Shopping is exhilarating. But once your closet is full to bursting, it can become a source of stress. At some point, you will have more than a few items that you don’t wear anymore. Some things won’t fit, and some will have simply gone out of style. If you want to edit your wardrobe but you’re not sure where to start, this guide is for you. Keep reading to find out how to downsize your wardrobe in four easy steps.
The Benefits of a Capsule Wardrobe
Despite what it may seem, it is possible to have a complete wardrobe that includes a maximum of 20 garments, not including accessories and shoes. In the fashion world, you’ll see people call this a capsule wardrobe, and it has a lot of benefits. It’s easier to get dressed every day when you have a capsule wardrobe because you won’t struggle with what to wear.
A capsule wardrobe includes clothes that would just as easily work on an exciting Mediterranean cruise as they would at a casual dinner with friends. You’ll settle on classic and high-quality garments in mostly neutral colors that you can dress up or down depending on the occasion. Some of the key items you’ll want to acquire include:
- A stylish trench coat
- A versatile pair of jeans
- Well-fitted t-shirts
- A variety of sweaters
- Casual and formal dresses
It’s likely that you already have what you need for a capsule wardrobe. So the difficult part is downsizing your closet. To make it easier, follow these steps.
1. Organize by Season
To understand exactly what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of you need to organize your existing wardrobe by season first. Depending on where you live, this process could end up with very different results. For warmer and more stable climates, you may just have a plethora of t-shirt dresses, shorts, and rompers. If you live somewhere that has all four seasons, including extreme weather changes, you probably have a larger wardrobe.
Whatever your situation is, you should start your downsizing journey by arranging everything you have according to when you wear it. Take a look at how many items you have in each category. This might give you a head start on where you can edit down your wardrobe.
2. Assess Each Item
Once you have sorted your clothing according to the weather, you’ll want to assess each item to see if it meets your current needs. The questions you should ask yourself about each garment include:
- Does it still fit me?
- Do I like it?
- Can I pair it with other items?
- Is it in fashion?
- Is it an expression of my style?
If you’re looking to end up with a capsule wardrobe, you’ll need to keep that in mind as you assess. While answering these questions, place your garments into relevant areas designated for keeping and giving away.
3. Create Key Looks
Before you part ways with your clothes, make sure you have what you need by creating key looks from your collection. Even with a capsule wardrobe, you should be able to come up with at least 15 different looks using various combinations of your foundational pieces. This is an important step so that you can either further reduce the number of garments you have or balance your minimal wardrobe with a few statement pieces that you were planning to get rid of.
4. Edit the Closet
At the end of the process, you will have the chance to edit your closet. The end result should be a wardrobe that you love and that is also functional. Once you transform your wardrobe into something minimal, sleek, and beautiful with high-quality garments that you wear frequently, you will unconsciously shift your buying habits. You won’t want to purchase random pieces of clothing anymore. Instead, you’ll look out for those staple pieces that you’ll have for many years.
Maintaining a more minimalistic closet is not only good for your wallet, but it’s also good for the planet. By following this simple guide, you can completely transform the way you think about what you wear.
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