FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

Everyone has heard the phrase 'Spring Cleaning', but it would often be more correct to refer to it as 'Seasonal Transformation'. With the change of seasons comes the need to pack away certain items and pull out others. Each room has its own specific needs, and some are subtle, such as a bathroom undergoing a quick change of its shower curtain, rug, and possibly towels to reflect the season at hand. Other rooms require a much more dramatic, but less noticeable change to the visitor's eye.

Bedrooms are one such room. With the arrival of cooler temperatures, our lightweight summer wear must be packed away, and our warm sweaters, woolens, and fleece take their place. Sandals and slip-ons are exchanged for sensible shoes and boots. Even our under things are often swapped for warmer gear, with our briefs or lacy bits being replaced by long johns and thermals.

If you dread this task, start this season to make the next reversal easier. It can be tempting to pack away your off-season gear as quickly as possible by jamming it into the back of your closet, or tossing it into a few under the bed storage boxes, but a bit of organization and pruning now, will make the next seasonal swap much easier and less dramatic on your nerves. Before packing away any seasonal gear or clothes, take out anything you did not wear during the season currently at end, then make either note of why it was not worn or used, and determine if this is something that will pass. (Such as a ski jacket that never hit the slopes because nether did you!) On the other hand, if the item should be donated or tossed, such as that lovely sweater you received as a gift from a favorite aunt that is more in her style than anything you would ever wear. If an item needs to be cleaned, do it before storing it away. A quick glance at the item may cause irreparable damage, especially if a rash determination that it looks clean and can probably wait till next spring means it results in you pulling it out come nest season only to reveal stains that exposed themselves while the item was stored, irrevocably damaging the fabric. Keep in mind that not all stains are immediately visible to the eye, especially stains that are human by nature, such as sweat. If something was worn, clean it before storing it.

By limiting what you pack away to items that you actually use, the following year's swap will go much quicker. Knowing that everything is clean and ready to go will also make the transition much easier to swallow. By repeating the simple task seasonally on all clothing and gear that is going into storage, you will create a much more balanced affair each time you need to swap one season for the next. Be sure to properly store items also, in bags or closet areas made for long-term storage. Plastic garbage bags and cardboard boxes can result in moths and other insects and dirt creeping into your clothing.