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Closet Swap Therapy: Declutter, Refresh, Repeat

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Closet Swap Therapy

Every Fall I swap my closet. For years our primary bedroom closet was not big enough to house my generous wardrobe (a mainstay of my then career in fashion retail.) Everything ‘off-season’ I kept in our guest room closet downstairs. The closet swap was a big job in those days, requiring multiple trips up and down the stairs. Because it was kind of a pain, I developed some rituals around it to make it feel less like a chore and more like a fun activity.

Today our closet is twice the size and my wardrobe reduced significantly so there is room for all seasons. The closet swap is easier because there is less stuff and I don’t have to cart anything up and down stairs. And the ritual has evolved further to represent an opportunity to declutter instead of just swapping seasons. 

Here are the swaps I focus on each Fall as I prepare for ‘sweatah weathah’ and take advantage of the chance to keep my closet beautifully shoppable!

Spring/Summer for Fall/Winter

jeans for the closet swap

Keeping to the original purpose of the closet swap, I bring the colder-weather categories forward while banishing the warmer weather items to less accessible spots. This exercise can vary in its flavor for differently sized closets and different climates. If you are in a southern clime with less seasonal variation there may not be a lot to swap. Working with small closet real-estate means you may be pulling the spring/summer clothes out of the closet completely so you have room for fall/winter. If your closet is of the large, walk-in variety it may be a matter of merely switching some categories around to make the current season items visible and easy to grab.

In my closet, I don’t need to touch my hanging categories at all. But I bring my bulkier sweaters and long jeans down from higher shelves. Then I move shorts and sleeveless knits up high. A bigger job is putting my sandals away in their shoeboxes up high around the perimeter of the closet. Next I my boots from captivity. This exercise is a bit cumbersome, I admit. But that is why I bring the party vibes and take my time about it!

New for Old

swap new for old in your closet

I use my bi-annual closet swap to make room for anything new I’ve acquired over the previous months. Because I do like to shop, the new stuff sneaks in and I don’t edit anything old in real time to make room. If I already have a lot in certain categories then things start to look pretty messy over time. Until it’s time for the closet swap!

The two categories that are abundant for me in this stage of midlife are sweatshirts and sneakers. Because I wear them a lot I’m often tempted by new and fun versions that make their way into my closet. For instance, three new sweatshirts and 4 new pairs of sneakers joined my wardrobe since my last swap. Since I didn’t really have room they were kind of shoved/tossed in. During my swap I purposefully created room for them.

First I decluttered my sweatshirts. I donated 3 total; two were part of sets I got during the pandemic and wore to death. One was an impulse buy (also during the pandemic!) that I never wear. That created room for my three new guys. Sneakers were a different story – I only found one pair to donate. Which lead me to the third opportunity to swap.

Space for Deadwood

Sneakers

I often tout the value of space as a mindset shift when decluttering. What I mean by that is to place the same value on open space as you do on the things taking up the space. In a closet setting that means giving yourself room to ‘shop’ your closet. 

My new shoes caused the space allocated for sneakers to overflow. Instead of neat rows, they were more like piles – not very visually appealing and hard to ‘shop’. And because I only got rid of one pair of sneakers I still had a problem.

The solution was to allocate more space for sneakers by decluttering a different category and shrinking its footprint. What I discovered in this year’s swap was how many empty shoe boxes were taking up the real estate on my high shelves. Over the past few years I’d done a good job of editing out shoes I no longer wore (heels!) but I somehow didn’t edit the boxes.

Once I got rid of the excess boxes I used the space to place other shoe categories that I wear less frequently than sneakers. Which in turn gave me more sneaker space. Now I have room to see all of my sneakers. And can easily grab the pair that tickles my fancy that day.

I also took the opportunity to peruse through my other clothing categories, looking for things I don’t really wear anymore. I found several tee shirts, workout tops, a pair of sandals and some leggings that were languishing at the back of drawers. Those drawers look and feel so much better now!

Chaos for Order

hanging sweaters

The closet swap is such a good ritual to keep your closet decluttered and shoppable. But if you haven’t even done one you may find it overwhelming to start cold turkey. If your closet is a source of stress, I recommend starting with my Bedroom & Closet Room Guide instead of a swap. It will guide you through a full closet reset, including preparation steps, decluttering and organizing. I’ve included so many category-specific tips, hacks and product recommendations. You can turn your closet into a shoppable boutique, no matter what size it is!

Happy Fall and Happy Closet Swapping to you!

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