As the temperatures soon drop and the days start to get shorter, the need to tackle your fall closet organization project looms even larger.

The window for wearing your lighter summer clothing is starting to dwindle. This means it’s time to turn your attention towards your closets to prioritize the warmer clothing you’ll need for the cooler weather ahead.

Use these tips to simplify your fall closet organization effort

The seasonal transition for your clothing storage doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. All you need is a solid game plan, the right storage solutions, and a little bit of time to produce effective results with your fall closet organization effort.

Getting your closets set up now to put your warmer clothing front and center will make life easier over the coming months. It’s also a great opportunity to declutter, which will make your closets and the rest of your home more functional.

Five Fall Closet Organization Tips to aid you when tackling this home organization project.

1. Start by emptying and cleaning your closets

Begin your fall closet organization project by completely emptying all closets of their contents, along with your dresser drawers. Yes, this will take some time, but your efforts will be worth it.

Because closets are typically hidden away much of the time behind doors, we can misguidedly develop somewhat of an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality towards their interior. This includes not just their contents, but how clean your closet space is.

Emptying the entirety of your closets’ contents gives you the chance to give it the thorough cleaning it likely needs. After all, cleaning areas of your home that don’t necessarily get regular cleaning attention shouldn’t be limited to just spring time.

Once your closets have been emptied, wipe down their baseboards and walls and ceiling, along with any shelving and parts of your closet organizers. Vacuum your closet floors and, if it’s overdue, give any carpets in your closets a good cleaning.

2. Sort through everything and start discarding items

Even if you’ve decided that you’re ready to upgrade your closet space with the help of a professional, you’ll still need to deal with all of the closet contents you’ve emptied.

With everything from your closets out in the open, start going through every bathing suit, tank top, sundress, pair of shorts, and other summer clothing item and decide what you can pull from your collection.

As with any declutter effort, if you haven’t worn or used a piece of clothing or accessory in the past one or two years then you can live without it.

Put the expendable items in one of three piles:

• Torn or worn out items that no longer have any use and should be tossed
• Items you can donate
• Items that a friend or family member can use

You’ll find items for yourself that may be in fine shape, but are no longer in style or appeal to you like they originally did. If you have kids, you’ll also probably be able to get rid of several pieces of their wardrobe that they’ve outgrown.