It’s that time of year again. You know, that period when we’re just starting to pull ourselves out of the winter fog we’ve been living in and starting to prepare for the great times ahead. The trouble is, as the weather warms up and the skies lighten, so too do our clothes, which means that a wardrobe shuffle is in order.

This is the sort of thing every man wants to put off, but can’t. I’m referring to cleaning out your closet, judging what to keep and what to get rid of and putting your heavy winter gear into storage until next year.

Here are some tips on how to clean out your wardrobe for summer.

what to throw away

In the hunt for closet space, an “in with the new, out with the old” mentality is key. Anything faded, shrunken or lined with holes should be the first casualties, no matter how hard it might be to part with the stuff you’ve not only grown used to, but feel comfortable in.

Old shabby shoes and sports jerseys should be next on the list, as often these are nothing more than decorative closet pieces taking up space. Do you really want your floor covered with rotten-looking, old sneakers? And if you haven’t played football, soccer or baseball in more than two years, you really don’t need those cleats anymore. As for the jerseys, here’s some advice: if the team doesn’t exist anymore, you should consider letting the jersey go. There might be some camp value in having an L.A. Rams or Montreal Expos jersey, but do you honestly think you’ll wear it again? Give it away or sell it on eBay.

closet-clearing guidelines

Follow the one-year rule

As I already alluded to, if you haven’t worn it in a year and you can’t really picture yourself wearing it in the future (fashion is cyclical, after all), you should get rid of it. Being honest with yourself is key here. This rule also applies to old athletic equipment.

Give your old clothes to charity

Instead of throwing away clothes that still have life in them (especially if it’s just a matter of change in taste or size), you should give them away. There are many people out there who can put those garments to good use, and organizations like The Salvation Army and Big Brother (who might even pick them up from your place) will be more than glad to take them off your hands.

Make piles and keep garbage bags handy

When sifting through your clothes, you should be splitting them into groups: winter, spring/summer and charity. Keeping garbage bags close by will also speed up the process, as the items you want to give away can be prepared quickly.

Find out what to store and how to do it like a man…

what to store

When deciding what clothes to store, you should instantly think of the most essential items for winter survival: the things you wouldn’t dare go outside without. I’m talking specifically about your winter boots, jacket, hats, scarves, and gloves, as well as anything else that would make you break into sweat come summer.

Some of these, like hats and scarves, can still be useful in warm weather (depending on your style, of course), but odds are you won’t use them very frequently, which makes them prime for storage.

When it comes to sweaters, it’s a much trickier decision because despite the warmer weather, there is always the occasional cool summer night. A good idea is to pack away your warmest, thickest sweaters, while keeping thinner ones handy, just in case.

tips for storing your clothes

Wash your clothes

Since you don’t want stains or funky smells to set in and linger (tainting both the garment and the storage space), washing your clothes is an important first step when storing clothing for a long period of time. Make sure to also launder all your smaller winter items like gloves, hats and scarves, as those can also harbor some nasty aromas.

Dry clean your winter jacket

Give your coat a proper cleaning before you hang it up for the summer, and find a nice moth-free storage space. If your coat is made from leather, consider some extra care, namely specially-made sprays used for its upkeep.

Use proper hangers

Instead of hanging your winter jackets and coats on cheap wire hangers, make sure to use wooden hangers (if you don’t own any, go get some). These are essential if your jackets are heavy, and if you hope to keep their natural form intact.

Clean your winter shoes and boots

Anyone who’s trudged through slush knows how disgusting winter shoes can become. To protect and maintain the look of your shoes and boots, make sure to remove all the salt stains before storing them. Once this is done, stuff them with newspaper to keep their form and then store them in shoeboxes.

Ensure your clothes have a good smell

If you’ve washed and laundered your winter wear, you shouldn’t be too concerned about this. But if the thought of lingering nasty scents still bothers you, you can simply hang or place a lightly-scented air freshener in your closet. Even placing some Bounce sheets in storage along with your clothing can take care of foul odors.

Store everything in one place

You want your clothes to be easy to find and access when you need them in a few months. For this reason, try designating one particular space for these soon-to-be stored items of clothing. This can be the back of a closet, a box that you’ll keep in the corner of a room, or a drawer left empty for this exact purpose.

cheer up, summer is near

Cleaning out your closet might not be the most entertaining task, but it’s a necessary evil that lets you know what you have, what you’ve forgotten about, and what you can still buy. Following these tips and ideas will help make the process less annoying, and will clear away all those unsavory reminders of the long winter.

Why He’s A Style Icon

Mark Simpson, the man credited with coining the term “metrosexual,” was the first to hail David Beckham as the ultimate metrosexual. Simpson appears to have been right on the money, as while on the pitch David Beckham is a guy who loves getting down and dirty in his soccer uniform, off-field he’s a man very comfortable with his masculinity who enjoys wearing, well, everything. From suits to hoodies, chunky boots, leather, tattoos, skimpy swimsuits, and sarongs — if you can name it, David Beckham’s probably worn it.

Indeed, arguably his greatest accomplishment as a fashion icon was to show the world that it was possible to be a man’s man and still enjoy regular pedicures and $500 haircuts. The L.A. Galaxy star’s keen interest in his appearance coupled with his naturally good looks did not go amiss amongst fashion’s inner circle, and the footballer is also a lucrative brand in his own right, marketing his own collection of fragrances and appearing in high-profile advertisements and fashion magazines.

The secret to bending it like Beckham is to mix things up. Always keeping people guessing requires staying on top of trends, knowing your basics, adopting a willingness to wear items out of context, rotating your look regularly, and not being afraid to break all the style rules. No wonder fashionable people everywhere admire David Beckham: He’s inspiring, confident and fun — everything fashion is all about.

Dressing The Beckham Way

David Beckham may be willing and able to wear just about anything and his day-to-day looks may seem like such a melange of pieces, but the soccer star definitely has a few standbys in his closet that he relies on. Sunglasses are one of his staples, as are all kinds of hats, belts with lots of hardware, long wooly scarves, logoed sports T-shirts, man purses, and of course, suits for red carpet appearances.

By far the most recognizable element of his vast wardrobe, however, is his distressed jeans, of which he likely has many, many pairs. Diesel’s Zatiny 73J jeans perfectly exemplify David Beckham’s preference when in comes to denim. They’re a slim-fit, boot cut that is faded and worn in all the right places and they manage to look fitted yet a little baggy at the same time. Like Britain’s most famous export, consider denim one of the building blocks of your wardrobe that will help you create an infinite number of ensembles. Try a plaid shirt, tie and cardigan for a funky but smart style. Or throw on a T-shirt, layer on the necklaces, don a toque and get yourself an ethnic-inspired hobo bag. As David Beckham has shown us, the possibilities are endless.

One word of caution: Don’t even think about trying to find these jeans in a knockoff version; we all know this man loves his labels, so you would be missing the point if you went for the cheaper variety.

Why He’s A Style Icon

George Clooney seemed to follow the latest trends in the 1980s, but something happened in the 1990s: He grew up and showed the world how a man should dress. The no-nonsense haircut replaced the floppy kid-next-door look and the clothes went monochromatic with the first Ocean’s film in 2001. Since then he has embodied an updated old-Hollywood style that everyone loves, with black suits for those formal events and gray chinos with white T-shirts for his downtime. His biggest contribution to fashion has been his bringing back of the suit as a fashion mainstay. While so many men fell victim to the idea that jeans are appropriate for every occasion, thanks to George Clooney, it suddenly became cool again to wear a suit. This worked because George Clooney pulled the look off without a tie, which appealed to men because it made them feel free. Also, his attitude of pretending not to notice how dapper he looked made it all the more appealing.

Dress The Clooney Way

Aside from the classic haircut (which George Clooney claims to cut himself), the black, white and gray color scheme, his crisp white dress shirts sans tie, his sleek black oxfords, and those wraparound shades, George Clooney’s look is truly embodied by the dark charcoal suit. To swipe George Clooney’s classic style, find a charcoal suit with a modern cut, like this Banana Republic dark charcoal suit, and wear it with an open-collared shirt. Look for a suit with a three-button closure, a notch lapel, flap pockets at the hip, and a rear center vent. The trousers should be without pleats or cuffs; this gives the suit the kind of modern European look George Clooney likes to sport.