Seasonal Change: 2 Steps To Switch Your Wardrobe From Winter To Summer

Light dresses or heavy winter coats: your wardrobe looks different depending on the season. Find out how to switch your wardrobe to a new season here. So you have the perfectly ready wardrobe for Tony Bet.

As temperatures rise, so do the demands on your wardrobe: while thick wool sweaters and heavy jackets need to find space in your closet during the cold season, the contents are much lighter in summer. “When temperatures remain stable for several days – in spring, usually from around 15 degrees Celsius – that’s the ideal moment,” says personal stylist Ines Thömel.

By putting away your winter clothes, you create space to neatly store your summer items. “Winter clothes should be clean and dry before they are stored,” says Kerstin Effers from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Center. Otherwise, worn knitwear or unwashed wool jackets can attract moths – a common mistake, according to Effers. It is best to clean the clothes first, let them dry, and air them out thoroughly.

This will also give you a better overview of your wardrobe, making it easier to choose what to wear. The change of season is also a good time to take stock: Which clothes still fit and do you still like, and what needs to be repaired or replaced?

1. Clear out your wardrobe at the change of season

Before you switch your wardrobe over to a new season, you should clear it out. When changing your wardrobe for a new season, you mainly swap out clothes that can only be worn seasonally: clothes that you can only wear in colder temperatures are replaced by items that are mainly worn in summer, or vice versa. Items that you can wear all year round stay in the wardrobe: a long-sleeved shirt is suitable as an extra layer under a sweater in winter, but is also a solution for cool summer days. 

But before changing the layers in your wardrobe, you should thoroughly sort through your clothes. Ines Thömel recommends first structuring your wardrobe by category, i.e., tops, pants, knitwear, and outerwear, then by color group, and finally by occasion: business, leisure, formal wear, etc.

Only store items for next year that still fit, that you like, and that are in good condition. Check the items for stains, holes, missing buttons, sticky zippers, and other defects that can be repaired.

“Care extends the life of your clothes – from removing pilling to re-dyeing,” says Thömel. And you can also take action now on items that no longer fit so well – after all, you won’t need your winter clothes again for a few months. “I’m a big fan of alteration tailors and would take items that I like but don’t fit properly to them,” advises style consultant Carola Nahnsen. 

Clothes that can no longer be saved can be used for a creative upcycling project (for example, a heat pad made from old socks) or disposed of in the household waste. More on this here: Damaged clothing: How to dispose of it properly from 2025 onwards.

If you no longer like some items but they are still in good condition, you can donate them: Container, parcel donation, or drop them off directly? How to donate clothing sensibly.

2. Store seasonal clothing

If you don’t need a suitcase at the moment, you can use it to store clothes. With the discarded clothing out of the way, you can now store the items that are not suitable for the current season until next year. Proper storage is important to keep the clothing in good condition. You should keep the following points in mind before and during storage:

Cleaning

Before storing winter or summer clothing, you should wash it to remove not only dirt but also skin flakes, hair, and body odor. Clothes moths are particularly fond of infesting worn clothing. Here you will find helpful information on cleaning and caring for textiles:

Washing wool: How to prevent damage

Washing cashmere tops: How to keep them clean and beautiful for a long time

Washing merino wool: How to prevent merino wool from shrinking

Washing softshell jackets: How to care for them properly

Washing viscose: How to keep garments in shape

Washing polyester: What you should pay attention to

Where is the ideal place to store things?

To protect clean clothes from unwanted odors, dust, moisture, and moths during storage, you should pack them in airtight containers, such as garment bags or simple plastic or trash bags.

Just as there are individual washing recommendations for different materials, there are also specific tips for storing individual items of clothing. According to Kerstin Effers, clothing made from synthetic or plant-based fibers can be stored in boxes, crates, or suitcases. Items made from cashmere or silk, on the other hand, are best stored in airtight vacuum bags made from thick plastic. According to Effers, a typical mistake would be to put a worn wool cardigan in a damp basement or in a dark corner of the closet. “This would attract female moths and be a feast for light-shy moth larvae.”

Style consultant Ines Thömel also recommends “a natural moth repellent”: cedar wood or lavender. This protects without a strong smell. “You can also use tissue paper for even gentler storage,” says Carola Nahnsen. “Garment bags are suitable for jackets and coats.”