Are you the mom who does mounds of laundry each week and can never seem to find anything to wear? When standing in the closet in the morning or folding that never ending laundry pile, instead of thinking that you need more or different clothing, what if the answer is that you have too much? Too many options.
This was the case for me. I was frozen in my closet trying to determine what to wear because my clothes did not flow together. My clothing was too specific and one outfit was, well, one outfit. I could not mix and match and most of my time was spent trying to find a specific outfit, trying to remember when the last time I wore this outfit, or trying to find two pieces of clothing that would work together. It was frustrating. I decided to build a capsule wardrobe at first, to find the flow in my closet between the differing pieces. As time went on, I noted that I didn’t need as much and paired down into three capsules. This is where I am currently and my goal is to pair down to two capsules by Spring. The feeling that I have in the morning by quickly being able to determine what I am wearing today is indescribable. AND the feeling of being completely caught up with laundry TWICE per week brings me a satisfaction with life that is difficult to match.
Here is how to develop a capsule wardrobe in 8 days. With this Capsule Wardrobe, we will assume that laundry is completed at least once per week. Here we go!
Day 1: Bottoms including pants, jeans, skirts, and leggings anchor a wardrobe. These items should be of great quality, a great fit for your body type, and should be purchased with the intent of long term use. There should be 9 pieces total in your wardrobe with a combination that makes sense for your lifestyle. These pieces should be neutral in color with options including black, grey, khaki, and/or dark blue. On day ONE, determine the 9 pieces that fill your wardrobe and remove the rest from your closet.
Day 2: A great capsule wardrobe will then add in color and patterns with versatile shirts and blouses. Each top should be able to pair with 7 of the pants and skirts above and consist of colors that compliment the neutral pallet. This is the place to bring in a pop of color or two and continue to have neutral colors as well. One of my favorite type of outfits is a neutral top, a neutral bottom, and a pop of color shoe. On day TWO, determine 9 shirts or blouses, and remove the rest from your closet. Congratulations! You have now made the proactive decision regarding what you will wear everyday. You no longer have to make that decision every morning. Feel free to sleep in for the extra 15-20 minutes you have saved yourself.
Day 3 : Undergarments include socks/tights, underwear, and bras. For each of these items, you should compliment your outfits above in color, shape, and style. On Day THREE, you should keep 5 pairs of socks/tights, 9 pairs of underwear, and 4 bras. Select the items that compliment you and provide the best fit. Eliminate the rest.
Day 4: Jewelry and Accessories follow this familiar theme. Now that you have paired down your wardrobe to neutrals with 1-2 pops of color, discard the jewelry and accessories that do not fit the current color theme and style. Remember, “what ifs” are no longer a part of your vocabulary. And then on Day FOUR, choose 2-3 pairs of earrings, 2-3 necklaces, 2-3 bracelets, and 2-3 belts. And you have it, discard the rest.
Day 5: I love shoes. This was the hardest section for me. Once you are on day 5, the realization will be that most of your shoes will no longer work with your current wardrobe. And if you are similar to me, you have shoes that only matched a certain outfit or two. Remove those shoes first. A capsule wardrobe when completed correctly should not need more than 4 pairs of shoes. On Day FIVE, choose the ones that you absolutely love and will compliment your wardrobe. Donate the rest.
Day 6: There should only be 2 dresses. First, there should always be a little black dress in your capsule and then a fun dress that again, compliments the colors and style of the rest of your capsule. Choose wisely, as these dresses will be worn often and will need to be flexible and styled with different shoes and accessories each time to create the different looks. If you insist on additional dresses, then each dress must replace a skirt, jean, legging, or pair of pants from Day 1. On Day Six, choose your two dresses. And donate the rest.
Day 7: Outer garments should be considered a part of your capsule. Depending on where you live, winter wear may need to be its own capsule or be layered into your existing one. I live in North Carolina where the weather is pretty mild the majority of the time. I wear my clothing year round. I recommend 3 sweaters/shawls, 2 professional jackets, 1 professional coat, and 1 active coat for your closet. On Day Seven, choose these items and donate the rest.
Day 8: Lounge wear is an important part of my day. I enjoy the moment when I step into my home, take off my work wear, and put on easy lounge wear. It is one of the best times of the day. It is a signal to my body and mind to let go. The active work day is done. 3 lounge wear outfits to mix and match is all that is needed. Choose these on Day Eight.
Place all of your extra items from Day 1-8 neatly in containers and donate them. Congratulations, you have just changed your morning routine, your laundry routine, and the way you allocate your daily time. And you lifted an unknown load and eliminated a source of stress.
Drop me a note and let me know how a capsule wardrobe has impacted you.
RS
