Empty the wardrobe out completely

It is tempting to shuffle things around while half the wardrobe is still hanging up, but a seasonal sort only works when you can see everything at once. Choose a dry morning, lay a clean sheet on the bed, and take every item out — including the odd sock at the back and the dress you have not worn since a wedding years ago.

While the wardrobe is empty, give it a proper clean. Wipe the shelves, rail and inside of the doors with warm soapy water, then dry them thoroughly; a damp wardrobe will make everything smell musty within a fortnight. Vacuum the base and the skirting around it, as dust and carpet moths love quiet, dark corners. Leave the doors open for an hour to air before anything goes back in.

Sort into current season, stored, and letting go

As you handle each item, ask two questions: does it fit, and do I actually wear it? Anything that fails both goes into a bag for the charity shop or textile recycling. A useful rule is that if you have not worn something in a year, and it holds no sentimental value, it can go.

Split what is left into current season and out-of-season. In the UK that usually means light layers, cotton and linen from roughly April to September, and knits, coats and heavier fabrics from October to March. Because British weather rarely plays along, keep a light cardigan and a waterproof jacket out all year.

Store out-of-season clothes in labelled boxes

Out-of-season clothes need to be clean, dry and easy to find again in six months' time.

• Wash before you store. Moths are drawn to food stains, sweat and skin cells, so launder or dry clean everything first, even if it looks clean.
• Make sure it is bone dry. Anything put away slightly damp will come out smelling of mildew.
• Choose the right container. Breathable cotton storage bags suit wool, cashmere and anything delicate, while rigid plastic crates with lids are fine for cotton, denim and synthetics. Vacuum bags are brilliant for bulky duvets and winter coats, but avoid them long-term for natural fibres that need to breathe.
• Label clearly. Write the season, contents and size on a piece of paper and stick it to the side facing outwards, so you are not opening five boxes in November looking for thermals.
• Think about where the box goes. Under-bed boxes with wheels are ideal in a small terraced house. Lofts get very hot in summer, so keep wool away from there, and never store clothes in a damp garage or shed.
• Add protection. Cedar blocks, lavender bags or a few drops of cedarwood oil on a cotton pad will help deter moths. Refresh them every few months.

Hang the current season by colour

Once the boxes are away, you will be surprised how much room is left. Group what remains by type — dresses, shirts, jackets, trousers — then arrange each group by colour, from lightest to darkest: white and cream, pastels, mid-tones, navy, then black and charcoal.

This is about more than tidiness. Hanging by colour lets you see what you own, spot the gaps and pull an outfit together in seconds on a rushed weekday morning. Leave about two centimetres between hangers so air can circulate and nothing creases. Hang trousers on clip hangers or over a padded bar, and keep knitwear folded on shelves — hangers stretch the shoulders out of shape.

Use slim hangers and shelf dividers

Two inexpensive pieces of kit will transform a wardrobe more than anything else. First, slim hangers: the velvet-coated ones barely half a centimetre thick. Swapping chunky wooden hangers for slim ones can free up a third of your rail space, though keep a couple of sturdy wooden ones for heavy coats and tailored jackets, which need the support.

Second, shelf dividers. Clear acrylic or bamboo dividers slot onto a shelf and hold stacks of folded jumpers and jeans upright, so nothing topples when you pull one item out. Add a drawer divider for socks and underwear and a stackable shoe rack on the floor, and the whole space stays visible.

Keep it ticking over

Organisation is a habit rather than a one-off job. Set a ten-minute reset each weekend: return stray items, refold the jumper pile and put dry cleaning away the day it comes back. Keep a small donation bag at the bottom of the wardrobe so decluttering is a steady trickle rather than a yearly mountain.

Twice a year, in spring and early autumn, do the full swap-over. Air stored clothes on a dry day, wipe the shelves again and refresh your cedar blocks and lavender bags. Half an hour in March and again in September is all it takes to keep a wardrobe that is easy to see and genuinely pleasant to open every morning.