How and Why I'm Applying a Capsule Wardrobe Mindset To The Rest of My Life
Capsule wardrobes aren't for everyone, and not everyone will need to apply a capsule wardrobe mindset to life. But there is something to be said for being intentional about the things we own and use and being realistic about the possessions that take up our money, mental energy, and time.
Remember capsule wardrobes? When I first learned about them, the idea of paring down my clothing to only the pieces I use and love caught my interest immediately. I've never quite reached the point of a perfectly "aesthetic" wardrobe of mix and match items, but over the past few days I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about decluttering and streamlining our stuff.
A few days ago, a friend brought up the topic of capsule wardrobes, and it got me thinking about the foundational principles of curating a capsule and how that applies to so many other areas of our lives.
In a few short weeks, our family will be moving into a 600 sq. ft. apartment for several months. We've done this type of thing before, and I know that we need to be really selective about what we bring into that tiny space or we'll feel like we're drowning in our own stuff.
It's challenging to figure out what we'll need and what we can do without, and it seems like we always end up putting something essential in storage or keeping something that we totally could have packed away.
But as I face our upcoming move into temporary digs, this time I'm using the following capsule wardrobe mindset to guide my decision-making:
- Be realistic about needs and lifestyle – In capsule wardrobes, this means identifying the types of clothing you need and what you'll actually wear; a businesswoman and a sheep farmer will have different needs, obviously. In my capsule mindset, this means thinking about the essential functions of our lives (sleeping, cooking, virtual schooling, etc.) and figuring out how to best support this with limited space and storage.
- Make a list – In capsule wardrobes, this means determining what types and how many of each clothing item you'll need. For our current move, I'm applying this principle to identify the bare minimum of items we'll need for essential functions and personal comfort.
- Choose quality over quantity – This is the secret to a good capsule wardrobe and any other type of capsules. I used to store away the good stuff so it wouldn't get ruined, but being stuck using my lower-quality items in an already less-comfortable situation just made everything worse. Now, I might only keep out two kitchen knives, but you can be sure they'll be my absolute favorites – and I'll be applying this principle across the board as I decide what's used and what's put in storage.
- Look for multi-use potential – In a capsule wardrobe, this often looks like choosing pieces that can be layered or combined in a variety of ways. When curating my life capsules, I'm looking for ways to reduce the total number of items by identifying essentials that can be used for more than one purpose. For example, I'll be packing one set of bedding for each bed, and a few throw blankets for the couch, but I know that the throw blankets can be used for extra bedding in a pinch.
The capsule wardrobe mindset can be applied to so many areas of everyday life. I've been thinking about meal plans that use the same ingredients in different ways and how this can be used to reduce grocery costs and food wastes. Or creating an office capsule to include a carefully curated set of tools, stationary, and multi-purpose essentials all in one place.
As I decide what to put in storage and what to include in our life "capsules", I'm asking myself the following questions:
- Does this fit in my actual lifestyle, or the one I wish I had?
I'm not a dedicated crafter, so even though I've been wanting to start some embroidery, I won't be making space for those supplies in our temporary setup. But we love the comforting ritual of a morning cup of coffee, so even though our kitchen space is extremely limited, I've dedicated space for a Keurig. - How quickly can I reset?
This translates directly into how many multiples I need. If I'm doing laundry every 3 days, I could get by with only 3-4 pairs of underwear. Since I don't want to have to do laundry every 3 days, I'll pack enough to allow me some leeway in how quickly I need to throw a load in. On the other hand, we won't have a dishwasher, so I'm limiting the amount of plates and cups we bring to avoid having dirty dishes pile up in a small space. - What/where are my backups if things go haywire?
I mentioned this before, but if we need extra bedding due to a spill or accident, we'll use a throw blanket or two instead. If we need an extra towel, we'll grab a beach towel instead.
Capsule wardrobes aren't for everyone, and not everyone will need to apply a capsule wardrobe mindset to life. But there is something to be said for being intentional about the things we own and use, for thinking through our lifestyle and being realistic about the possessions that take up our money, mental energy, and time.
It's not an easy process, but it's always worth it.
If you had to quickly downsize or live with just the essentials, what would you keep? How would you apply a capsule wardrobe mindset to your life?
Jamie Siebens is a writer, editor, and administrative genius with a knack for getting things done. She lives in Northwest Wisconsin with her husband, teen daughters, and a quirky rescue pup named Bentley. She writes about perspective, personal growth, and intentional living at www.jamiesiebens.com