Spring Cleaning – Declutter Winter Gear

Spring is (almost) here. Let’s clear out winter clothes & gear!

Winter clothes, coats, hats, gloves, boots, shovels, sleds are just part of what can be either decluttered from your home or stored away until next winter.

When you go through your winter gloves make sure if you are going to keep them that:

1) They all have a match
2) They still fit your children and there are no holes in them.

If they are in good shape but are too small for your children, then put them in the donate bag.  If you only have one, then don’t keep it, and certainly don’t throw it in the donate bag (someone one other end of sorting will just be the one to have to get rid of it)

For your hats and coats and boots – Go through the same thing. For those items that will still fit next year and are in good shape, store them in a clear bin and label it.

For your snow shovel and sleds and skies.  Ski racks on your garage wall would be ideal.  The same for the snow shovel if you have the space.  Look UP in your garage. Use your wall space.  If you have rafters in your garage… use those for storage!

8 Easy Steps to Transferring The Clothes

1) Get your supplies ready. White (donate) and black (trash) trash bags, sharpie
marker, labels -sticky address labels work great, bins (clear are best).

2) Go through the drawers & closets. Pull out each piece of clothing and evaluate it quickly.

* Will it fit someone in the family in the future? (If not dontate)
*  Is it in any condition to save? (If not then throw away, don’t donate clothes
that are torn, stained or are better for rags)
* Will the next child wear it? Was it worn at all this season? (Do they like it?)

3) Make piles

* Save for next year
* Donate (white bag)
* Trash (black bag)

4) Get out the summer clothes from storage.

5) Go through the new season clothes and do the same thing as you put them away in
the kids drawers. Make sure they will fit your child this year and it is
something they will wear.

6) I prefer using clear bins if possible. Get ones that fit your space to store and latch closed. They will go from season to season. Now for really long clothing storage, you might want to look into another form (but I don’t suggest long term clothing store of any one item …usually)

7) Take the bins you have for next year and be sure to label them.  The labels don’t have to be fancy printed out labels!  Just get something you can see clearly and you can peel off or stick over for next season.
Put either sex or child’s name, season and size on each label. For instance, Boy – Summer – Size 10

8) Your donate bags can be taken to friends who can use them, sold at a garage sale or resale
shop or taken to a facility such as Good Will, but get them out of your house as soon as possible.

We have so much cold winter gear, that just putting it away or giving it away makes you feel less cluttered doesn’t it?

I’d love to see how you clear out your winter clutter!  Blog about them and then come back and

link it to my Organizing Mission Link party – Mission Spring Cleaning !!

I LOVE your comments!!

The Dreaded Winter from Summer clothes change out

I have to admit that getting all the bins of winter clothes out of the basement and doing that seasonal clothing switch is not my idea of fun. But we did it this last weekend and I am glad it is over for the season. Here are some tips to make it go smoother for you.

Summer Clothes coming out of their drawers and closet:

1) Do you think it will fit next year? (all you can do is guess)
2) Did they ever wear it this year? (if they don’t like it, don’t keep it)
3) Is it in good enough shape to keep for next year?
4) Can you pass it down to another child in your family? (if so, keep it)

Items to keep for next year: Put in a clear plastic bin (ideal) and Label it:  with season of clothes and sizes. I suggest keeping boys and girls separate.

For those things that are in good enough shape to pass on, but you can’t use: DONATE IT
Put these things in a white trash bag so you do not mix them up with the black trash bags.

Winter clothes to Go Into their Drawers and Closets:

Bring out each piece and decide:
1) Will it fit them?
2) Do you both of you like it?
3) Is it in good enough shape to be worn again?

If yes for all of these, then put it in their drawers.
If not, don’t feel bad….just decide if its trash or donate.

Tip: Don’t over load their drawers and closets with too many clothes if you have hand me downs. Items will never get worn that are on the bottom or if they don’t like them.  These are things that other children can be wearing. Pass them on.

Out with the winter – In with the Summer Clothes – 7 Easy Steps to Transferring clothes.

Do you dread the “changing of the clothes” as much as I do? Getting out the summer clothes and putting away the winter ones?
With five children it can be quite the production. I worked on it yesterday most of the day.
I am lucky that my kids can pass down to each other. I still have some clothes from my 20 somethings to pass down to the 15 and 16 year olds. Then the clothes that the 15 and 16 year olds are being saved for the 8 year old triplets boys. With 7 of my 8 being boys, passing down works well. Even works that one of the triplet boys is a size bigger than the other, so we pass down there also!
Such a pity that I have to buy my girl clothes each season isn’t it? I know I just boo hoo all the way to the girl section. (LOL)

7 Easy Steps to Transferring The Clothes

1) Get your supplies ready. White (donate) and black (trash) trash bags, sharpie
marker, labels (sticky address labels work great, bins (clear are best).

2) Get out the summer clothes from storage.

3) Start in the kids rooms and pull out one drawer at a time. Determine with each
piece
* Will it fit someone in the family in the future? (If not dontate)
* Is it in any condition to save? (If not then throw away, don’t donate clothes
that are torn, stained or are better for rags)
* Will the next child wear it? Was it worn at all this season? (Do they like it?)

4) Make piles.
* Save for next year
* Donate (white bag)
* Trash (black bag)

5) Go through the new season clothes and do the same thing as you put them away in
the kids drawers. Make sure they will fit your child this year and it is
something they will wear.

6) Take the bins you have for next year and be sure to label them.
Put sex, season and size on each label. For instance, Boy – Winter – Size 10

7) Donate can be taken to friends who can use them, sold at a garage sale or resale
shop or taken to a facility such as Good Will.

Transformation complete.