When you should swap your winter wardrobe this spring

A woman folds laundry ready to be stored away over summerA woman folds laundry ready to be stored away over summer
A woman folds laundry ready to be stored away over summer
With spring on the horizon and the days beginning to get lighter once again, it’s almost time to think about dusting off your summer garments and consigning your coats, hats and scarves to storage.

Last year, temperatures soared in the UK, from chilly winter minuses in January, to consistent highs of 15-20°C towards the back end of March – with temperatures in some parts reaching 20°C plus on several days in April.

In the UK alone, searches for ‘winter clothes’ have decreased on Google by 45% over the last three months, meaning it could be time to start considering swapping out your wardrobe contents.

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In a bid to help homeowners tackle their wardrobes this spring, Melissa Denham, Storage Expert at Hammonds Fitted Furniture, shares her top five tips to make your transition from winter to summer wardrobe as stress free as possible:

1. Think about how and where you are going to store your winter clothes

“Tightly sealed storage boxes and vacuum pack bags are the best ways to house your winter clothes over summer, which in turn will mean pests such as moths and insects can’t get near them.

“Be conscious of vacuum packing any items that might not respond well to the compression changes, including thick wool garments and leather items, as this can cause damage whilst in storage.

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“Ideally, you want to store your clothes in a cool, dark, and dry environment such as a garage or an attic – with the cooler environment preferred. If either location is too hot or humid, this can create issues for your clothes over summer and leave you with some nasty surprises come autumn.”

2. How to prevent musty smells from occurring when unpacking in Autumn

“How many times have you come to repopulate your wardrobe later in the year with your winter clothes, only to find that they have a peculiar smell and, in some cases, even covered in mould? This is because moisture can become trapped inside your storage boxes, which over a period of six or seven months can create a humid environment for smells and unwanted bacteria to thrive.

“To prevent this from happening, you should ensure that any clothes that are being stored away are completely dry before packing them, which will deter any nasty surprises upon reopening.

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“You should also consider adding lavender bags and cedar wood in storage boxes to help give your clothes an aroma boost when you come to unpack them later in the year."

3. Consider decluttering your winter wardrobe into four piles

“Swapping out your winter wardrobe provides you with the perfect opportunity to cut down the amount of space you’re taking up and makes life easier for you later in the year.

“Create four dedicated groups to help organise and assess your clothes into, starting with a pile to throw away, anything in too poor of a condition to donate, then another pile for donations. Then you can assess which items you are going to be storing away for the summer and any other items you are going to be keeping in your wardrobe.

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“Remember to be realistic with how much you can get done, as reorganising your wardrobe between seasons is already a mammoth task. Doing small bits at a time, such as 30 minutes of your lunch break each day for a week, can be super productive over a week.”

4. Only pack away your bulkier clothes to begin with

“Whilst that glimmer of warm weather towards the end of March may seem promising, the British weather is notoriously unpredictable. As such, you should only look to store away your bulkier garments, such as thick winter coats and heavy jumpers at the beginning of spring – which can be easily vacuum packed to save more space when storing.

“Lighter coats and jumpers remain a must until later in the spring or until the weather remains constant, as there may be the odd occasion where the temperature drops, only to realise you’ve already stored your warm winter clothes away already.

“Once temperatures are forecasted to reach 15°C and above consistently, which last year this was mid-March, then this would be the perfect time to completely transition your wardrobe from winter to summer. As a guide, you should aim for the spring equinox on the 20th of March.”

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5. Leave out your layering pieces for temperature fluctuations

“Whilst many people can be infatuated at the first sight of the summer sun, people should be leaving light layers such as overshirts, light-weight jumpers, and jackets around for easy access.

“It’s also wise to a couple of hoodies to hand, just in case the temperature does take a wild hit in the spring months – last year, the temperature plummeted by highs of 10°C in the space of a week in April, so it is best to always be prepared.

“Hopefully these tips can help you seamlessly transition from your winter to summer wardrobe with ease."

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