Were you super organised earlier this year? Did you store all your autumn/winter clothing in a self storage unit to make extra space in your wardrobe? If so - have a gold star! Hopefully, you’ll have enjoyed a full spring and summer of being able to access all your summer clothes and accessories without having to push aside all your big woolly jumpers and jeans!

The great British weather might be throwing us a bit of a curveball in the coming weeks and we might get a (greatly) delayed period of warm weather. However, it won’t be long before the nights start drawing in and we start thinking about battening down the hatches for winter. Now might be a good time to re-evaluate what’s in your storage unit and which items of clothing you can bring out to prepare your wardrobe for the colder months ahead.
 

Deciding what to keep and what to donate/sell

When you put your autumn/winter clothing in your storage unit at the end of last winter, you probably had a bit of a ‘cull’ at the time. You might have chosen to donate or sell some items because they no longer fitted properly, or no longer suited you, or because you didn’t feel like you wore them often enough to warrant giving them space in your wardrobe.

Now’s the time to go through everything again and see if there’s anything else you want to donate to charity or give away.

Bear in mind that you might have bought new autumn/winter clothing since you put everything into storage - you might have spotted a bargain over summer, or something might have caught your eye in the shops that you couldn’t resist. 

When looking through your stored clothes, you might also find that there are some items you just don’t want to wear anymore because they seem outdated and don’t fit with the latest fashion trends. Other old favourites might be perfect, though - after all, fashion is cyclical and if you hold onto something for long enough it’ll be back in style at some point!
 

What are the fashion trends for autumn/winter 2023?

Here are the trends for this autumn/winter season to bear in mind when looking through your stored clothing and choosing what to bring back into your wardrobe:
 

1. Power suits and black ties

Smart, tailored dark suits and black ties are back in style, which is good news if you have one or two of those in your storage unit. They’re practical, functional and good for work. If you’re female and don’t have a black tie, you’ll probably know at least one male who’s been to a funeral in the past - borrow theirs!
 

2. Red, red, red…

Anything red - vivid, postbox red - will be big this autumn/winter. Wear it head to toe if you like, the more the merrier. At the very least, you’ll probably have a thick red scarf somewhere in your unit. 
 

3… And a bit of grey

Long, grey wool or tweed coats are going to be very fashionable in autumn/winter. That’s great news because they’re versatile and will go well with pretty much any colour (they’ll look particularly great with the top-to-toe red trend) and it’s an easy colour to keep clean!
 

4. Visible layers

Rather than put all your summer/spring clothes into your storage unit to replace the items you’re bringing back out, consider keeping one or two t-shirts or shirts to act as base layers. Visible shirt hems poking out from the bottom of winter jumpers will be in style - if you’re feeling particularly bold, apparently having visible knicker/pant waistlines showing above your skirt/trousers will also be de rigueur… 
 

5. Huge bags

Be prepared to carry everything but the kitchen sink around with you this autumn/winter. Gone are the tiny bags that are just large enough for your phone, keys and credit card. Dig out your enormous tote bags and carry whatever you like around. Great for having everything you need to hand (maybe not so great for your back..!).
 

What patterns and materials will be big in autumn/winter 2023?

Double corduroy is taking over from where double denim left off - think matching skirts and shirts, trousers and waistcoats. In terms of detail, anything with embroidered details, black and white patterns and soft floral prints will all be in style. Knitted and quilted patterns look great, too, and for warmer days when your big grey coat will be too hot you could wear a knitted poncho. 
 

Make the most of your self storage unit

Self storage units are a great way to declutter your home and make it easier to find and access all your day-to-day belongings. So, if you didn’t do it last year, add it to your ‘to do’ list for this year! Squirrel your summer clothes, garden furniture and summer home interiors into your storage unit and when the warm weather comes round again next year you can swap them out for all your winter fashion and interiors.