In the northern hemisphere, summer is quickly coming to a close. Days spent lounging outdoors with a cool drink in hand are fading and being replaced by evenings spent curled up in front of a fire with a warm mug full of hot chocolate.

Now is a great time to evaluate your summer wardrobe and shoe collection, and get these items prepared for seasonal storage. As the weather cools, here are five tips to help you with your shoe storage process:

1. Collect and evaluate your summer shoes. Gather all of your shoes together and give them a thorough scanning. How are the soles of the shoes? The interiors? Are materials frayed or in need of repair? Do you have more than you wish you had? Did any cause you a summer full of blisters?
2. Clean and repair the shoes worth keeping. After evaluating your collection, decide which shoes should stay and which should go. The shoes you choose to keep need to be cleaned and repaired (if necessary) so that they are ready to be worn when the weather warms back up in the spring. A gentle cleaner (like Soak) is fine for spot cleaning fabrics on shoes. An old toothbrush dipped in soapy water also can get into nooks and crannies of rubber soles on shoes. And, I recommend taking leather shoes to your local cobbler for repairs and a deep cleaning.
3. Store the shoes you'll enjoy wearing next summer. I suggest putting your shoes into clear plastic shoe boxes for the cooler months. The boxes will keep dust off your shoes, bugs out of the fabric and leather, and easily allow you to see into the boxes when you switch them out in six months. I suggest putting a lavender sachet into each box to keep odors to a minimum. Also, if any of your shoes should need shoe trees to help keep their shape, I suggest putting those into your shoes, too.
4. Donate or recycle the shoes you have chosen to part with at the end of the season. Again, this is when your local cobbler can be a good resource. Mine have always known of local charities and recycling programs that accept old shoes. Only donate barely worn shoes to charity, all others should be recycled.
5. Bring winter shoes out of storage and prepare your closet for cooler weather.