When you’re getting dressed in the morning, do you ever look into your full closet that can barely fit another hanger and wonder why you have so many dang clothes? Or do you take a look inside your packed closet and then head straight to your legging and t-shirt drawer? Well if this happens to you a lot, then you could probably benefit from a capsule wardrobe!
Capsule wardrobes are a trend that has been popping up all over the internet, from personal blogs, to YouTube, to Pinterest. But what exactly is a capsule wardrobe? And why do they exist?
Having a capsule wardrobe basically means having only the essentials in your closet and limiting the number of pieces you own. The exact number of pieces varies depending on who you ask but tends to be between 25-40 pieces (excluding underwear, pajamas, workout gear, and bathing suits). However, the point is not to count exactly how many pieces you have, but rather to downsize to more versatile and basic pieces that all easily work together.
(Photo courtesy of uselesswardrobe.dk)
You may be wondering why you should do this. The main point of a capsule wardrobe is to be more minimalist and be less encumbered by the material things in life. By reducing your wardrobe size to a smaller amount of clothing that work well together, you will be less overwhelmed by the clutter and have more time to focus on other things in your life. Imagine waking up for class and taking 5 minutes to get dressed because your closet isn’t cluttered, and you know exactly what you have.
(Photo courtesy of uselesswardrobe.dk)
Now this is a difficult process that involves sorting and getting rid of the clothes that are not bringing you joy. This can take a while and can be very difficult to condense your current wardrobe down to only 40 pieces. So here are some tips to start sorting through your clothes!
1. Sort at home
Next time you go home for a break, take some time to sort through what clothing you have there. If it’s not with you at school, you probably don’t love it that much. This is also a good time to get ahead and start looking through off season clothing, and, if you brought home clothes, take this time to sort through these and get rid of pieces you never wear at school.
2. A little bit at a time
You are not going to be able to completely overhaul your wardrobe all at once, so just start sorting a little bit at a time. If you are getting dressed one morning and see a piece that you never wear, maybe set it aside and bring it to Goodwill or sell it online.
3. Be a mindful shopper
I am the worst at this, and it’s a lot easier said than done, especially when online shopping is so easy. But this is something that I too am trying to be more mindful of. When you buy a new piece of clothing, make sure it really is something you love and can see yourself wearing a lot. Try not to continue to buy things that will just sit in your closet and stare at you.
Less isn’t nothing. Downsizing your closet will not only help you declutter and destress but can also help you create a more cohesive personal style. If you want more ideas and inspiration about capsule wardrobes, search it on google or Pinterest and you will find so many amazing capsule wardrobe resources!