The promise of spring is in the air as the snow melts and temperatures start to rise. You may feel ready for the change of season, but have you started to transition your closet from winter to spring? I don’t mean simply putting on shorter sleeves or fewer layers before you head out the door. It’s also not just about heading to your favorite store and spending hundreds on trendy new items. Instead, this season change calls for making some adjustments to your closet to make getting ready as seamless as possible, keep your closet de-cluttered, and promote inspiration as you get dressed for the day.

A major theme of the season is always spring cleaning: reassess your needs, clear out the old, make room for the new. It helps us to look forward and promotes hope. Bring this positive energy to your wardrobe, too! To make this transition in your wardrobe, you will want to critically examine what you have in your closet now and what you will need for the months ahead. When items you aren’t currently wearing are filling up your closet, they can visually weigh it down so that getting dressed feels like a chore. Start the season on a positive note with a quick wardrobe refresh.

Take Inventory of What You Have Vs What You Need

Before we dive in, take a step back from your closet. We need to determine if you have everything you need to transition your closet from winter to spring. It’s harder to maintain an objective eye when standing in front of your closet! Try making a checklist of what types of items you will want to wear this spring.

Create a List

Start with broad categories. For example, a bullet point on your list could be three lightweight jackets/cardigans or two casual dresses. Take your lifestyle into consideration: Do you work from home? Do you have kids? What does your day-to-day life look like? The item types and numbers will be different for everyone. Don’t forget to include shoes, bags, and accessories!

After you’ve compiled your list, compare it against what’s in your closet now. Note what you still need. Don’t forget to also keep track of what is in your closet but not on your list. If there are a lot of items in your closet that are unaccounted for, this may mean it’s time for a closet clean out.

Closet Clean Out

End-of-season closet clean outs are always a good idea. This is when your most and least worn items are still fresh in your memory, so you know which unworn garments can be filtered out. Plus, there’s no sense in storing items that you don’t plan to wear next winter. Make sure you get rid of any items that are no longer in good condition and are unable to be repaired. Check out our full list of closet clean out tips to get started! Looking for more hands-on professional guidance? Reach out to set up a closet clean out with us. Read over our pre-appointment guide for more info on what to expect.

Sort, Store, and Add Items Back in

The next step to transition your closet from winter to spring is sorting your clothing and accessories by season. This will be much easier now that you have edited your closet down to the essentials! By sorting, you will be able to see your checklist from the last step start a little more clearly. How much spring clothing do you actually have? This will be a two-part step of storing your winter clothing and pulling any spring items that are currently in storage.

Store Winter Pieces

First, let’s get the winter items out of the way. Grab your heavy sweaters, coats, thermal leggings, winter hats, gloves, and heavy scarves that you know you won’t be wearing until next year. You may not want to store everything. For example, a cotton sweater or two and your lightweight scarves may still be practical during the seasonal transition.

Once you have sorted out all the items you want to store, prep them for storage. Make sure they’re clean, dry, and neatly folded so they’re in prime condition next year. Determine where you will store them. Winter clothes can be pretty bulky, so you may want to find space-saving solutions such as vacuum bags for when they’re not in use.

Add Spring Items Back In

Next, grab any spring items that you stored over the winter. Add some of your light layering pieces, casual dresses and skirts, shorts, and open-toed shoes back into your closet. You don’t have to add everything back in at once! If you know that you won’t wear shorts until it hits 70 degrees, you can keep them stored until we approach summer. It’s best practice to store clothing until it’s ready to be incorporated into your wardrobe, as this makes getting ready as simple as possible. However, you may not want to sort through your clothing again in a couple of months. Do what works best for you!

Add a Few Trend Pieces and Spring-Ready Staples

You’re almost done! The last step to transition your closet from winter to spring is to add in any new items you need. Refer to the checklist you made earlier. What are you still missing? You will want to fill in any staples that you’re missing (hint: did you toss any basics during your closet clean out that need to be replaced?) and consider adding in some trend items. We love basics, but a few trend items keep things feeling fresh and inspired!

For basics, consider your go-to layering pieces. Tops may include tanks and camis, tees, and sleeveless or short sleeve blouses. For bottoms, look for skirts (consider midi lengths for the transitional weather!), shorts, and spring-ready denim. Light wash straight leg jeans are an on-trend basic that is at the top of our list this year. For finishing touches, look to light jackets and cardigans, neutral sneakers, and maybe a fun scarf or belt. Make sure you have basics that are suitable for work, casual wear, and date night. This may sound like a lot to fill your closet with, but most pieces should work for multiple occasions.

Trend pieces are next. Clueless about where to start? Look over what you have so far. If you’re bored with your bottoms, consider adding some fashion-forward denim options. Bored with tops? Look for tops with a statement sleeve. Take a peek at our blog page to learn which trends are currently on our radar.

Wrap Up

Your spring wardrobe should now be ready to go! Taking the time to transition your closet from winter to spring may seem like a hassle, but we promise – doing it the right way will simplify your morning routine later. Plus, it helps ward off the temptation to buy all new clothing each season. It’s all about seeing the clothing you have with fresh eyes.

Still, it can be a lot of work. We would love to help, and it’s more convenient than ever! We offer virtual services including closet clean outs and personal shopping for those who aren’t interested in meeting in person at this time. If there are any other wardrobe services you’re looking for or questions that you have, reach out to us. We will work to create a solution for whatever your needs may be.