How to order the capsule clothes at the end of a season

Summer is slowly ending. Most of us hope for a warm September, but at home, we are already planning the autumn wardrobe, changing sandals for flats or even boots. How to properly organize the transition from one season to the next with a capsule wardrobe? How to organize unworn clothes? Is it a big challenge? Probably smaller for some, and bigger for others, but you can follow a few rules to organize this change easier and better. I show them on the example of a summer capsule. For the record, my summer capsule from this year is shown here.

1| Is everything from summer capsule to be stored when the fall comes?

This is an important question. In my case, the answer is no. Many things, mainly the basics are worn throughout the year. These are, for example, T-shirts (in my case in neutral colors: black, white and gray), some trousers (jeans and those made of thicker fibres), or skirts. I also put aside two gray sweatshirts, which I used in summer on cooler evenings and now they can be the basis of a casual weekend outfit. But I put away all my summer jackets, shorts, airy dresses and typical summer skirts. For a week or two I will save my white trousers and a pair of shorts because there still can be a warmer day. As for footwear, I leave my canvas Converse for a month, but all sandals and flip-flops go to the wardrobe for the winter.

So, check out all the elements of your summer wardrobe and decide what you want to wear this fall and what to keep on hand for some time in case the summer weather returns. All the rest is to be prepared for storing till the next year.

2| Before you put away your summer clothes

Before you put away your summer clothes, you should prepare them for storage. This is a good time to assess their condition. Check if there are any worn or damaged clothes among them. If you find any, decide if they are suitable for further use. Fixable items should be repaired before storing them in the closet so that you can use them right away in the new season.

3| Storing the seasonal capsule – how to order clothes

I divide things into three types: to be stored on hangers, to be put into separate boxes and to be put into a collective box. I store most of my summer dresses, buttoned shirts and summer jackets on hangers. These are things that could lose shape when folded or are very difficult to iron. In my closet they hang in covers. I chose Ikea covers because of the good price for a set of 3 and the aesthetic appearance. I try to put a maximum of 3 things in one cover, and if they are thicker like jackets – only 2. I put a fragrance bag inside each cover. (I also put them in the sports bag among the things I wear for training.)

I pack my shoes in separate boxes. Before that I clean them, and if they are made of leather – I polish and protect the surface. (Mr Vintage wrote great about shoe care in this article and Wielki Shoe on the blog). I wash canvas sneakers, they must dry thoroughly before storing. Separate storing is also good for bags and accessories like sunglasses etc. I have also a box for summer swimmwear. I also have a collective box for summer things that can be stored stacked on top of each other or rolled up using the Marie Kondo method. As a rule, these are typical summer clothes and I will not look into this container before sometime in the middle of May. I put the heaviest things at the bottom and the lightest at the top.

Here is my method of proceeding with the transition to the new season. In the wardrobe, the place for storing clothes is occupied by those for the current season. How do you deal with end-of-season cleanup?