With cooler weather on the way, autumn is a natural time to do a good wardrobe cleanout and to get that winter wardrobe organised.

From making necessary repairs to letting go of worn-out or unworn items, here are our best winter wardrobe organising tips and ideas to get ready for the season ahead in style.

1. Edit your winter wardrobe

Firstly, it’s important to go through your wardrobe and create a winter edit. You won’t be needing those fresh summer looks anymore so free up your wardrobe by storing away those items.

We wrote a blog post on wardrobe rotation a few months ago with pro tips on how to organise and declutter for winter. Making this change allows you to concentrate on your winter wardrobe essentials and gives you plenty of room for those bulky knits and coats.

Once you’re only left with winter clothing, pull everything out and review each item to decide if you’ll keep it, donate it or trash it. Don’t allow yourself to buy anything new if you haven’t made a good clean off first!

Let go of items that no longer fit or are uncomfortable. If you love a piece but don’t wear it, consider why that may be: is it more formal than your current lifestyle or are you simply missing a necessary basic piece that would allow you to make a complete outfit?

Once you have discarded the old, you can bring in the new. Are there any staple pieces missing from your wardrobe that you need to invest in?

The start of the season is the perfect time to add those favourites to your winter edit so you can get optimum wear out of them without feeling guilty - especially boots and coats!

While going through your belongings, don’t forget to set aside items that need repair or cleaning – we’ll get back to this later.

2. Categorise by colours and type

Creating order is one of the easiest ways to organise your winter wardrobe.

Categorising by colour and style is always the best option for example:

• Coats - Black, navy, blush, white, etc.

• Blazers - Black, navy, blush, white, etc.

• Shirts - Black, navy, blush, white, etc.

or

• Black - Coats, blazers, shirts, dresses, etc.

• Navy - Coats, blazers, shirts, dresses, etc.

• Blush - Coats, blazers, shirts, dresses, etc.

• White - Coats, blazers, shirts, dresses, etc.

This simple step literally makes your clothing much more accessible and organised, rather than wasting time hunting high and low for that silk white shirt you know is hiding away in your wardrobe somewhere.

3. Mend, repair and clean items as needed

If you are handy with a needle and thread, carve out some time to sew buttons back on and mend fallen hems. But if you’re not, no worries!

Be honest with yourself that you’ll never mend these items yourself and stash them in a tote bag to bring to your dry cleaner (many are happy to do minor repairs) or a local seamstress. At the same time, drop off shoes or boots that need repair at the cobbler.

4. Neaten up what’s left

Once you’ve finished pulling out items to donate, sell, repair and clean, you should have some extra room in your closet for your winter wardrobe essentials. Neatening everything up will make getting dressed faster and more pleasant. Hang dresses, trousers, button-down shirts and outerwear; place bags on shelves, in bins or under the bed; and line up shoes on shelves or a shoe rack.

5. Carefully organise hanging clothes

Depending on the size of your wardrobe, try to be judicious in what you hang back up after your clothing edit. Avoid overstuffing your closet as much as possible—this only makes it harder to find things.

6. Fold away

One of the biggest challenges during winter is organising your sweaters and heavy knit clothes. These items shouldn’t be hung on hangers because they’ll lose shape.

But folding them in a big pile isn’t the best option, either. Consider adding open bins on your shelves to store files - folded clothes in smaller piles.

If you are lacking a drawer or storage space, fold your knitwear in half (shoulder to shoulder) and drape it over a hanger.

7. Store coats and cold-weather accessories elsewhere

To help avoid overstuffing your closet, try to store heavy coats, winter scarves, gloves and hats in your mudroom or entryway. This will free up space in your main bedroom closet for blouses, pants, suits and dresses.

8. Use hooks to hang jewellery, scarves and other accessories

The best way to keep your closet organised is to hang only what’s really necessary in there. Use hooks to hang scarves, accessories and even some jewellery—whether it’s on the sidewall, on the back of the door or in another spot in your room. This will keep the space feeling a little less cluttered.

9. Add additional lighting in dim areas

Remember that winter days are darker. Consider adding small, battery-powered lights to your winter wardrobe to illuminate your clothes as the days get shorter.

10. Hire a professional organiser to organise your winter wardrobe

To really get the most out of your closet in any season, a professional home organiser can help you get organised. We’re not talking about a declutterer: you’re the only one who should decide on what you want to keep!

Having said that, a professional organiser will help you make the most of the space you have and will make it look so neat and stylish that opening up your closet will be a great moment of joy, even during those chilly winter mornings!

A designer/organiser will review everything you want to store in the space you have and make recommendations on how best to get and stay organised with enough hanging storage, bins on shelves, shoe storage and room for jewellery and accessories.

Having a beautifully organised closet at the beginning of the season is a great incentive to keep your wardrobe organised by returning everything to its place after you have worn it. You’ll be surprised to see how easy it is, once every single item has its dedicated place. Reach out: Homefulness is here to help!