The Best Ways to Store Summer Clothes in a Small Space

First, let me be clear: I am not wishing summer away. I see my friends post absolute nonsense every day, wishing for “sweater weather” and “cozy season,” but I do not support them in any way. I’m only telling you about smart summer clothing storage now, as July winds down, when we have weeks left of warmth and happiness, because it may take you some time to accumulate the necessary organizing items. For now, wear your shorts, your tank tops, and your open-toed shoes with abandon and don’t dwell on the inevitable chill that will come to steal our hot dogs, lobster rolls, and tans. Just be prepared, is all I’m saying. Here’s how to stash away your summertime finery if you live in a smaller spot (or even in a bigger place where you just don’t want the clutter).

Vacuum-sealed bags are excellent

If you’re short on space but don’t want to rent a storage locker, you’re going to need to make your summer clothes as small as possible. What’s nice about that is that summer clothes are already smaller than the larger winter garments you have to creatively store during the warmer months. You can fit a bunch of summer attire into vacuum-sealed bags, which is what my mom always did when I was growing up. Granted, she just stuck our stuff into actual garbage bags and used her vacuum hose to suck the air out, but that wasn’t the sturdiest option—though it was certainly innovative and economical. You’re better off getting bags designed for this kind of thing, like these:

I like these because you get a variety of sizes. A jumbo bag is better for, say, beach blankets, while a small one can keep swimsuits organized. As with any kind of organization, you should opt to keep similar items together in the same container, so the variety here is helpful. These bags get unbelievably small when you suck the air out of them; you can stack them on a shelf and take up much less room than if you were stacking the clothes there on their own.

Small hanging shelves are an overlooked option

There are a few different ways I organize my closet. I always do it by color, but I also do it by necessity, with the things I need access to during a certain season or event up front. There’s no reason to dig around in the back of the closet and create a mess for myself when I’m getting ready, so I swap things around every once in a while. Something that’s been helpful for me has been getting a small hanging shoe organizer and keeping it at the back of the closet for holding things that don’t need to be out at a given time. It looks like this:

This doesn’t take up much space, but gives you a several shelves and compartments on which to pile smaller-sized items, like shorts and sandals. It’s an especially good option if you are going to take any warm vacations over the winter and don’t want to wrangle the appropriate clothing out of a vacuum-sealed bag. The items are within reach, but still contained in a small section of the closet. For reference, I keep all my sandals and flats in one of these year-round. It’s just so much smarter than trying to find space for them on my main shoe rack and it takes up so little space.

Storage furniture is always my favorite choice

I’m a huge fan of storage furniture, which is well-documented at this point, but where I find it shines the most is when I need to stash away something I won’t look at for months. I recommend picking up a simple storage ottoman—which can be small like a footstool or long like a bench, depending on your needs—and rotating your seasonal clothes in and out of it. Some things just don’t need to be in the closet all year long, but it’s hard to figure out where else to put them. Why not hide them away inside something that provides a secondary use? Try something like this:

Personally, my space is so small that I don’t have the larger, bench-sized version, but I get excellent use out of my smaller ottoman. I have one just like this. It’s just right for t-shirts, tank tops, and shorts, but up until recently, I stored a lot of my at-home workout equipment (like dumbbells and yoga blocks) in there. This week, I moved all of that to a new shelf behind my Peloton, freeing up the ottoman for its inevitable use as a summer clothing repository.

Don’t overlook your luggage

This is a go-to hack of mine that I’ve mentioned before and I stand by still: When you have out-of-season clothing, why not store it inside your luggage? Your suitcases and duffel bags are already taking up space and they’re one of those necessary evils that you can’t really condense, but also can’t get rid of. Put them to work. If and when you take a trip, just remove whatever is inside, but during the colder months when you’re more likely to head somewhere warm, sometimes you don’t even have to take everything out. You’re just packing (well) in advance of your trip. How smart of you!

Or consider downsizing

While you’re packing all of that up, take a few minutes to consider whether you really need it. End-of-season clothing clear-outs are a staple for me. First of all—especially in summer—so many clothes are trend-based. You can’t guarantee that the stuff you’re putting all this energy into storing for the winter is even going to be worth wearing nine months from now. You also can’t guarantee you’ll maintain your same measurements or even like some of these garments then. You know what you can guarantee? That they go to a good home, potentially earning you money and, crucially, decluttering your space.

I am a dedicated reseller, meaning I’m constantly going through my things to determine what I can sell online. There are all kinds of apps you can use for this and all you have to do is snap a few pictures, fill in a few details, set a price, and ship out whatever sells. My favorite app is Poshmark, but you have options here. As you’re storing things away, take a few nice photos and list what you don’t think you’ll need next year. Cycling your clothing at the end of every season is an excellent opportunity to downsize. If you’re struggling to decide whether you should keep something or get rid of it, I have a few tips. First, ask yourself some questions like, “When was the last time I wore this?” and “Do I want the responsibility of managing this item?” Building the habit of routinely severing your emotional attachment to possessions and decluttering can only serve your best interests—especially if you live in a tight space. My second tip is to just go ahead and list it on a resale app, but price it a little high. That’s what I do when I still like, say, a pair of shoes but they’re taking up a little too much space and I’m not wearing them that often. I’ll still wear them while they’re listed on my Poshmark (though I update the listing if they sustain any scuffs or damage), I feel a relative sense of safety with their high price, and eventually, I get over whatever lingering attachment I have and just mark them down to a normal price. Even just having them listed helps move the process of getting over them along. Sometimes, they’ll sell at the high price, which I personally choose to interpret as a sign I was meant to get rid of them all along—the extra money helps ease the pain.