General

What to Keep, What to Toss: Your Mid-Summer Closet Check-In

By July 22, 2025No Comments

Too hot to be outside? Take advantage of the AC and spend some time inside… organizing your closet.

While looking for fresh inspiration to share with our customers, we came across a few blog posts by Paul Julch, managing director and lead stylist of Urbanite | Suburbanite. His thoughtful approach to wardrobe review really resonated with us, so we’ve summarized and expanded on some of his best tips.

Right now, we’re at the mid-summer mark—halfway between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It’s the perfect time to take stock of your summer wardrobe. But don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be a full-blown closet clean-out. In just 30 minutes, you can get meaningful insights by focusing on two simple categories:

  • What you’re wearing the most
  • What you’re barely wearing (or haven’t worn at all)

Let’s break it down.

What You’re Wearing the Most

Grab a few of your most-loved summer items and ask yourself:

  • Why am I wearing this so much?
  • Is it about how it feels or how it looks?
  • Is it easy to match with other items?
  • Does it fit my current lifestyle?
  • Do I just love it? (If so, is it the color, fabric, shape, or fit?)
  • Is it low-maintenance?
  • Is it still in good shape?

Your answers will tell you a lot—not just about your summer wardrobe, but about your overall style. These items are a blueprint for what’s working.

What to do next:

Are these items in heavy rotation? That’s great—but if they’re wearing out, it might be time to find similar replacements!

Do they fill a specific need? If you always reach for your white blazer, maybe you need a second go-to jacket for variety.

Love a certain cut or fabric? Make a note—that’s a clue to your style preferences.

Action items:

  1. Add gaps in your wardrobe to your shopping list. Shop now while summer styles are still in stores (and on sale).
  2. If anything needs TLC—stains, missing buttons, frayed hems—take care of it before the season ends. You’ll thank yourself next summer.

What You’re Wearing the Least

Next, look at what you haven’t touched much this season. Ask yourself:

  • Do I even like it anymore?
  • Did I just forget about it?
  • Is it hard to style with what I own?
  • Does it fit my current lifestyle?
  • Is it uncomfortable or high-maintenance?
  • Is it damaged or needs tailoring?

These pieces may have been overlooked—or they might be past their prime. Either way, don’t ignore them.

What to do next:

Your lifestyle may have changed, but your wardrobe hasn’t caught up. If you’re working from home more, your workwear might be collecting dust.

Are you avoiding pieces that need dry cleaning? That’s valid! Start prioritizing easier-care styles that align with your day-to-day needs.

Action items:

  1. If you like it—wear it! You’ll quickly learn if it’s worth keeping or not.
  2. If it doesn’t suit your lifestyle or style anymore, donate or consign it.
  3. If you’re undecided, move it to a secondary closet or storage bin. If you don’t reach for it before summer ends, it’s probably time to let it go.
  4. If it just needs to be tailored or repaired, get it done now so it’s ready next season.

Don’t Forget the Closet Itself

While it’s important to reassess your wardrobe, let’s not forget the bones of your closet.

We’re including some before-and-after photos in this blog that speak volumes:

  • One features an “afterthought” closet with basic wire shelving—a layout that wastes valuable vertical and corner space.
  • The other shows a custom melamine closet loaded with shelving, hanging rods, drawers, and smart accessories.
An example of insufficient wire shelving inside a closet
This closet has insufficient wire shelving and ultimately wastes a lot of storage space.
This is a custom melamine closet with tons of shelving. Your storage opportunities could quadruple with a closet like this!

The difference is night and day. With custom design, your storage opportunities don’t just improve—they quadruple.

If you’ve been feeling uninspired by your wardrobe, the solution might not be what you’re storing but how you’re storing it.

Looking for more ideas? Check out our guide: Fresh Ideas for Organizing Your Closet—especially if you’ve recently rediscovered some long-forgotten pieces you still love.

Want help bringing structure and style to your space? Contact us for a free consultation—we’d love to help you design a closet that works just as hard as you do.

Share