Creating A capsule Wardrobe

Are you feeling overwhelmed with you closet? Shirts and jeans overflowing the drawers at all? Can you close your closet door with ease?

If you said yes to two out of the three questions...then you are like me.

Have I found a solution? Yes...and no...

I am still new to this myself and have a hard time giving up pieces I love but don't necessarily need anymore.

I started my capsule wardrobe when I moved home. It became clear that my suitcases that held my closet would not fit in my new closet and dresser combined. I knew I could always use the old dresser in my basement as well, but I didn't feel like digging it out and figuring out where to place it. So, instead of living out of my suitcases, I finally decided to condense my closet.

I soon learned that the secret to having it all, is recognizing you already do.

We each have different bodies and lifestyles and we deserve to dress for that unique combination. One perfect capsule wardrobe will not work for everyone. Let it be messy at first, as you figure out what works best for your body, and your lifestyle.

3 Reasons To Create a Capsule Wardrobe

1. Figure out what matters.

If you are overwhelmed with life and are busy, you may have forgotten what really matters to you. How you like to spend your time, and the dreams you have for yourself. Living and dressing with less helps you reconnect and remember. Sometimes to figure out what matters you have to get rid of everything that doesn’t.

2. Reduce decision fatigue.

Deciding what to wear requires mental energy better spent on other things. Instead of trying on several outfits getting ready in the morning in hopes of finding the perfect thing to wear, curate a small capsule wardrobe. Then, there are no daily decisions required. You get to wear your favorite things every day.

3. Create more space and time for what you love.

Even if you don’t know what matters yet, or what you love, by dressing with less you’ll have a little more time and space to figure it out. A little more time and space to breathe.

If there are reasons you want to dress with less, write them down. Understanding why you want to create a capsule wardrobe will help you stick with it after you learn how to build a capsule wardrobe.

Creating Your Capsule Wardrobe

1. See

Put all of your clothes, accessories, jewelry, and shoes on your bed. All of it. If it's on your bed, you will be motivated to finish the project before bed...and don't just throw the rest of it on the floor, because you will eventually have to clean it up.

Seeing what you have is an important step in building a capsule wardrobe. Look at what you’ve acquired, what you’ve spent, and what you never wear. It might make you laugh or cry, but either way, you’ll never want to do this again.

2. Sort

Move the clothes on your bed to piles on the floor with a ruthless first pass sort. Don’t give it too much thought, just go with your first reaction. Sort items into the following piles:

• Love: I love these items. They fit me well and I wear them frequently.

• Maybe: I want to keep this but I don’t know why..you know you have those items

• Donate: These items don't fit my body or my life

• Trash: These items are in terrible condition.

Keep going until your bed is clear. Clear your room a bit and take out the trash and put your donate pile into something to take to the thrift store. Then, go back through your love and maybe piles. Ask yourself questions to help make your final decision. Would I buy something exactly like this later? Will I wear this in a few months or even ever? What can I wear with this? Could this be a good layering piece? Don't be afraid to put them on as well to make sure they still fit how you like. Do you like how it fits?

If you said no to any of those questions then those items need to go in the donate pile immediately, no more questions asked.

3. Choose

Make a list. This list should include the items you use everyday, and your go-to clothing items. This list may change over time as seasons change, or work/life situations change.

I started my capsule wardrobe in the summer, but here is the list I started with:

Staple Pieces to KEEP

-lightweight jacket

-get rid of anything similar. Keep different colors

-logo sweatshirt

-get rid of matching ones but exact same style...keep the ones you wear most

-work skirt

-black ankle boots

-laid back sweaters

-keep the ones with different colors..get rid of same color different style...keep favorites

-relaxed jeans

-keep the ones you will wear the most often...get rid of the ones that you wear once a year

-versatile scarf

-again, keep ones you will wear most often...get rid of the ones that are outdated

-white blouse

-or black...just get rid of the same style same color...and keep your favorite

-fancy flat shoe

-black

-everyday dress

-get rid of the dresses you know you will hardly ever wear! Keep the ones you can layer!

-everything bag

-trash the ones that are similar and keep ones you know you will use often.

-blazer/coat

-keep ones you will use

The main idea is that you don't need 10 black shirts if you only wear one of them the entire year. My favorite part of cleaning out my closet was yes, having more room in my closet, but I got to play around with my clothes and see what went with what and play with layers as well.

Do I have to give it all up?

Less isn’t nothing.

Once you’ve cleared your bed, taken care of the donate and trash piles, and picked your items, you do not have to give up the items remaining in your love or maybe piles. Instead, box them up and hide them for a while. A little separation goes a long way.

After 3 months of dressing with less, revisit the items you chose to box up. Use them for a future capsule, or if you feel differently about them, let them go.