Challenge #2: Capsule Wardrobe #52WeeksofWonder

I did it!  Challenge #1 is complete and I now have a capsule wardrobe that I LOVE!  

The big WONDER for Challenge #1 was:

I wondered if creating a capsule wardrobe would simplify my morning and help me clean out my closet?

The answer is a most definite YES!  Minimizing the wardrobe has had a profound effect on my morning. Significantly less time is spent making a decision on what to wear.  I am not searching for any items because they all have a place. And somehow I feel like I have more options!

BONUS: No time has been spent on my hands and knees in the dark looking for a shirt!

And this guy is looking for a new place to hide his bone:)

The result is amazing!  However, the process was a bit challenging.  I have created this How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe Cheat Sheet as a quick guide for you.

First, I needed to set my mindset.  The idea of cleaning up and organizing my wardrobe was overwhelming.  I mean look at this mess!

In order to get motivated, I needed to have some success and get the ball rolling.  I decided to break the process down into 20-minute chunks. I often do this with a big project.  Twenty minutes of focused time can get me a long way and I know that I have a break coming up soon.

Know your style!  

If I were to go back and do it again I would start with learning about my personal style. I think this is the missing step in the capsule wardrobe process.

About halfway through sorting and organizing, I listened to this podcast from Young House Young Love.  This couple, John and Sherry, have a great viewpoint and got me thinking about my personal style/uniform.

It completely changed my perspective on my closet and I quickly realized that I needed to spend a little time getting to know what style I liked.  

I then took this quiz to learn my style personality.  Once I knew the style I preferred I spent a little time perusing on Pinterest to get some outfit ideas.

Next, my daughter and I had a little girl time and we followed these steps to determine what colors compliment our skin tone best.

Third, I used this Find Your Body Shape resource to learn about my body type and what types of clothers to wear for my shape.

I really wish I would have done this first because it really helped me zero in on what I do and do not need in my wardrobe.  There were lots of shirts that I had because I had seen someone else wear it and liked it but never considered that it may not be the best color for my skin or fit for my body. Also, a lot of them don’t even come close to my personal style. They are me trying to have a style that I don’t really love because it might look more professional or I saw it on someone else.

Remind me what the missing step is?

Identify your personal style and what works best for your body type!

Once you have completed this then you can move forward with the actual cleaning out process.

To start the organizing process I set out three bins in my room and grabbed a huge bag for garbage. One bin was for summer/spring clothes.  I quickly decided that I would simply put all the summer/spring clothes in a bin and sort through those when the seasons change. You may want to do it right away, but for the big mess I had this decision made the entire process a lot easier for me.

The next bin was for clothes to donate.  

Any clothes I needed to try on went into the third bin.

I quickly busted through the “non-closet” items.  All boxes were broken down, remnants of Christmas were put away, and garbage was tossed.

I now had three bins, a huge bag of garbage, and a clean closet.

The next step was to sort through the winter items.  

I had three criteria for the items that were going to stay in the closet.

1. It had to fit RIGHT NOW.  I have a wide range of sizes in my closet and that was taking up a lot of space.
2. It has to match multiple items.
3. I have to LOVE it.

Two additional steps were added after working on the “missing step”

1. Does it match my uniform/style?
2. Does it work with my body type?

This process brought me to adding a fourth bin for clothes just below my current size.  These are clothes I love but don’t fit, yet.

I also cleaned out the dresser that was in my closet so that I could use that if needed.

Now when I walk into my closet I see this!

I broke down the steps in this How to Make a Capsule Wardrobe Cheat Sheet so you have all the resources in one place and can go through at your own pace.

If the process seems overwhelming to you or you are someone who loves having lots of clothes then I would suggest the backward hanger approach. This is where you take all your clothes and hang the hanger backward in your closet.

The only way that it gets turned around is if you wear it.  Then you take some time in a few months to see what you have not worn and make a decision if you want to keep the clothing item or not.

If you take on the challenge of creating a capsule wardrobe good luck!  I can say that it was 100% worth it to me to learn about my personal style preferences and has helped make my mornings much more enjoyable.  

I hope the cheat sheet helps you! Remember, if you do decide to create a capsule wardrobe don’t forget to share on social media with #52WeeksofWonder and tag me!

Challenge #2: Letters of Gratitude

The WONDER….

I wonder if writing one letter of gratitude a day will increase my feeling of gratitude and help strengthen relationships?  

This week I will use this 52 Weeks of Wonder Gratitude Letter to connect with one person per day who I want to say thank you to or reconnect with. Feel free to download the 52 Weeks of Wonder Gratitude Letter to thank someone in your life or just to reconnect.