New season, new(ish) wardrobe

We finally have relief from the hot summer and cooler weather is upon us! Today I was actually wishing the school I was at would turn off the air conditioning, because it was too cold! With this new weather and lower temperatures, it means it is time to switch out the summer clothes. I am not advocating getting a new wardrobe, but take time to move things around and prepare for the new season. Here are some tips for getting this done:

1) Say goodbye to summer: Pull put any items that you are probably done with from summer. This might include bathing suits, shorts, tank tops, sandals, etc. Put these aside for next year. For myself I have a trunk in the bedroom where I keep the opposite season’s clothing. For my kids, I put the clothes in plastic containers or boxes based on size. The clothes they have grown out of go on the right side of the closet until the boxes are full. The clothes they might need for similar weather later go on the left side. (See my blog post “Staying on top of your kids’ clothing.”

2) Restock your closet and drawers: Bring out those clothes you put aside from last fall (or spring as it might be). Toss or keep as follows:

→ Toss clothing if it’s stained or frayed and cannot be repaired
→ Sell or donate pieces that you rarely wear or are too-big.
→ Get rid of any shoes that are uncomfortable or have cracked leather. Also get rid of athletic shoes that are worn out (recycle them through www.nikereuseashoe.com).
→ Pull out any accessories that are out-of-style. These make great dress-up items for kids. Or donate them to a local charity. Consign or donate purses.
→ Keep clothing items that make you feel great or are classic pieces. If you have lost weight and need to alter the items, figure out if it is cheaper to buy new or fix.
→ Leather shoes can be resoled, reheeled and/or dyed, so these items can be repaired instead of thrown out.
→ Think about new uses for old accessories. A scarf can be a belt; a long necklace can be double-wrapped to be a bracelet; a large earring can be made into a pin.

3) Take inventory of what you have left so that you know what you need to buy. This helps eliminate duplicate purchases. I always seem to have an abundance of casual long sleeve cotton tops, but not enough pieces to make many real outfits (and at work I can only wear a jean skirt once a week!).

→ For my own clothes, I like to make a list of possible outfits so that I can determine very specifically what I need. Never fail, it always works out where I have either a top with no skirt to match or vice versa. Especially when I am working, I try to make sure I have two weeks worth of outfits, so I don’t feel like I am wearing the same clothes all the time.

→ For the kids, I make just a list of clothing we have for that season based on type. By seeing it on paper, I can figure out if I need more khaki pants, casual long sleeve shirts, pajamas, etc.

4) Create a shopping wish list: Keep a list of what you are lacking (for yourself, your spouse, or your children) in your purse. This way you know what you need when you spot sale items at your favorite stores or websites.

* Resources: Some tips were taken from “Streamline!” by Andrea Messina, from the May/June 2009 issue of Weight Watchers Magazine.