisture and mildew can build up inside those plastic barriers, and the chemicals used to clean them aren’t something you want to store your clothes in long term. Also don’t even get me started on wire hangers and shoulder nipples.

Step 3. Cut Your Inventory
There’s something in your closet that you didn’t wear last season. And it needs to go. Even if you kind of like it, even if you paid a lot of money for it, eliminate it. You need to make room for things you really love and you shouldn’t waste your storage space on worthless clothing. The value of clothing is determined by how often you use it, not by the price you paid for it. So loose anything you don’t fit in,, is overly worn, damaged, stained, or otherwise unusable in your wardrobe. Exceptions can be made for special occasion wear and size transitions, but more often than not, you should toss it, need motivation to purge your wardrobe, follow the link.

Step 4. Gather Storage Supplies
As a reward for all your hard work, we’re going to go to Target:

‘Cuz they have the best selection of organizing supplies I’ve seen at affordable prices, and they now carry Persil ProClean. Depending on the amount of clothing you’re archiving and the area you are storing it in, pick out a few plastic bins. Creepy crawlies and moisture can seep into cardboard boxes. And storage bags, that you suck the air out of, can damage the shape of clothing. You may also want to invest in hanging storage bags for your more expensive and heavy items like coats. Finally pick up a few lavender sachets, they’re safer than mothballs will keep moths and funky storage smells away.

5. Roll & Pack
I prefer to roll my clothing prior to storage. You can use your space more effectively, and it prevent your clothing from getting overly wrinkled. Organize like with like: sweaters with sweaters, trousers with trousers, and so on, placing your heaviest fabrics at the bottom. Keep a little space at the top of your bins so the clothing can breathe.

Be sure to store your shoes, handbags, and clothing separately and quickly wipe down the outside and inside (a bit of rubbing alcohol swiped on the insole will help kill some of the smelly bacteria.) Just be sure not to over pack this container, you can easily damage shoe shapes in storage. If you can, fill your boots and handbags with packing materials to help them maintain their shape.

Finally, make sure your storage location is away from direct sunlight. Under your bed or up high on shelves are prime locations.

Hopefully you followed the same strategy for your Fall/Winter closet changeover, and your Spring and Summer clothes are smelling fresh and sweet. (Persil ProClean’s Intense Fresh formula seriously lasted 6 months. My clothes still smelled amazing when I unpacked them from storage). I’ve included printable sheets for transitioning Winter to Spring and from Summer to Fall as well.

This post was created in partnership with Persil ProClean