5 Storage Mistakes People Only Ever Notice Over the Summer Break — And How to Fix Them by September
Professional organizers tell me that these common faux pas set you back by the time autumn rolls around
At this very moment, my apartment feels like it's been taken over by the season. And as the heatwaves fade and the trees begin to crisp, I'm thinking about all of the ways I can make preparing for fall easy. And at the top of my list are summer storage mistakes that need to be fixed.
A lack of zoned storage, mindlessly overloading the garage, storing things in damp spaces, mixing summer clothes with fall apparel, and neglecting summer decluttering are five mistakes experts recommend fixing before September.
So, before you have to reset your home for autumn, here's what you need to do first.
1. Lack of Zoning
DO INSTEAD: Always categorize your storage spaces for easy organization.
"Forgetting to categorize your summer storage is one of the biggest mistakes you can make," says professional organizer Meghan Cocchiaro. "Come fall, it becomes harder to store away summer gear to do a seasonal swap into fall and winter, because all of the items are a mess in the garage and mudroom."
Instead of waiting to sort through a jumbled mess later, Meghan recommends organizing your things based on how you use items and assigning everything a proper home during the summer, not after. It will also make your back-to-school home reset much easier to endure.
I recommend using a planner to make a note of your zoning system. This Custom Digital Planner from Etsy is efficient to keep on hand. Or if you prefer putting pen to paper, take a look at this Cafe Notes Softback Spiral Lined Notebook from Papier.
2. Overloading the Garage
DO INSTEAD: Take a day to deeply declutter your garage or your loft.
Once you've got all your outdoor furniture out of storage, are happy to keep your car on the driveway, and had a pre-summer spring clean, you might just realize exactly how overstuffed your garage has been for the rest of the year. Audra N George, founder of Pretty Neat, tells me that mindlessly loading everything summery into a garage is another storage mistake to fix before September. "Going all summer with things all over the garage is stressful," she notes.
"And then at the end of the season you will be left to make some tough decisions about where to store items." The solution to this mistake is to declutter your garage, loft, or any other place that serves as your storage hub for the summer.
Audra is a professional organizer and owner at Pretty Neat: An Organization Solution in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is a professional organizing company that serves the unorganized, the overwhelmed, and the busy family. Audra believes organization can truly impact every area of people’s lives.
3. Storing Things in Damp Spots
DO INSTEAD: Avoid storing items in moisture-driven hotspots.
According to Cathy Borg, founder of In & Out Organizing, storing things in damp spaces or causing places to feel humid by stowing away items that aren't fully dry yet is a common summer faux pas.
This can be an especially popular apartment storage mistake since you're typically dealing with more compact spaces. "Storing your items in a damp basement can lead to musty smells and mildew," she warns. "A dry closet or any well-ventilated storage space is always the better option in this case."
Cathy Borg is a Toronto-based professional organizer and downsizing specialist who helps adults navigate major life transitions with far less overwhelm. She works with individuals and families who are downsizing, clearing estates, aging in place, or helping parents move, often during emotionally charged moments when decisions feel heavy and time is limited.
4. Mixing Summer Clothes with Autumn Layers
DO INSTEAD: Clearly organize your seasonal clothes to make resets swift.
One of the biggest closet mistakes that makes you wear less of your wardrobe involves a poorly organized wardrobe. And around the end of summer, this is caused by mixed warm and cool weather clothing living in a single space.
Although layering is a significant theme when dressing for the unpredictable transitional weather at this time of year, I recommend zoning your summer clothes from your autumn apparel to make resetting your wardrobe for peak fall a breeze.
5. Storing Without Decluttering
DO INSTEAD: Always declutter first and sort out your storage scheme second.
Lastly, and most importantly, storing your items without decluttering first is the biggest red flag of them all. And it's made even worse by purchasing storage bins and organizers before culling back the clutter first.
Consider decluttering things for fall and follow up by planning out your storage ideas only after you've pared back your home. I recommend starting with the kitchen to put away the grills and BBQs and bring out the casserole dishes and soup pots for hearty fall feasts.
A digital planner will help you sort your summer storage out and keep you on track for your home routine for the rest of the year.
You can never go wrong with functional storage baskets that look good enough to be left on semi-display.
Packing cubes will help you on vacation, but they work just as well when organizing items at home.
If, like me, you've had a tough time balancing the task of managing your home and basking in the season, morning resets for summer are a simple way to stay consistent.
And while you're here, subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter for more seasonal interiors advice.
