Guide To Minimalism - Minimizing Your Wardrobe
Earlier this year I wrote a blog post about doing a digital and mental detox. Which you can read here before moving on to this next challenge. I personally like having a clear mind before I move onto the physical/living spaces. I can not focus if I have these little tabs in my head open such as “email this, text this person, organize my planner, add this person's birthday to the calendar, go over budget” etc. If you are able to skip these steps in mental decluttering then that’s awesome! If you went through the steps then congrats! Either way I’m glad you are here for this next challenge.
As a homemaker, Laundry was the number one stressor for me. I did a pretty thorough home edit before we had our first baby. However, as she aged I found myself being sucked into endless mom duties. It’s one thing to have your own laundry to do, and another to manage a household of five. Skip to the present day and we all have capsule wardrobes now. In fact everyone's clothes are in one closet, the master bedroom closet.
Today I’m touching base solely on my wardrobe and what it consists of. Mainly so that those who are doing this on their own can refer to this post and those with children can utilize this post in addition to the kids capsules that i'll be sharing soon. It’s also easier to get a family on board by setting the example. To begin with I recommend you create a color palette. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of shopping, minimizes thoughtless consumption and will help you edit your current wardrobe. Stick to buying items within your color palette, style, and invest in quality so that you don't have to buy over and over again.
My capsule consists of a black, brown, and white base paired with various shades of blue and a few cognac pieces. I know I may fall into the stereotype of ‘minimalists only wear neutrals' but I believe a majority of us lean into this because these colors pair easily with at least ten other pieces. It allows us to have a variety of outfits without excessive amounts of clothing. BUT YOU DO NOT NEED TO WEAR (OR DECORATE) WITH NEUTRALS TO BE MINIMALIST. You could have a boho style with a plethora of patterns all over and still have a 30 piece capsule including shoes. It’s not about the style or color, but the quantity.
My capsules are usually made of items in groups of two or three ranging in a light and dark color. In my Fall + Winter capsule I have two wool coats, two jackets, two cardigans, five sweaters, three turtlenecks, three pairs of jeans, two pairs of boots and a pair of sneakers. 20 pieces, 23 if you count the hoodies I steal from my husband. *Insert happy dance* I recently did an edit and removed pieces that no longer fit so I do plan to fill in those last 10 out of 30 slots with timeless, long lasting and cozy pieces.
It may seem sparse but it works for me. I genuinely enjoy not having to guess what I’m going to wear to an event or change multiple times out of discomfort. I have tried and true outfits that allow me to save time by taking the guesswork out of getting ready in addition to not spending time on excessive laundry. I save myself minutes to hours that can be used towards doing something I actually want to do.
Take note of the photo above where I am wearing my white jacket. Underneath I am wearing the same outfit as this photo on the left. All I did was swap the jacket and socks for dark brown socks and my dark brown wool coat. I’m even wearing the same jewelry but opted for hair up in a claw clip instead of a hat. One outfit worn two ways.
I gravitate towards solids because they pair easily with each other, but you can absolutely pair patterns together if that is your style. There are no wrongs here, just ideas! You also don't have to restrict yourself to 30 items, you could start pairing down to 5-7 of each item first if it reduces your anxiety about transitioning to this lifestyle. Take small steps if the plunge is too much for you.
When I help Minimize and Organize people's homes I like to have them separate their items into four piles: Keep, Maybe keep, Donate and Trash. Keep goes right back, maybe keep gets put in a box and taped up… if 6 months go by and you have yet to open it… consider donating. The donation box immediately gets put in the trunk to be taken to a donation drop off or if I’m with a client I will do the donation drop off myself. Trash pile is obvious. Note: That the signed shirt from your graduation from ten years ago doesn’t need to live with you anymore. Over the past 7 years I’ve adopted this “We can’t take it with us when we die so best find it a new home or not buy at all”. It may take a while to get there but your mind (and free time) will thank you for it later on. Ask yourself if the items you hold onto are worth the space and time they take. Identify the essential and then eliminate the rest. Good luck on creating your seasonal capsule wardrobes, until the next.