I saw the term “capsule wardrobe” floating around a couple of months ago and I was so intrigued. The more and more I read about it, the better the concept sounded. Have you ever walked into your closet full of clothes and said, “I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!!!” and then proceed to put on something that you wear practically once a week? I, along with many many others, do this all of the time. Hence, some genius came up with the capsule wardrobe.

Every definition varies a little but essentially it’s a wardrobe made up of about 30 pieces total. That’s IT! The number can vary depending on what you read. You can choose 28, for example, and have 4 of every category. The main point is to choose a number ahead of time and stick to it. The items in the wardrobe aren’t just any ol’ items though… They should be pieces that you really love. That’s the best part about a capsule wardrobe- since you love everything in your closet, you never have the “I have nothing to wear” issue. Not only that but I’ve read that people save a lot of money using this method. They don’t feel the need or desire to buy anything new because their closet is “full” of things they love. Speaking of a full closet… That is no longer an issue, which is a huge plus in my book.

It’s currently 97°F here in Phoenix today so I’m not able to create my capsule wardrobe for fall just yet. However, when it starts to get cooler I’m definitely going to try it out. The thought of getting rid of most of my clothes in my closet honestly scares me but the pros really do outweigh the cons. Less money spent on clothes means more money to spend on adventure (and food), right? I’ve never quite understood why and how people would continue buying more and more clothes when they already have a full closet. But wait… That’s me…

This wardrobe that I created includes my favorite things that I could wear daily. If you have similar style and love neutrals with a little bit of navy and red thrown in there, this works for you too! There are literally millions of different directions to go with these. Pick items that you love and would be happy to flaunt all season!

Benefits of a capsule wardrobe:

• It saves money
• It de-clutters the closet aka more space
• It’s easy to get dressed in the morning aka more time

How to create a capsule wardrobe:

1. The best way to create a capsule wardrobe is to start by removing everything (yes, everything) from your closet and dresser and put it on your bed. I don’t know about you but every time I do this I’m like, “Oh! I forgot about this shirt…”
2. Sort everything into the following piles: love, sort of love, donate/sell, trash. Try not to think about it too much or everything will be in the “love” pile before you know it. I go through this process every time I move. It’s a little different with a capsule wardrobe, however, because I have to part with much more.
3. Once everything is sorted through, go through the “sort of love” pile again. Trying things on definitely helps with the “love” vs. “donate” decision. If you really don’t want to part with something, that’s okay. I would box up the “sort of love” items and put them in another closet for a couple of months. Chances are you’ll open it up months later and decide after all that you want to donate it or maybe you’ll love something and want to wear it next season!
4. Put all of the “trash” items in a bag to throw away.
5. Box up the donate items or list your “sell” items. I use Poshmark to sell my gently used items but there are many other options!
6. Set the number of items that you want in your capsule wardrobe, decide what categories you want and how many items you’ll have in each of them. Then build your capsule wardrobe using the items in your “love” pile. Some people can build theirs entirely using these items. However, maybe you lack an “essential” for the season such as a good pair of jeans and need to purchase them to complete your capsule. That’s okay! All that matters is that you love everything in your wardrobe for the season.

As for clothes such as pajamas and workout clothes: I’m not going to consider them as part of my wardrobe. However, if I have a pair of shorts or leggings that I don’t wear to workout or if I don’t want to make them fit into my capsule wardrobe, they’re going bye bye. I’ve read that some people have a “basics” capsule wardrobe in which they include things like undergarments, pajamas, workout clothes, running shoes, etc. along with their “closet” capsule wardrobe. It’s the same concept as what I described above, just two capsule wardrobes total.

If you’re even thinking about trying out a capsule wardrobe, try! If you’re hesitant because you don’t want to get rid of everything, don’t! Just pack it up and try the capsule method for a few months. Worse comes to worse you can learn what it’s like to have a capsule wardrobe for a season.

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