Closet Swap: How To Have A Party In Your Closet

The other day it rained and felt like Fall. But at this time of year that could be a blip. A couple of years ago we had predominantly sunny, warm weather all the way through October. As I got up on a stool to reach the sweater stack in my closet, I thought ‘not time to get them all down yet.’ But then I looked out at the 10 day forecast and there was just one day above 70. Yup, Fall has officially arrived.

Which means it’s time for one of my favorite seasonal rituals, the Closet Swap. The Closet Swap, that celebration of the passing of seasons, used to be a pain in my ass. Working in fashion, my wardrobe was extensive. The ample-size closet that I shared with my husband was not large enough to contain everything in my collection. So a guest room closet on a different floor served as my off-season warehouse. In those days the swap was a multiple-hour commitment and involved many trips up and down stairs. It was not something I had time for or looked forward to. So in order to motivate myself to do it, I added a few elements to give it a party vibe.

Fast forward several years. We have remodeled our Primary Suite and now have a big, beautiful closet that used to be a bedroom. I can now fit my entire wardrobe (plus my husband’s!) in one place. But the ritual of the Closet Swap remains; partly because it’s important to provide easy access to in-season categories, but mostly because I made it so much fun that I look forward to it! Here’s how to have a party in your closet that celebrates Fall!

Set The Mood

The first important element to make your closet swap a party is music. I don’t know about you, but there are certain bands, albums, playlists that I only listen to in the Fall. I’m GenX so it’s a lot of Sting, U2, Sade and Marc Cohn. Having that music as a backdrop gets me in the mood to reunite with my sweaters, jeans and jackets.

The second element is something hot to drink. In my case that’s an oat milk latte with just a hint of Pumpkin Spice. This means a trip to Starbucks, where I order it Extra Hot so it’s still piping hot at Party Time.

The third element comes in the form of a reward, which I will present to myself after I’m finished with the Closet Swap. It’s usually in the form of a new piece of clothing or pair of shoes. It’s a great motivation to declutter some of the things that aren’t serving me anymore. More like making room for something new!

Fashion Show

This is where I take all of my fall Shoes & boots out of boxes and pack up the sandals. Down come the sweaters and up go the shorts. With the music playing and my drink to sip I take stock of the things I’m bringing out – do I still like them? Do they still fit? What are some new ways to style them? This necessitates a little fashion show I put on for myself. It’s fun, inspirational and helps me get clear on which things I’m excited to wear and which ones I’m done with.

The fashion show also alerts me to holes I need to fill in my wardrobe. Some examples: ‘these boots would be super cute with a long denim skirt’ or ‘I could really use another cotton sweater.’ These are items that could serve as my reward!

I also flip through my seasonless stuff, looking for declutter candidates. This helps make room for anything new I end up adding during the season and keeps my closet aesthetically pleasing and shoppable!

Set Up Shop

Okay, now that the decluttering is done it’s time to put things back where they go. Once the closet swap has happened, I like to ensure the things I wear often are in the most accessible spots. In my closet, that means long lengths & darker denim washes come down to lower shelves (I’m a denim folder) and the lighter + white washes go higher. Sweaters come down as well. And because in my post-Nordstrom life I wear a lot of sweatshirts, they occupy an entire hanging space of their own, as well as a big deep drawer for the more casual versions (don’t laugh, sweatshirts can be dressy too!)

This is also the time to assess if there are any organizational products that will enhance my space, like hooks, new hangers or drawer dividers. I prize function first, so anything that helps me keep my closet fun to ‘shop’ in is a win, bonus points if it also looks great.

Keeping the ritual of the Closet Swap has not only been fun, but it’s also helped me keep my closet decluttered in a fairly painless way. Because I host a party (of one!) in my closet twice a year I don’t forget about things I have, I’m more aware of the things I’m not wearing and my closet is always a fun place to spend time and put together OOTDs. Start this ritual for yourself and let me know if you end up loving it as much as I do! And if you want more inspiration here’s the glow-up blog post from last year, still holds up!