Are you one of those people who can never get enough good weather, free time or money? If so, you’ve probably spent the recent fine weather weekends accomplishing end-of-summer outdoor chores, with a smidgen of playtime thrown in. The last thing you were going to do is spend a day indoors, organizing dresser drawers and cleaning out closets.

Now that a rainy weekend is upon us and the season is stepping up its pace into cold weather, it may be the time to do just that, and the results can be twofold. Not only will you start your day on an efficient note, but the results can save you money, too.

To get a start, remove all clothes from your dresser drawers. If there are too many to lay on your bed, that’s a sign that some are probably not often used. Make a stack of items to donate. Launder anything that needs it. Organize the items by type and use. For instance, make a stack of summer tops that you wear to work and another stack that you use for fun. If you have some that are very worn but usable, put them together to use when doing dirty work such as car repair or house painting.

Do the same with the contents of your closet. This is the place where ill-fitting items are most likely to literally hang out. If you have not worn an item all season, it is time to give it away to someone who will.

If possible, store your summer clothes in large plastic containers. If you must use cardboard boxes, label them in large lettering. In either case, put the boxes away where you can find them.

Next, take out your cold-weather wear. Once again, if there are too many to fit on your bed, it is time to toss some. Try each item on to check for fit. Be realistic about snug clothes. If something is super-snug, add it to the donation pile. Select an item that is a wee bit tight – such as a pair of jeans – and hang it on the inside of your closet door to inspire you to slim down. Organize pants by length, too.

Examine each item of clothing to see if it needs washing, ironing or other care. Read the labels to see if anything you used to dry clean actually does not need this expensive care. Organize items for both closets and dresser drawers by type and use. Separate out any items that you know you did not use last winter but just cannot let go of yet. Before you put your clothes in drawers or closet, step back and appreciate what you have. By looking at everything at once, it is often heartening to realize how much we already possess.

Slip a large bead (available at crafts stores) over the hooked part of the hanger to indicate pant length, choosing a color each for long, medium, and short. Add another bead to any item that requires dry cleaning. Then, when you choose to wear it, you will know it’s going to be more expensive to clean. Put a red bead on any rarely used item you cannot resist storing and a green bead on your most comfortable clothes, and bear the qualities of both in mind the next time you decide to purchase something new.