How to Transition Your Closet From Winter to Spring

When the winter snows melt and you can smell spring in the air, you can just feel the excitement around you. Finally, warmer weather is on the horizon, broadening social landscapes and kicking cabin fever to the curb. It's also time to switch out your winter clothing for new seasonal items. Transitioning your wardrobe is part of spring cleaning and represents a great time to reflect on your style.

So while you loved wearing your toasty cashmere turtleneck in chilly weather, it's time to retire it for a season and make room for lighter fabrics and spring patterns. Here's how to transition your closet to make it a fun and easy place to get dressed.

Put What You Won't Wear in Storage

Winter closets are the most tightly packed compared to warmer seasons because of your need to layer. Unlike summer where a simple t-shirt and shorts don't take up much space, winter involves camisoles, undershirts, sweaters, fleece, jackets, and other items that require a lot of closet room. By cleaning out your heavy-duty winter items and seasonal items like Christmas sweaters, you can make room for spring essentials like short sleeve blouses.

It's also important to do some personal reflection about your style and how it has changed over the past year. Maybe you were into fashion scarves last spring but you don't connect with them as much right now. It's time to see what suits your new taste, such as a fresh set of tanks and cardigans, and to embrace the change.

Introduce the Fabrics and Cuts of Spring

Spring brings back all the colors you love, like pastel pink, robin's egg blue, and mint! If you've been longing for flower prints and quarter sleeves — this is the time to hang them up with pride. You may still need your leggings, cardigans, and tights for some time, but you can easily integrate spring tops with layering pieces. Consider this a stage similar to late fall when many of the days were quite comfortable but you could easily need a cotton sweater or windbreaker at a moment's notice. By integrating your spring clothes without forgetting the jackets or long sleeves in your wardrobe, you can make some great outfits.

Endlessly Versatile Cardigans

The transition from winter to spring usually calls for cold mornings and warmer afternoons, so having a cardigan nearby is a must. Early spring is tricky because a 60-degree day can quickly turn into a chilly evening that qualifies as "sweater weather" — or even down jacket weather. Prepare for the cold parts of the day with these transitional items to make the most out of your outfit. Get cardigans of different warmth levels to suit the various stages of spring. Thick knit cardigans can be just enough on some chilly spring nights, while thin cotton cardigans can be exactly what you need when there is only a hint of chill left in the air before summer. These are also wonderful to bring to work if your boss likes to crank up the air conditioner regardless of the time of year.

You Can Count on Jeans

We love jeans because they are useful throughout the year. Now that you don't need thermal wear, you can start transitioning to cropped pants, thinner denim, and lighter colors to match your new springtime color scheme. However, you can certainly wear dark jeans and thick, sturdy denim easily throughout the season, especially if you live in a colder region. Jeans are so versatile and are a perfect springtime outfit staple because they easily match with polo shirts, fresh floral blouses, t-shirts, and many other seasonal tops.

In your closet, prioritize which jeans you'll wear the most with the upcoming weather and tuck away any pants that may feel too hot, such as any thermal jeans, corduroy, or thick materials. Keep all these jeans somewhere easily accessible so you can put together outfits without a struggle. For organization purposes, consider getting specialized jean hangers or folding all of them in one drawer for easy retrieval.

Be Prepared For Any Weather

When you're getting out of a long and cold winter and are preparing outfits for warmer weather, it can be tricky because you'll still need some cold-weather clothing. It can be tough to keep your closet organized when there is a cold front one week and warmer weather the next. Depending on where you live and how springs typically play out, keep a reserve section that contains a few thick winter sweaters, vests, turtlenecks, and fleece-lined leggings. This makes it easy to grab a cold-weather item without fishing through your winter storage in frustration.

These items can be then quickly retrieved and integrated with your spring blouses, short sleeve shirts, and dresses to make comfortable and fashionable spring outfits. By getting the majority of deep winter apparel out of the way, like long underwear, snow boots, and thick socks, you can free the closet space you need while the season eases into late spring.