Fall is a time of new beginnings and October is a great time to do some fall purchasing. The initial wave of fall fashions has passed and the sales are kicking in…you may be hearing the call of the retail outlets as the air cools, the clouds come out and the stores are full of wool, cashmere, darker colours and warm things for fall.   Unfortunately, responding to the call without a little planning can result in unmatched items, stuffed full closets and a sense of frustration.  Mignon McLaughlin says, “Women usually love what they buy, yet hate two-thirds of what is in their closets”.  Avoid this yearly dilemma by following these five simple tips for preparing your closet for fall sales:

  1. Remove any remaining summer items such as capris, tanks, light shirts and suits that you’ve been stretching into the sunny fall from your closet and drawers.
  2. As you remove items, sort them into one of four piles: “Store”, “Repair/Clean”,“Donate” and “Toss”.  No digging through the “Toss” or “Donate” piles.  If you’ve put the item there on firstconsideration, that’s probably where it should stay.  If you haven’t worn something all summer, definitely donate or toss it.
  3. Make a note of the fall items that are left in your closet and drawers as you go along. If there are any items that can go or need attention at this time, send them out too.
  4. Once the items are removed, bag them up to send to their respective places.  Items to be stored can be      boxed in airtight Rubbermaid containers or vacuum storage bags and put under the bed or in your storage locker; anything to be repaired or cleaned needs to be taken immediately to the drycleaner or seamstress (or it will sit in the bag until next summer); donated items can be taken to the Salvation Army, Value Village or be picked up by Big Brothers; items to toss can be, obviously, tossed!
  5. Mix and match the remaining pieces to see how many modules you can make (remember the wardrobe math formula – 1 jacket + 2 bottoms + 3 tops = 6-12 outfits) and then make a list of the items you need to purchase to complement your existing fall pieces.

Once you’re armed with a concise list of purchases, shopping should be a breeze.  Enjoy the fall sales!