Living Clutter Free Forever - decluttering tips, professional organizing, minimalist living

How to Declutter Your Closet for Fall (Without the Seasonal Stress) #121

• Caroline Thor - Professional Organizer - KonMari® Consultant

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Is your closet ready for fall? Or is it feeling a little... chaotic?
The seasonal switch from summer to fall can be overwhelming, especially when you're already juggling work, family, and everything in between. But what if I told you that decluttering your wardrobe now could save you time, reduce stress, and even make getting dressed each morning a breeze?

In my latest podcast episode, ‘How to Declutter Your Closet for Fall (Without the Seasonal Stress)’, I’m tackling this head-on. Overwhelm, clutter, and that feeling of never knowing what to wear – I’ve been there. But I’ve also learned the strategies to turn it all around, and now I’m sharing them with you.

Why is it always so hard to declutter our closets? What if your wardrobe could spark joy every time you open it? Using the KonMari method and a few other fun tricks, I’ll help you break through the clutter and reclaim your space.

If the thought of tackling your closet makes you want to run, don't worry – I’ve got practical tips for even the busiest of schedules. This is more than just tidying up. It’s about creating an organized space that works for your current season of life.

Tune in to discover:

  • How decluttering can help you feel more in control.
  • My favorite ways to make organizing fun (yes, really!).
  • Why letting go of those old, unworn clothes can actually free up your mental energy.

It’s time to ditch the overwhelm and welcome fall with a wardrobe that works for you. Ready to get started? Listen to the episode and let’s dive in!
Sign up for my free workshop Family Clutter Reset HERE
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Speaker 1:

Hi there, I'm Caroline Thor, professional organiser, konmari consultant, teacher and mum of three. I started off my life as a mum feeling overwhelmed, disorganised and desperately trying to carve out some time for me amongst the nappies, chaos and clutter. One day, one small book called the Life-Changing Magic of Tidying changed everything and I began to learn strategies for making everyday life easier. Today, I have the systems in place that means life can throw almost anything at me, and I want to share them with you. If you're an overwhelmed mum struggling to keep it together, then this is the podcast for you. Grab a coffee and settle in for a quick chat with someone who gets your reality. Hello, and thank you for joining me today on the Living Clutter Free Forever podcast. It's great to have you here with me, and I am really excited today because I am holding today the first of my free online workshops the Family Clutter Reset Five Tricks to Get Everyone Tidying and Loving it. I have realized that's become a bit of a mouthful. It's quite a long title, but I am so excited and I hope that you are going to be joining me. So if you are listening to this episode on the 24th, I would love to see you there, and there's two days after where you can also join me. But let's get back to this episode.

Speaker 1:

Today I am diving into a topic that I personally think is really exciting, but also it can be overwhelming, and that's decluttering your closet for autumn or fall, if that's what you call it. It's always interesting with this podcast because I know I have a lot of people who listen in the US and if that's you, I'm really sorry that I keep using British words for things, but I know that you get what I'm going on about. So, and if you don't, you can always send me a message and ask what on earth does that mean? Caroline, I have no idea what you're talking about. Anyway, I know how stressful it can be to tackle this switch over of summer to autumn, especially when you're juggling so many other responsibilities and trying to just keep all the balls in the air. But I promise you, with the right strategies, it can actually be enjoyable and, dare I say it, liberating. So in this episode, I'm going to be sharing some of my favourite tips, especially using the KonMari method, as well as some other quirky strategies that I sometimes apply to help you reclaim your closet space for autumn. Plus, if you're thinking I just don't have the time. I've got you covered with ways to make this work, even if you have a really super busy schedule.

Speaker 1:

So why is decluttering for fall a game changer? I think it's a perfect opportunity, this change of season, to reassess what's in our closets. Autumn brings its own vibe and personally I love it Cozy sweaters, warm colours, I love all the layering. But it can also mean added stress when we're trying to sort through to declutter, because you perhaps have got so much stuff You're not entirely sure what you want to keep. Maybe you've got a sentimental attachment to some things. But by decluttering now, you are going to save time each morning choosing outfits and you're going to feel more in control of your space, and you might even free up well, you definitely will free up some mental energy, which means you're going to be able to focus on the more important things, like your family or your work or some much, much needed personal time.

Speaker 1:

So let's start by diving into the KonMari method, which is my absolute favourite way to declutter, and let's start by visualising the outcome. I want you to picture what your ideal autumn wardrobe looks like. Maybe it's full of earthy tones or cozy layers or those staple pieces that make you feel amazing, no matter what, and then use this vision as your guide. So what do you want to see when you open your closet for your fall winter wardrobe? What colours, what styles are going to spark joy for you? And when you're very clear about that, it makes the whole decluttering process a lot easier. Now the next thing you're going to do is take everything out of the closet and yes, everything. I know it sounds super extreme, but it actually is the best way to truly see what you have and what you no longer need.

Speaker 1:

And then ask yourself the key question and if you've listened to this podcast before, you've heard me say this a million times Does it spark joy? Now, what that means is, when you take that item in your hand, do you think, wow, I love this, I love the colour, I know when I'm wearing this, I feel absolutely great all of those things. So I want you to really hone in on finding one item of clothing in your pile that you know really sparks joy for you and take a minute to think about why. Why does it spark joy? What is it about this item that you love so much and that will help you making decisions with other items where you're not quite so sure.

Speaker 1:

Now I also want to talk for a minute about weight changes. Maybe since last fall your body has changed whether you've gained or lost weight and some of your favourite clothes may no longer fit, and I know from personal experience this can be really hard to deal with emotionally. But here's how I recommend handling it. If the item no longer fits and it doesn't spark joy because of that, thank it for the role it has played in your life up until now and let it go. You do not want items in your closet that don't fit you because it is just it's demoralizing. It is totally demoralizing. Now, for pieces you love but don't fit you right now, have a think about creating a tailoring pile. So what I mean by that is see if they can be adjusted to fit your current shape, and if they can't and you're not ready to part with them, you can store them temporarily and reassess them in a few months time.

Speaker 1:

The key is to make sure that your current closet, your current wardrobe, makes you feel confident and comfortable as you are today, and by letting go of what no longer serves you, what you're going to be doing is creating space for items that really truly reflect who you are right now, this autumn, not last autumn or in a year's time. Now I love the fact that when I open my closet, I know that everything in there fits me and I feel great wearing it. Everything in there fits me and I feel great wearing it, and I have now quite a reduced wardrobe, because I have gained quite a lot of weight in the last two years and I've been trying to lose that weight and I have been relatively successful, but still not lost enough that everything is fitting again. So I have some items that are vacuum packed and are stored high up on a shelf in my closet, and if in another year's time they still don't fit, I'm going to let them go. But everything that's hanging or folded in my closet at the current time fits me, and that just makes life so much easier. As I say, I don't have as much choice, but it means it doesn't take me ages to make a decision about what to wear, and that actually is very free.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so let's move on to thinking about some other effective and maybe somewhat quirky decluttering strategies, because while the Konwari Method is my go-to, there are other strategies that can complement the process, especially if you're looking for something a little different. So you've probably heard about the capsule wardrobe. This is where you create a mini wardrobe of versatile pieces that mix and match perfectly for the season, and it's all about quality over quantity. Now I definitely have what I would call a capsule wardrobe, because it is now a mini wardrobe, but what I haven't quite got right is that they all mix and match with each other, which actually makes it even more limited. So I am going to be looking this year at getting a couple of key items that are going to mean I can pull some top and bottom options together to create different outfits, and that way I'll be able to wear things more regularly. So that's the capsule wardrobe.

Speaker 1:

Another one that's sometimes fun to use is the one in, one out rule, which is every time you buy something new, something old has to go, and this is great for keeping decluttering at bay long term. So if you come home from the shops with a new top and you've fallen in love with it, see if there's something in your closet that actually you never take out and wear because you don't love it as much as any of the other things that are in there and it might be time to let that one go. The next one I love and this is really fun the backward hanger trick. So turn all your hangers backward at the start of the season and, as you wear things, flip the hangers round, and by the end of autumn, everything's still facing backwards. You have never worn. Now, of course, this is only going to work if you are hanging everything.

Speaker 1:

So what I actually do is where I have my items file folded. I have the ones that I wear regularly are at the front and ones that are right at the back. I will start to notice I never go for you, I never wear you. Now, it's not because I can't see them, because I can and I have easy access to them because they're file folded. But then I can say, okay, I've never taken that black top, I always take this one, and so the black top that never gets taken is ready for donation.

Speaker 1:

Okay, now this one is a bit more extreme, and this is for you if you're a little more adventurous, and that is project 333. Now, I don't know if you've heard of this, but this challenges you to live with just 33 items, and that includes your clothes, your shoes and accessories for three months Now. I have personally never tried this and it sounds really extreme, but some women absolutely swear by it for its simplicity and for the freedom that it creates, and I was actually thinking about it the other day. I probably haven't got more than about 33 items that I regularly use, because in the summer I have my sandals that I wear all summer because it's always really hot here. I have a pair of trainers that I wear if I'm going out dog walking, and for winter I have got my one pair of boots that I wear every single day. I have got a few other pairs of shoes and boots, should I need, for a different occasion, something different, but on a day to day, week in, week out basis, those are the three footwear items that I wear and it's pretty much all that I wear. So I think maybe I'm gonna have to look into this, whether I actually am doing project 333 without realizing it. But you could reduce down and have to one side of your closet, for fun enough, items that fit into 33 items and just see how you go for three months, and it is interesting how little we actually need in order to be able to dress well and get by for the whole week.

Speaker 1:

So before we dive into the next part, I just want to quickly remind you that today kicks off my series of workshops, the Family Clutter Reset. It's a one-off workshop. It only lasts an hour, but I'm holding them over three days to give everyone a chance to find a day and a time that works best for them. So if you haven't signed up yet, don't worry, there is still time to join. And if you attend the workshop live, there is a really special bonus waiting for you. This workshop is perfect if you're looking to get everyone in your home involved in decluttering and creating lasting systems that actually work. And I'm also so excited because and I'm going to let everyone that's at the workshops know about it in more detail, but my online course, clutter free ever after, is officially open as of today. I only open this up twice a year, so if you've been looking for a way to have a deeper dive into decluttering your entire home and build systems that stay organized for good, this course is made for you. I'm going to be sharing more details throughout the week, but feel free to check it out today, and the links for both of these the workshop and the course are in the show notes. Right, let's carry on.

Speaker 1:

Practical tips to make time for decluttering. I know it is a huge challenge, I get it, so let's talk about some-sized tasks. So, rather than saying I'm going to do the whole of my closet today, which you could do, but let's face it, who has a whole day to do their closet? So I said before, if you do the KonMari method, really you should get all of your clothes out at once. Now, if that feels really overwhelming, break it down into micro tasks. Start off with just your socks and spend 10 minutes decluttering and organizing your socks. Then another day you could do all your tops and spend 10 to 15 minutes just going through, enjoy, checking and then putting back the ones that you love, and that way, by focusing on a small area, you will gradually get through the projects but not feel like you haven't got time to do it, and I love that. This is something I'm always coaching on.

Speaker 1:

Another great tip is to set a timer. So if you're feeling overwhelmed and you're thinking I just can't do this, this is too overwhelming, set a 20 minute timer for a decluttering sprint and you'd be surprised how much you can get done in a short burst and I don't think we give ourselves enough credit for the fact that we are short on time and sometimes we just need a motivation and by setting a timer, you're you're saying to yourself okay, I can't do more than 20 minutes now and I can find 20 minutes, so let's just go for it, and I think you will find that really helpful. I was recommending this to one of my online clients last night because she was struggling to get on with one of her decluttering projects and I was like, okay, set a timer and put on some really motivating music that you love. And she said disco I think disco. And I said give it a go and just see if it helps. And I've woken up this morning to a message from her because she's in the States saying that she'd put the disco on and she'd really had fun and enjoyed it and she got a lot done. So well done, sherry. I'm super proud of you and you could use Sherry's idea and do that as well.

Speaker 1:

Another great tip is the laundry edit. So when you're folding your laundry, take a quick moment to assess each item and the ones that you are putting away. You're likely to have worn because it was in the laundry. But as you're putting things in the drawer, have a look and just think, ok, why is that top there? Because I haven't worn that in ages. Or if you did wear it and then put it into the laundry but actually it was feeling uncomfortable, then it's time to let it go. I had this with a T-shirt I was wearing last week it was still really hot here. It was two weeks ago, it was still really hot here and I'd gone shopping for new clothes for my daughter with her at the shopping mall and my t-shirt. It just kept slipping off my shoulder on the left-hand side. I don't know whether my shoulder suddenly got smaller or something, I have no idea, but it was driving me bonkers. I had to keep pulling it back up again and I got home and I had that evening put it in the wash and when it came out of the wash I put it into my donate box because I can't wear something that is going to drive me nuts the whole time. So have a think about it when you're doing the laundry. It's a great time to assess items. So that is another quick tip.

Speaker 1:

I also love decluttering with purpose, so this means that you don't have to just throw things away. Donate your gently used items to charities or local shelters, which can make a huge difference to someone else and will make it easier for you to let things go. And if you're crafty, you can even upcycle old items into something new. So maybe that oversized sweater could become a cozy pillow for your home in full. My daughter recently took a pair of her jeans that were no longer fitting, and she's cut them up and re-sewed them into a really cool bag. Now that's great if you're crafty. Personally, I would struggle to do something like that. I'm totally in awe of my daughter because her bag looks amazing, but that is something that you could do if you have got that amazing talent, and I am very jealous if you have. And then, finally, I would like to give you some maintenance ideas, so a maintenance routine, if you like, for the fall, because once your closet is decluttered, it is really important to keep it that way. So here's a few little tips to keep you going through the season.

Speaker 1:

Do a little monthly mini review Is everything still sparking joy? So you did it at the start of fall. You put everything back in there, thinking, yes, these things spark joy, fantastic. But then have they been worn really, and it's really interesting when you just do, once a month, have a look through, you'll start to realise what items you're not wearing. If you've done the backward hanger thing, then you really will be able to see the things you haven't worn. So that is a good tip. If you organise by colour or type, it will help to keep things visible and accessible, and that is then making it easier for you to maintain your closet, and I personally love using storage bins or baskets for bulky seasonal items that you don't need every day. So things like your collection of scarves for the autumn and winter. I've got my big jumpers are stored in baskets inside my closet so that they're sort of together, because I don't wear them all every day but I occasionally might need a particularly warm jumper. So that is what you can do in order to help you maintain your closet. So I hope you have found all of those tips useful.

Speaker 1:

You need to start by thinking about why it is that you want to declutter and organize your closet for fall. Having that vision is really going to help you. Then you could use the KonMari method as your foundation for getting started. Then you need to think about other strategies that might help you, and I shared a few quirky ones that might be fun to try. And then you need to find the time to do it, and that, I think, is the biggest barrier to getting this done. But if you take on board some of the tips I gave you, I hope you will see that it is doable. And then knowing what you're going to do with the things you've decided to let go is going to make it a lot easier to go through the decluttering process. And then, finally, we talked about how to maintain your beautifully organized closet for the whole of the fall season through into winter.

Speaker 1:

So one final reminder if you have loved today's episode and you are ready to tackle your whole home's clutter too, don't miss out on my family clutter reset workshop.

Speaker 1:

Today is day one, so it's the perfect time to join, and don't forget about that special live bonus plus my clutter free ever after course is now open if you want more in-depth guided experience, but if you attend the workshop, I'll tell you a bit more about that. Anyway, I I am so excited to see you there, as always. Thank you so much for listening. I hope today's episode gives you the confidence to tackle that closet for autumn. And remember start small, make it fun, and then you will afterwards be able to enjoy the freedom that comes from having a clutter-free space. All the links you need are in the show notes. Until next time, if you've enjoyed this episode, please send the link to a friend you know would appreciate it, subscribe and leave a review. I look forward to bringing you more organising tips next time, but if you can't wait until then, you can go to my website or find me on Instagram, at carothor, or on Facebook at Caroline Organizer. Thanks for listening and I look forward to guiding you on your journey to find your clutter free ever after.