The change of season, that moment when we bring out the thick sweaters and tell ourselves that we are finally going to sort things out seriously this time. Except that most of the time, this much-promised storage comes down to a simple exchange of batteries, without really questioning what accumulates from year to year.
A study carried out by the IFOP for Homebox puts precise figures on this diffuse observation: 55% of French people admit to having too many objects, and three out of four people store things that they never use again. The closet, and particularly the area dedicated to out-of-season clothing, concentrates a good part of this silent accumulation: that sweater that we haven't worn for two winters, that jacket "that could be used again one day", those jeans that we keep without really knowing why. Seasonal sorting, supposed to be the perfect opportunity to make decisions, too often turns into a simple rotation of objects that never really leave the home.
But seasonal sorting also reveals another problem, even more discreet. Charles Gerba, a renowned microbiologist at the University of Arizona, conducted research on the bacterial load of everyday clothing, with a striking result: jackets and coats are among the most contaminated items in the entire wardrobe, simply because most people only wash them once or twice a year, usually right around the famous change of season. Some people never even clean them, just putting them away in the back of the cupboard from one year to the next. An item of clothing worn daily for an entire winter, never washed, literally transforms seasonal sorting into the ideal, and often the only, opportunity to break this cycle.

What this task actually involves

Seasonal sorting of clothes and closets consists of taking out all the belongings of the season which is ending, sorting what deserves to be kept from what can be given or thrown away, then methodically putting away the kept pieces, leaving room for the new season's clothes. Allow around 30 minutes for this operation, a time which varies greatly depending on the volume of clothing accumulated and the thoroughness of the sorting carried out.

Tips and tricks for truly efficient sorting

Asking yourself a simple question for each piece, “have I worn it at least once this season?”, allows you to decide quickly without falling into overthinking which always ends up favoring conservation by default. An item of clothing not worn for an entire season has statistically very little chance of being worn the following season.
Taking advantage of this sorting moment to systematically wash jackets and coats before storing them for the following season, rather than storing them directly as is, breaks the cycle of bacterial accumulation identified by Charles Gerba's research. A minimum annual washing, carried out precisely at this pivotal moment, considerably limits the microbial load of these particularly exposed outdoor pieces.
For clothing kept but rarely worn, choosing breathable fabric covers rather than airtight plastic bags allows the fibers to remain healthy while limiting the accumulation of humidity and musty odors during their storage period.

With 55% of French people admitting to having too many objects according to the IFOP, and coats which sometimes go a whole year without being washed according to research by Charles Gerba, seasonal sorting deserves to be taken more seriously than a simple exchange of batteries in the cupboard. It is also the ideal time to break, once a year, with both material and microbial accumulation.