Seasonal change for you clothes closets? Take this opportunity to clean the closets thoroughly

The changing of the seasons also means taking on the chore of sorting out your clothes closets. And since this chore involves emptying out the closets, it is also the ideal time to thoroughly clean the closets themselves - perhaps even making minor repairs - to leave them clean, fully functional and smelling great.

What you need and how to prepare for this task

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Preparing for the change of season chores should be done as efficiently as possible. To this end, it is best to remember to do the following:

• Free up space on the bed (or on a table), and cover it with a clean sheet;
• Get hangers ready for everything you need to keep hanging up while you are dealing with the other cleaning chores;
• Set out all the boxes or containers that you will need to store the garments you will be removing from the closet;
• If you think you need to vacuum-pack some items, make sure you have the necessary equipment to hand to do this;
• Dedicate some containers for items that need repairing or that you will decide to sell or donate.

As for the cleaning itself, you will need:

• A spray product suitable for cleaning the insides of furniture; if you don't already have a favorite spray, you can prepare a water-based product (preferably using distilled water) into which you have dissolved a little Marseille soap and added - if you want - 10 drops of tea tree or lavender essential oil. These oils help combat mold and keep insects such as moths away (but you can also any essential oils you prefer);
• Microfiber cloths;
• A clean sheet;
• A magic eraser - just in case there are any marks or scuffs that are difficult to remove;
• A vacuum cleaner.

Cleaning the closet

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To clean a closet thoroughly, proceed as follows:

• Completely empty the closet;
• It is best to take a few garments out at a time and arrange them - already divided up and in an orderly manner - on the bed or table (or even on the floor, if you have put down a clean sheet!), so you don't have to do this job twice. You will know which clothes have to go back into the closet and which garments are going to be dealt with otherwise (stored, repaired, sold, donated, etc); ,
• Pack away all the garments that will not be returned to the closet, using the different containers and taking the containers out of the room. Leave the remaining itmes on the bed, and cover them with a clean sheet. This way, any dirt that is kicked up by your cleaning won't get on the clothes or your bed;
• Start cleaning the closet with the vacuum cleaner, ensuring you get into the corners, the backs of drawers and the edges of the shelves. Start from the very top, where there is usually a lot of dust (which can get into the closet every time you open the doors);
• Open the windows to ventilate the room, then get your microfiber cloths and your chosen spray detergent. Spray and wipe down the closet systematically, again moving from top to bottom. As each cloth gets dirty, grab a new one - you can wash all your dirty cloths in the washing machine later;
• If you need to rinse off, do this with clean, damp cloths;
• Leave the closet doors and drawers open until the entire closet is perfectly dry. At this point you can close the windows again (if you want to);
• While everything is drying out, you can go and put the items you removed into storage (vacuum-packing them, if you need to);
• When the closet is perfectly dry again, neatly put all your seasonal clothes back inside.

You can also add items which will deodorize the closet and keep mold at bay: bags of dried aromatic herbs (lavender, mint, thyme, for example), small bowls of baking soda, or activated charcoal - possibly also scented with a few drops of essential oil (ideally tea tree, cedar or lavender oil).

Once done, it will be a pleasure for you to open the closet and find it tidy, clean and fragrant!