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When you’re in the throes of closet organization, the thought of KonMari-ing your clothing and paring back to a teeny-tiny capsule wardrobe can be tempting. But that’s not reasonable—or compelling—for everyone. Especially if you love clothes, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your impressive shoe collection or towering stacks of denim due to minimal storage space (though decluttering is sometimes necessary). And that’s why people in the fashion world have developed smart tips and tricks to keep their clothes organized.
Seasonal changes present a common problem: How do you organize your closet so you can access the things you’re really wearing? Coats, boots, and winter accessories take up way more room than lightweight dresses and shirts, so you need to find a way to ease them back into your wardrobe, while also rotating your swimsuits and sandals out. Here, seven fashion lovers spill their best seasonal organizing secrets.
Do a Seasonal Flip—With Labels
Like many New Yorkers, Megababe founder Katie Sturino has just one closet to work with—so she seasonally rearranges her clothing within that space. “I take my caftans and summer pieces and rotate them back, and move my swimsuits to a bin,” she says. One find that helps her stay organized? Hanger labels, just like you’d find in a department store. “They mark which items go where in my closet and hold me to it.”
Give Your Coats a New Purpose
Telsha Anderson, founder of New York–based clothing brand T.A., attributes her winter accessory storage hack to her dad: “When I was little, he would store my gloves and hats in the arms and pockets of my jackets,” she says. Now she follows the same trick with her own wardrobe. “I have a photographic memory when it comes to my closet, so if I’m ever looking for a specific hat, I know which jacket to go to,” she notes.
Build a Shoe Shelf
“I would quite literally be a mess without my beloved shoe wall,” says Kelsey Stiegman, senior style editor at Seventeen. She uses a simple Billy bookcase to keep some of her in-season shoes within reach. When bulkier winter boots enter her style rotation, she removes a shelf or two to make room for them. In the spring, she adds the shelves back to display her summer flats and sandals.
Move Things Out
“In New York City, space is always an issue, so I keep about half of my out-of-season wardrobe in a storage unit,” says New York–based fashion influencer Janelle Lloyd. Anything transitional—light sweaters, blazers, and leather jackets—stay in her closet year-round for layering. When fall rolls around, she puts sandals, shorts, straw bags, and anything expressly summery away till warm weather returns.
Use the Correct Hangers
During the summer, content creator Coco Bassey tucks her coats in a garment bag at the back of her closet. Once cold weather comes back, she places them up front for easier access—crucially on sturdy hangers. “The thin velvet hangers that I use for summerwear tend to snap on my heavier coats, so I always opt for heavy-duty wood hangers for my winterwear,” she says. “The wood ones from the Container Store are my favorite.”
Designate a Drawer
Fashionista editor-in-chief Tyler McCall keeps out-of-season clothing in a bin in her building’s basement, and saves space in her dresser for foldable season-specific accessories. “I’m due to move my swimsuits aside for scarves soon,” she says. Her tights collection gets organized by type and tucked in a small bin that goes under her bed.
Hide Away Your Shoes
Illustrator and designer Jenny Walton places all her winter shoes in a bin that she stows away in warmer months, taking care to make sure they’re not squished in the process. “My husband is a big fan of shoe trees and even puts them in his sneakers,” she says. “I open the bin back up at the beginning of September—I feel like a kid in a candy store and can’t wait to wear them all again.”
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