Spring Wardrobe Reset – How to Switch Over Right

Sort the wardrobe into three piles

The spring round begins with a quick sort, not with the wash. Go through the winter clothes and put each piece in one of three piles, so you know what happens to it:

• Away for the season: winter coats, down, thick wool, scarves and mittens you won't need until autumn.
• Out now: spring and summer clothes, rain jacket and the lighter layers.
• Out of the wardrobe: pieces you didn't wear this winter and probably won't – sell, give away or repair rather than pack them away again.

Store it clean – always

The most common spring mistake is packing winter clothes away just as they hang. Invisible sweat, body oil and food residue oxidise into yellow marks over the summer and are exactly what moths live on, so everything going away must be washed or cleaned first.

1. Wash or clean every winter garment before it goes away – including what was 'only worn a couple of times'.
2. Pay attention to collars, cuffs and underarms, where sweat and body oil collect.
3. Let everything dry completely before packing; moisture causes mould and a musty smell in the fibres.
4. Treat or send in stains now – they set permanently while the garment lies stored.

Repair now, not in autumn

Anything broken should be fixed before it goes away, not afterwards. Store a jacket with a sticking zip or a loose seam and you'll have forgotten by autumn – and a small fault rarely improves by lying untouched all summer. Write a short list of what needs a repair or an alteration while you remember it, and get it done in the spring round, so the pieces hang ready when the cold returns.

Pack and store it right

How you pack decides how good the clean garments look by autumn. The aim is to let air in and keep light, dust and moths out – not to seal the garments airtight.

• Fold heavy knits and lay them flat; hang suits, coats and overcoats on wide hangers.
• Use breathable cotton bags or pillowcases, not sealed plastic that traps moisture.
• Add cedar or lavender against moths, and keep the storage spot dark, cool and dry.
• Label the boxes, so the reverse round in autumn goes quickly.

What should be professionally cleaned before summer?

Some winter pieces deserve a professional clean precisely because they will sit for a long time: wool and winter coats, down jackets, suits and blazers, and anything marked 'dry clean only'. These are the garments moths go for first, and the most expensive to replace if an invisible sweat mark gets half a year to yellow. A clean before storage makes the garment clean right into the fibres, so it comes out just as good in autumn. If you want to send your winter outerwear safely into summer storage, you can send it to us. You order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions