Now that the warmest months are behind her, Jennifer Raphael is packing up her summer décor and checking off tasks on her fall cleaning to-do list before bringing out her pumpkins and other seasonal treasures.

“I love this time of year for decluttering,”; said Raphael of Less-Stress Organizing Solutions. “The beginning of fall is a great time to clean, because it gives you a chance to reset your home before you bring out new things.”;

If you’re ready to freshen up your space for a new season, keep reading to learn how Raphael and another California-based professional organizer toss the old before they bring in the new. They’ll help you make sure your home is ready for a new start before the leaves change for fall.

Clear Your Closet by Rotating Your Wardrobe

Make your morning routine a bit easier by storing clothes – like tank tops and bathing suits – that you don’t plan to wear during the cooler months.

“You may need to make room for coats, sweaters, jackets and rain boots and won’t need sundresses or shorts,”; said Shara Kay. “When you’re preparing to make that trip to storage, look for other closet items that can be archived and stored.”;

If you have a large closet, move your fall fashion to the easy-to-access areas, and put your spring and summer styles in the harder to reach places.

“Move the things you plan to wear, so you can find outfits you really want to wear this time of year,”; said Raphael. “Put the others at the end of the closet, where they aren’t as easy to reach.”;

Fall Cleaning Tip: Declutter Your Garage and Yard

Don’t keep any of your summertime stuff that you didn’t use this year. Go through the rooms around your home where you store your seasonal gear – likely the garage or the yard – and toss, donate or sell the items collecting dust or starting to rust.

“I have a lot of seasonal stuff in my garage,”; said Raphael. “Instead of shoving the things I don’t use into boxes, I donate them to someone who will use them. Don’t delay until next year to do it.”;

Many seasonal items also tend to pile up in the backyard.

“Entertaining and sports equipment can take up a lot of space,”; said Kay. “Consider why you would keep something before you store it. Don’t feel compelled to hold onto something that isn’t adding to your life.”;

Rearrange Your Seasonal Gear

Once you’ve donated or thrown away all your unused or unloved summer stuff, you’ll likely have more room in your garage to store all the things you want to keep, and your yard will be tidier.

Next, work on rearranging what you have left in your garage and other areas to make fall items easier to find and pull down, just like you did in your closet!

For example, move fall and holiday decorations down to the lower storage shelves, and then I move up summer items like ice chests that you’re not going to need for a while. If you’re planning to store your things on shelves in plastic bins, make sure to label them well even if they are clear tubs, said Raphael.

“My eye is scanning labels instead of trying to see through boxes, which makes finding what I need a lot easier,”; she said.

Orange is the New Size ®

You could also consider saving garage space by dropping off your seasonal gear at an offsite storage unit. If you have a storage space, this is the time of year to grab your favorite fall décor during the same trip!

“As you pull out Halloween or Thanksgiving decorations, replace them with summertime things,”; said Kay. “Those things could be beach canopies, folding chairs, summer sports equipment, Boogie boards, 4th of July decorations, flags and summer home décor.”;

No storage unit? We can solve that problem, no matter the season! We’re always opening new locations, so head to the Public Storage website to see which storage units near you have enough space for your summer stuff!