Capsule Wardrobes and How They Make Life Easier

Now that everyone and their mother is talking about capsule collections, and how streamlining their wardrobes simplifies getting dressed, you may be curious about creating your own.

But if a quick glance into your closet reveals a load of clothing that you don’t wear or don’t even like, the reality of paring down to a well curated and intentional wardrobe may feel insurmountable.

There are many versions of capsule wardrobes, most of which began as minimal fashion challenges making the rounds through social media. One of the more popular, Project 333, invites you to wear only 33 pieces of clothing or less for 3 months.

But if you’re like me, and have no idea how many items of clothing you own, minimizing to a specific number may feel a little far fetched. Not impossible, but just a bit drastic to begin with, which is why I propose capsulizing your wardrobe in stages.

How to Make Your Way Toward a Capsule Wardrobe

1. Begin by clearing out all the clothes you no longer wear. Stick to your current season. You’ll want to repeat the process every few months.

2. Place these items in a box somewhere out of sight. If you have a garage or basement, this is perfect. If you’re in an apartment use your linen closet.

3. Set a reminder for 30 days. If you long for something in the box, you have permission to get it out and bring it back into your closet because if you’re longing for it you must love it!

4. At the end of the 30 days donate the bag. It’s easier if you don’t look inside. Know that you won’t miss these items if you never thought about them for the 30 days.

Once you’ve gone through these steps, you will have cleared quite a bit of clothes. It doesn’t matter how many items are still in your closet. What’s important is that the pieces left are things you actually love and will wear.

You will discover that by minimizing your wardrobe you’ve simplified the process of getting dressed each morning. You no longer have to deal with a bunch of stuff that you don’t like, or never wear. The clothes you do have will fit your current taste and lifestyle, so finding an outfit takes less time.

And now that you’ve pared down, you’ll feel more inspired by your wardrobe and excited to try new looks to bring all your clothes into the outfit rotation. And even though you’ll have fewer items, you’ll expand into the entirety of your newly created capsule wardrobe, which will expand your outfit options along with it.

But most importantly, this process will help you become more intentional with your wardrobe. Each item in your closet will have a reason for being there — you love it! And once your mindset shifts into acknowledgement that you have enough, you’ll find value in owning less because it ultimately benefits you more.

What are your thoughts on creating a capsule wardrobe? —Elysha