Fall is, sort of, upon us. One day, there is a nip in the air (for at least part of the day), another day is warmish and muggy. Still, in some homes, the quilts have come out and it really isn’t sandal weather any longer. It’s time to think about changing out the summer clothes for fall and winter clothes.

Some, very organized, people have their clothes arranged by four seasons, but, as the seasons themselves blur and the clothes we wear during those seasons morph into “every-season-wear,” we have to be more flexible with the way we manage our closets. There are various ways to do that.

For those who have unlimited closet space, it is wise to divide the clothes by season or by type (wool sweaters/cotton sweaters, wool pants/cotton pants/silk pants, for example). Perhaps you can give a shelf to each type (wool sweaters) and then label the shelf, if you are so inclined. If your closet is not organized this way, or at all, the change of seasons presents a perfect opportunity to rework your closet space.

Start by going through your summer clothes one type at a time (even your underwear: bras, underpants, socks, and tights and stockings. This is a good time to upgrade or replace worn out items). As you sort t-shirts, put aside the shirts that are obviously summer wear only shirts. Put the other t-shirts, those that you may wear in the fall and winter (either under sweaters or on their own), into another pile. The third pile (the donating pile) should be for t-shirts that you no longer wear or are worn out. Make sure all the shirts are clean, put the winter t-shits into their drawer or on their shelf and put the summer t-shirts into a canvas storage bin (to be put in the basement, on a high shelf, into a storage unit, or under the bed). Perhaps you have a place in your closet to store out of season clothes.

Repeat this system with each type of clothing. Some pants are suitable only for summer weather and those should be cleaned and either stored or put into the “off season” section of the closet. Again, donate any pairs of pants that don’t fit correctly or that you no longer wear. Be sure to repair any missing or loose buttons, hooks and other closures, and hems.

Sweaters can be tricky because the weather can be variable. Sweaters that are clearly “summer only” sweaters should be cleaned and either packed away (don’t forget to label!) or put in the summer section of the closet. Choose carefully from the in-between weight sweaters. Sometimes when you put clothes away and take a break from them, they seem new again and more interesting when you take them out for the next season (the opposite can happen as well and you realize that what you once thought was great, is no longer. Then it is time to part with that item). Winter sweaters should be sorted (donate the ones that you no longer wear or that look shabby) and put back on the sweater shelf or into the sweater drawer.

Next, go through your skirts. Take this opportunity to clean and mend your skirts (they often get short shrift) and sort them. Store the summer-weight skirts and hang the winter ones. Do the same for dresses. There will be miscellaneous pieces, as well—jackets, tunics, a shawl. Take all of those pieces and look them over carefully. Are they useful? If so, sort, clean, and either store or hang them up for the fall/winter season.

Sort your belts, and handbags too. Create a space for colder weather bags and warmer weather bags (some will overlap, of course) and belts. Then do the same for belts.

This is also a good time to sort through your pajamas and workout clothes. Very lightweight pajamas and nightgowns should be washed and stored (in a “summer season” drawer or in a canvas storage bag, labeled). Mid-weight and winter pajamas should be sorted and put in a convenient place (a drawer or closet shelf). Again, keep only what you will wear and donate or throw away any items that are too worn.

While you’re at it, go through your shoes. Summer shoes and sandals should be repaired and polished, if necessary, and stored however you do that (shelves, boxes, shoe bag). Keep them separate from the mid-season and winter shoes and boots. Discard or give away any shoes you no longer wear, that don’t fit well, or are too worn to be salvaged. Then, take a look at your winter shoes and boots. Do any of them need to be repaired or polished? (If you repair and polish your shoes before you store them, you won’t have to worry about hurriedly doing this work come the next season when you switch your shoes.) Are any of them no longer usable?

Take a look, also, at your hats, gloves and mittens, and scarves. During the summer months, those should be stored, clean in a bin. Make sure you have matches for all of your gloves and mittens.

And finally, what new items do you need to fill in your wardrobe this year? What new shoes or boots do you need? What handbags, belts, scarves? Once your clothes are well sorted and taken care of, it will be easier to “see” your wardrobe. It will also be easier in the future to change your clothes from warmer to cooler weather ones as the seasons change.

Joanna Delson is the founder of Space Management, a design resource that specializes in redesigning small spaces so that they live bigger. Joanna can be reached at joannadelson@gmail.com