Today I’ll be unpacking the first of my 4 Steps to Successfully Build Your Perfect Capsule Wardrobe.
I said I’d be getting back to the basics, and well, this is about as basic as you get when it comes to cleaning out your wardrobe. In fact the advice “get rid of anything you don’t love” is the spring board for pretty much anyone talking about starting a capsule wardrobe.
And you know what? There’s a reason for this. I firmly believe that if your closet isn’t full of items you love, you won’t stick with your capsule wardrobe or minimal wardrobe long term.
But with that said, I’m also a firm believer in thinking before you act.
What do I mean?
Well, I’ve known many people who jump in headfirst and get rid of a bunch of stuff, regret it later, and then buy a bunch of stuff to replace what they threw away.
That is not a sustainable way to live folks. And trust me, I’ve been there and it was frustrating.
So when I hear the advice to get rid of anything you don’t love, I agree… with a caveat:
Take as much time as you need getting rid of things.
Don’t feel like you have to have it all figured out right now. This is a long term strategy so there’s no rush. Right?
Sometimes, it takes time to figure out what you really love. I know it did for me! It seems like such easy advice to just get rid of anything you don’t love, when in reality it can be quite complicated.
Here’s what I did (and am still doing):
There was a ton of stuff that I knew I didn’t want right off the bat. So I got rid of that first.
Everything else that I just couldn’t part with right away went into storage. Each season as I’ve unpacked that season’s clothing, I have slowly gotten rid of more and more.
And there has been some clothing that I’ve included in each capsule that I was “unsure” about. I wanted to test it in the real world to see if I really did love it. Sometimes I did, and sometimes I didn’t.
I still have a few items left that I’m unsure about, but I’m getting to a point now after doing this for a year where I almost only have clothing in storage and in my closet that I really, truly love.
And that feels good my friends! Remember… baby steps are okay. We put one foot in front of the other and then before you know it, we’re living with our perfect capsule wardrobes.
What about you? Were you able to get rid of everything in one sitting? Or has it taken you time like it has for me? Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear what your experience has been.
Until next time,
I’m an absolute believer in decluttering your closet before embarking on a capsule wardrobe/ simplified closet journey.
I got rid of more than I expected in the first step – probably, because I had the idea brewing in my head for a while – but there were a few things that I wasn’t sure about and I didn’t force anything there.
I totally agree that baby steps are ok. We all start at a different place, and if small decluttering steps help you move towards a more sustainable closet than that’s something I wholeheartedly encourage!
So true Kate! I got rid of a ton the first round as well, but it’s just a testament to how much I had that I’ve still had a handful of things to get rid of each time I do a new capsule. It’s funny because we looked at a house the other day that had a huge walk in closet and it was actually a turn off because I had no idea what I would even put in there haha! I’ve come so far!
Great post! I’m right in the middle of downsizing, so getting rid of things is overwhelming me. I love your reminder to take baby steps!
It was overwhelming for me the first time too! But if you can, let yourself relax and enjoy the journey. 🙂
Love the part about taking as much time as you need to get rid of things. That’s so necessary.
xoxo, Jenny
Agreed!
I’ve never done the capsule wardrobe thing, but I’m constantly setting aside clothes that I don’t wear, don’t like, or don’t like how they make me feel when I try to wear them. I let them sit on a shelf in my closet for a bit (to see if I change my mind or wonder what happened to them) and once I forget about them or I try them again and still don’t like how they fit, I order a bag from ThredUp and send it in!
That’s pretty much what I do! And I love ThredUp for sending clothes in!
I love decluttering my closet making space for new and less things! Spring cleaning is a thing that involves everything in this family 😉
I love spring cleaning haha!
I’m going to start doing this! I still have stuff that I haven’t worn in years and don’t intend to in the future but, you know, what if I need it later? This is a great way to de-clutter for the save-it-all-hoarder like myself! Thank you!
My husband is like that and he definitely appreciates a little more time. Though he does make an effort to actually get rid of things. That’s the trap you don’t want to fall in, just keeping everything in storage forever because you can’t get rid of it.
When I need to declutter my closet I have a good idea what I am no longer wearing. I usually move it to the basement where it will sit until I am ready to go to goodwill. I never regret getting rid of it once it’s gone.
That’s pretty much exactly how I do it!
These are great tips for anyone who is wanting to downsize their wardrobe, Karin! I created my capsule wardrobe the same way you described above with a few ‘maybe’ pieces in the mix. I found that I can live with a lot less and be so much happier with my wardrobe. Shopping for my wardrobe has been interesting ever since! I have a lot of pieces that aren’t staple pieces, so I am trying to fill that void now. I want to incorporate more charcoal and black pieces, because I only have one gray staple piece. The rest of my wardrobe is full of different colors, which can only get me so far. I know I have less than 30 pieces, but I may have less than 25 pieces in my wardrobe… either way, I love it!
Thanks Erin! I think that I was the opposite in that my first capsule was full of only staples and I’ve been trying to build up my accent pieces ever since. It’s just that I’m drawn to blacks, grays, and whites, so I’m learning how to incorporate structure or texture into my fabrics to make them look like they aren’t staples.
I seriously needed a reminder of this today. I’ve been thinking about clearing out the clothes that I just haven’t been loving, but it goes to the bottom of the to do list. Thank you for the inspiration!
I did this to my wardrobe recently and feel sooo much better! I’m hoping to do a capsule wardrobe really soon, so thanks for all your helpful posts! 🙂
Bless you ladies who do the capsule. I just have no interest. Haha! I did just have a clothing swap with friends and got rid of a lot then. Also, I put a rule in place and I make myself wear everything once before I can repeat 🙂
I’m planning on starting this process as soon as the school year is done! I have SO much clothing, but so many pieces I don’t wear or even love. I’m excited to do a major clean out and be able to see what I really have. Thanks for the tips!
xo Ashley
Last year I started putting together a capsule wardrobe and I think I got lost. It can really be tough to remember what goes with what when you are purchasing things at the store. I guess I should have purchased everything together. I will take your tips and try again. Thanks for sharing.
I think I’ve been doing this without even realizing it. Everytime I pull something out of storage that I don’t say, “Oh, YEA!” to, I put it in my giveaway pile. And I do the same thing when I’m switching out wardrobes.
If I didn’t wear something more than once, I put it in the giveaway piles.
Definitely taking my time as well. 2 years in and I’m still taking it easy. My problem is that I have so many things I love and I don’t have a set lifestyle right now.
Baby steps is all it takes. This can apply to all walks of life. Yes we can live with just a little and have a wonderful life. Thanks for giving us encouragement.