With spring just around the corner (it officially starts March 21st), it's time to start updating your wardrobe for the new season. Spring itself is a transitional season - between the extremes of winter and summer - when warm weather is arriving but the cool temperature and precipitation still lingers.

Spring may come with the connotation of a fresh start, but a successful spring wardrobe doesn't have to be completely new. All you really need to do to transition your basic fall/winter wardrobe into a spring one is incorporate some spring elements. After all, who these days can afford to buy a completely new wardrobe for every season?

Here are some tips on transitioning your wardrobe:

What are spring colors? Springs colors are bright colors. In terms of fashion, winter is generally a very black and brown, darker season. Spring is about a fresh start, so add a splash of something bright to an otherwise "wintery" outfit.

Don't go overboard with bright colors. Try just one or two brighter colored items at once. Scarves, umbrellas, and bags are all easy to incorporate accessories that come in a wide range of spring colors. A green trenchcoat or a yellow shirt under a dark blazer works too. It's like finding a balance between winter and summer colors.

Note - "bright" does not necessarily mean neon yellow or purple pastels, though it most certainly can. Spring colors are colors that aren't too dark or neutral. A medium green, for example, counts as a spring color too.

A lot of spring clothes are more summer than winter, but early spring weather is much more winter than summer. This situation is best dealt with by layering.

What is layering? Layering is simply wearing multiple layers. A colorful patterned summer dress can be worn with a cardigan in spring. A bright top can be worn with a dark blazer. Layering can help you reveal just the right amount of spring color, as well as make an outfit more practical for the weather. Just take layers on and off as the temperature changes!

These are tough economic times, it's true, but that applies to retailers too. Sales are going on all the time, even for spring clothes. Go to the stores, and get a little inspiration for spring. Looking around can give you ideas for making new looks from what you already have. And of course, you can buy a few new items to help you out.

Shop around for versatile items - you don't need to buy an entire wardrobe. Cardigans and blazers are great because you can easily take them on and off as the weather changes through the day or as you go from inside to outside. Try them in basic colors (black, brown) or more "colorful colors," like green.

Spring scarves are a great option for adding that spring color into your look. Inexpensive, but very effective.

You don't need to buy a whole lot for spring. Carefully look through what you already have and make the most of it. Those boots that you bought for winter but found out were less than practical on ice and snow? Wear them for spring! Shopping is completely arbitrary.

To maximize closet space, find and store away everything that is distinctively winter (i.e. extreme cold weather clothing). The chilly weather still comes back for a visit every little while, so it may be a good idea to keep around some sweaters. But if there's an item that you likely won't wear again until next winter, store it away and make room for spring items. Closet space is valuable, and having to rummage through items you don't wear to find something to wear... is a waste of time.

The obvious items to store away are winter jackets and boots. These items, along with any other winter clothes, can be stored in storage boxes (the big clear ones are very helpful), space bags, a large drawer/cabinet, garment bags, or really, whatever works for you.

Likewise, get out some of those spring/summer clothes! T-shirts, tanks, shorts, capris, and summer shoes... move them out from where ever they have been this winter. Start wearing them, if weather appropriate. Once you see them, you'll wear them. Out of sight, out of mind.