The Only Year Round Capsule Wardrobe Checklist You’ll Ever Need in 2025 (2 hrs)
Capsule Wardrobe Quick Links:
This post will walk you through every aspect of how to build a capsule wardrobe, from start to finish - in just 2 hours - and there’s loads of freebies that make it IMPOSSIBLE to mess up:
Cheatsheets - 2 hour capsule wardrobe, work capsule wardrobe, kids capsule wardrobe, & travel capsule wardrobe
Calculator to work out how many clothes you need
Example year round capsule wardrobe list
Style quiz, photo galleries & formula to finally find your unique clothing aesthetic blend
This is a different kind of capsule wardrobe.
This won’t be a generic capsule wardrobe, it won’t be a stranger on the internet’s capsule wardrobe, this will be your capsule wardrobe - designed just for you and your unique lifestyle.
It’s perfect for everyone, whether you’re a complete capsule wardrobe beginner, you’ve tried and failed with capsule wardrobes in the past, or if you can’t quite grasp what a capsule wardrobe is yet.
Intrigued? Let’s go
Psst …if you’re in a rush to build your capsule wardrobe, check out the capsule wardrobe quickie guide
Why don’t we start at the very beginning…
Warning Signs that you might need a wardrobe capsule
Firstly, a capsule wardrobe sounds swell - but do you need one?
If you find yourself nodding along to any of these statements, a capsule wardrobe will be a game changer for you:
Too many clothes, but nothing to wear ...right?
Your closet is busting at the seems and your drawers are overflowing
You have no idea what your core style is, or what colours suit you
You don’t feel confident or stylish
Getting dressed is stressful, and usually involves 2-3 outfit changes before you reluctantly settle for the one that you hate the least
Nothing matches and you regret buying a lot of your clothes
Maybe you have clothes that no longer fit you, or aspirational clothes that you hope to fit in to someday
You’re drowning in laundry and have to cherry pick your favourite outfits as you find yourself wearing the same clothes over and over
You never know what to wear to work
You pack loads when you travel but end up wearing the same two outfits the whole time
Most of your clothes are everywhere but inside your wardrobe
You buy a new outfit for every big event because you have “nothing to wear”
Read on for everything you need to know about building your perfect capsule wardrobe 2025 & beyond :)
Do normal people have capsule wardrobes?
…Are capsule wardrobes even a thing? …Are you the only person who’s not using one??
I collected some capsule wardrobe stats to give you an idea of what real people are saying about them.
I asked 150 people (who have an interest in simplifying their lives) about capsule wardrobes, and this is what they said:
3% had tried capsule wardrobes but found that it just wasn’t for them
8% were unsure what a capsule wardrobe was
8% had heard of capsule wardrobes, but didn’t fancy trying one
10% love them and currently use a year round capsule wardrobe
12% had tried a capsule wardrobe and liked it, but weren’t using one currently
20% love them and currently use a seasonal capsule wardrobe (here's how to tell if a seasonal or year round capsule wardrobe is best for you)
39% had heard of capsule wardrobes and wanted to give them a try
As a capsule wardrobe & statistics geek, the really lovely message I extracted from this data is that:
Of the people that have tried a capsule wardrobe, a whopping 94% said they LOVED (66%) or LIKED (28%) it.
Did you like your Capsule Wardrobe?
- LOVED it
- LIKED it
- No
- LOVED it
- LIKED it
- No
Why I created a capsule wardrobe
When I decided that I needed to minimize my mess, I took a look around my home and realized that clothes were the biggest cause of my chaos.
They were everywhere.
Clean clothes
Dirty clothes
Drawers overflowing with clothes
A sea of discarded outfit choices on the floor
A closet so full that could barely take anything out or wedge anything back in.
I’m so passionate about capsule wardrobes because clothing probably makes up a lot of the clutter in your home too.
Whether it barely fits into your closet, turns your laundry basket into a mountain, or makes folding and putting away laundry overwhelming (here’s my trick to never fold clothes again) - the more clothing you have, the more stressed you’ll probably be.
Things I tried before creating a capsule wardrobe
My first idea was to drastically cut down on how many clothes I owned - but donating 90% of my wardrobe wasn’t the answer.
I was stressed at the thought of not having enough clothes to wear, and as a plus size woman, I know it’s not always easy to find new clothes - this idea sparked my scarcity mindset
Basing a wardrobe purge on whether something sparks joy is great in theory but that didn’t work for me either.
It would have left me with either way too many or too few clothes to fit my lifestyle, because how I felt about my clothes was closely linked with my confidence levels on any given day - this option set off my insecurities
I went looking for answers, and Google told me that I needed a “capsule wardrobe”.
…err, cool, 1) what’s that? And 2) isn’t that just a thing for rich people that live in Paris?
What is a capsule wardrobe?
With a capsule wardrobe, you wear everything you own and love everything your wear. It’s an eco conscious and intentional approach, where your wardrobe is made up of a set number* of versatile, mix and match pieces that fit you and your lifestyle.
*we are all gloriously different so this number is set by you
A capsule wardrobe is not mystical or unobtainable …it’s just fancy way of describing a well thought out, intentional wardrobe.
How does it feel to have a capsule wardrobe?
Imagine opening a bright and airy closet that’s full of all of your favourite clothes, with plenty of space so everything is easy to see and reach.
Most pieces are in complementary colour palettes and patterns, so you can easily mix and match outfits to look effortlessly put together - even if you’re in a rush.
You feel content and confident, and have a strong sense of your personal style - with makes getting dressed fun.
The best wardrobe capsule is whichever one makes your life easier, and makes you feel absolutely, flippin’ gorgeous.
Are capsule wardrobes boring?
Oh-hell-no!
All you need to do is look at a meadow of wild flowers, a gouldian finch, or a Hilma af Klint painting to see that colours don’t need to be navy, beige and charcoal to “go” together.
One of the most important parts of the MMM 2 hour capsule wardrobe is that it reflects your true self.
Your capsule wardrobe can be as neutral or as extra as you want.
If you want to get an idea of the different styles of capsule wardrobes out there, take a pause and head over to 25 Best Capsule Wardrobe Definitions. I’ve rounded up capsule wardrobe definitions from 24 other industry thought leaders.
I’ve also got this A-Z Capsule wardrobe guide that breaks capsule wardrobe info down in to bitesize chunks.
What are the benefits of a capsular wardrobe?
There are so many benefits of a capsule wardrobe (see FAQs & this post for even more), here are my faves:
Less mess
More space
Less laundry stress
Quick & easy to get ready
Saves money
Easier to shop
More stylish
Better quality
Eco friendly
More confidence
Easy to maintain
As neutral or bold as you want
A gap in the capsule wardrobe market
So let’s rewind to me trying to figure out what a capsule wardrobe was.
I read every capsule wardrobe guide & checklist out there.
I read all about the benefits and I was hooked.
Sign me up! Show me the way!
I kept searching and searching, but I couldn’t find a system that made logical sense for me:
I didn’t want to have a trench coat
I didn’t want to have a crisp, white shirt
I didn’t want to have a camel overcoat
I didn’t want 2 a-line skirts
I didn’t want to only wear beige, greige or black
I didn’t want 3 long sleeve turtlenecks
I didn’t want to copy a stranger on the internet’s style
I didn’t want (nor could I afford) to replace everything in my wardrobe
I wanted a capsule wardrobe guide that was:
Realistic enough to make life easy …but also something minimalist enough to make a difference to my overflowing “floordrobe”
I wanted concrete steps that were clear and logical …but also something flexible and customizable so it could work for me and my lifestyle
I wanted to learn from a someone relatable, not someone that who’s intimidatingly stylish
The first 2 hour capsule wardrobe
I ended up having to create my own capsule wardrobe system.
I stuck to my geeky roots and built it on a spreadsheet, and it was exactly what I was looking for.
No more stressing about guessing how many clothes I needed (I have ADHD so have a tendency to overthink things)
It took me an hour to plan my capsule wardrobe list, and another hour to sort through my clothes.
If I had tried to minimize my wardrobe without a capsule wardrobe spreadsheet, it would have taken me a whole day and would have been so stressful.
Two hours later - poof!
All of a sudden my mess, laundry and stress reduced by a gazillion percent.
Does the 2 hour capsule wardrobe work for other people too?
Next up: hubby.
Sean was not into it at all - he was perfectly happy with his 54 band t-shirts from the early 2000s, thank you very much.
But we were downsizing so he reluctantly agreed to a trial capsule wardrobe (see FAQs for more info on a trial wardrobe capsule).
We didn’t let go of any of his clothes to start with - instead, we just packed them away.
A capsule wardrobe worked great for him too, and he was soon able to let go of the clothes in storage.
Now he’s a full capsule wardrobe convert! His favourite thing is that he buys less clothes now, so he’s able to buy better quality brands that he couldn’t afford before - it turns out my early 2000s rocker is a bougie Lululemon fan at heart, lol
Next were some other family members.
Then real life friends.
And then via my IG & this site, thousands of internet friends too.
Here’s what Jen, a busy, new mama has to say about the 2 hour capsule wardrobe:
“I've minimized my wardrobe before and wound up keeping masses of ‘just in case’ clothing that was always a mistake, and it would take me literally weeks to do.
With Ema’s process, everything was so streamlined.
Over just a few hours I had the capsule wardrobe I'd always pictured, with only clothes that I love wearing.
And found some gems hidden away under all the piles of stuff I didn't need!”
How is the 2 hour capsule wardrobe different?
For me, the balance was to be intentional and logical about how many of each clothing item I needed:
So instead of going through my t-shirts and only two of them sparking joy, I first thought about how many t-shirts I needed in the first place
Based on my lifestyle and how often I do laundry, I worked out that I need four t-shirts (I had to use my brain, but I’ve since created this free clothes calculator so you don’t have to)
So now I had the number four in mind, I could shop my closet and pick out my favourite four t-shirts
It doesn’t change the fact that only two of the t-shirts really spark joy, but it means I have all of the t-shirts I need - until I’m able to responsibly source two new t-shirts that I love to replace the two meh ones.
I kept the four shirts that sparked the most joy.
See how my MMM capsule wardrobe compares with a general wardrobe declutter or a general capsule wardrobe below:
It’s incredibly satisfying to have all of the clothes you need,
and none of the clothes you don’t.
Will the 2 hour capsule wardrobe work for me?
The MMM capsule wardrobe is perfect for you, even if:
You don’t have time to create a capsule wardrobe - if you follow this process, it just takes 2 hours
You’re reluctant to let go of things - don’t worry, this method just hits differently. You do the research to work out exactly how many clothes you need so it takes all of the stress out of the process. You also have the maybe pile to lean on if letting go of things before you’re ready feels overwhelming.
You have no idea what your personal style is - after completing the exercises in step 1.a you’ll have a unique formula to describe your perfect style
You can’t afford new clothes - the MMM capsule wardrobe process is designed around using what you already have, so you don’t have to buy anything new. But it’s so versatile that it would also work for you if you need to start your capsule wardrobe from scratch.
You’re not in to fashion, clothes or shopping - that’s the beauty of it, you just follow this 2 hour process, and then you don’t have to ever think about it again.
You mostly work from home in your PJs so you don’t think you should bother building a capsule wardrobe - talk about living the dream! The MMM capsule wardrobe will still be really worthwhile for you as you can add “WFH” as one of your life style category columns.
You feel too “old” or “frumpy” for a capsule wardrobe - a capsule wardrobe will benefit you no matter your size / age / shape / style. The MMM 2 hour capsule wardrobe is inclusive and welcoming to everyone. You deserve to have a calm, tidy closet & feel cute AF at every season of your life.
The MMM capsule wardrobe is different because it’s unique to you. The stumbling block of most capsule wardrobes is that they are designed for a stranger on the internet. With this method, you will have a capsule wardrobe that’s only got you in mind.
You define what you want, so you could end up with a maximalist or a minimalist capsule wardrobe checklist.
The key is to first plan out how many and what type of clothes you need based on your lifestyle – I’ll walk you through every step.
How much does the MMM 2 hour capsule wardrobe cost?
It costs zero of the dollars.
I’m SO passionate about minimizing mess & stress, and I’m SO convinced that building a capsule wardrobe is the number one way to help simplify your life, that I’m laying all of the info and steps out here, for any and everyone that needs it.
If you want to make the process even easier, I do offer this capsule wardrobe list fillable template so you can save time and just fill in the blanks.
First you’ll do some research to define your personal style, some quizzes to find your perfect colour palette, and make a list of how you spend your time and what you need to wear when you do (aka the best capsule wardrobe checklist ever)
If you just want to dip your toe in to the “capsule wardrobe pool”, you could just start with your work capsule wardrobe first.
If you’re worried about getting something wrong, here’s a handy list of how to avoid common capsule wardrobe mistakes.
Top tip
Building your capsule wardrobe is so much easier (and more fun) when you work with a friend, taking turns to focus on each of you. There’s something so fun about reflecting on your style and how you want to appear in the world.
We are often bigger cheerleaders for each other than for ourselves.
Share this to a friend so you can buddy up and be accountability partners!
Ok, let’s get started
Are you excited? I’m excited!
Step 1.b) Choose a colour palette
Step 1.c) How often you do laundry
Step 2.a) List out life categories across the top of a piece of paper
Step 2.b) List out types of clothing items that you wear down the side
Gather ALL of your clothes together & make these piles:
Step 4.a) Follow the one in, one out rule
Step 4.b) Review your list periodically
Here’s a quickie video overview of the mmm 2 hour capsule wardrobe process:
And a mind map of the process for people who process info that way:
Step 1 - PLAN
Step 1.a) Identify your style
“Define your personal style” can often send us into a tailspin ...who am I? ...what am I?
But don’t worry, I’ve got lots of tools & tricks on how to find your personal style.
Pause here to follow the MMM Find Your Style process:
The MMM Find Your Style Process
Steps 1 & 2 are highly recommended & the others are option extras in case you want to explore further
Find your style quiz
Find your personal style (including photos and summaries of 55+ styles, simple style formula & free worksheet)
Generate random aesthetics to see if they appeal or repel you
Build a personal uniform for yourself - here are step by step instructions, including the 6 levels of personal uniforms
Learn more about dressing for happiness
This is the ideal step to work on with your friend / accountability partner.
My personal style
For 30+ years I wore things because I thought they were pretty.
If something didn’t match something else, I just bought yet another thing to match it (my impulse buying habit used to be pretty bad)
I had zero core style.
Becoming more minimalist over the last couple of years made me realize that this wasn’t working - this fab quote by Rachelle Crawford sums it up perfectly:
“Just as you should never give a toddler an open jar of glitter, neither should you give a messy person twenty four pairs of jeans, sixty eight t-shirts, eighteen bras and thirty four pairs of shoes. It's a recipe for disaster.”
The season of life in the run up to creating my capsule wardrobe was really strange style wise as I’d just had my daughter:
Maternity clothes were expensive and so temporary that I didn’t want to invest in too many.
Then things were a happy blur of postpartum pjs.
Then by the time I considered actually leaving the house again, my pre-pregnancy clothes didn’t fit, but neither did my maternity clothes.
On top of that a huge part of my identity had disappeared suddenly - work, and all my cute work outfits.
I knew that I had to define my personal style for a capsule wardrobe to work, so I followed the MMM Find Your Style process and here’s the result…
I call it Comfy - French - Toddler. Hahaaa!
It all mix and matches, it’s fun but coordinated, and it’s super easy to shop for. When in doubt I shove on some red lipstick and a statement headband.
SAQs (Should Ask Questions) When Defining Your Personal Style
Here are some extra questions to ask yourself to help identify your personal style if you’re still struggling.
You can write your answers down, discuss them with your capsule wardrobe buddy, or just ponder them.
Which of the fashion styles appeal to you the most, and why?
Which of the fashion styles appeal to you the least, and why?
What do you like about your current wardrobe?
What do you wear to work, for hobbies, holidays, vacations, events, different seasons?
What’s your ideal style?
What’s your actual style?
Is there something in between the two?
How does getting ready / your wardrobe make you feel?
How do you want it to make you feel?
What types of clothes do you need? Exercise, work, formal, etc?
What do you feel cute in?
What do you feel comfortable in?
What do you buy and never end up wearing?
What do you wear over and over again?
What were your favourite things to wear as a child/teenager?
Some more ideas if you’re struggling:
Create a Pinterest board of 5-10 outfits that you’d actually like to wear, then hit the “more ideas” button to see what else is suggested. Look out for recurring themes, or repeated descriptors in the pin titles.
Ask someone you trust for feedback
Step 1.b) Choose a colour palette
Step 1.b of the easy peasy capsule wardrobe is to identify your colour/pattern palette (here’s a fun capsule wardrobe colors guide to help you with this step)
Your goal is to have a collection of colours and patterns that suit you, and work well together so you can create as many outfit combos as possible.
This does not mean that it has to be boring!
My dear friend Dalys of @divineorder4u taught me a great trick: to wear patterns together, just keep one of them big, and one small. Dalys is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to organization, style and capsule wardrobes, go follow her on IG!
Step 1.c) Consider how often you do laundry
This is an important factor of how many days worth of clothes you need in your capsule wardrobe.
When we had in suite laundry, I used to do a load every day. I could have survived on just a couple of outfits if I wanted. Now that we share laundry in the basement of our building, I do it every 3-8 days. The machines are extra large so I’m less worried about the laundry building up.
To be safe, I have 10 days worth of underwear, and a weeks worth of everything else.
Fun fact - the entire laundry process got a billion times easier once we got capsule wardrobes. There’s not less laundry to actually do, but there is a much smaller laundry mountain when it builds up, which I find to be much less intimidating.
Step 2 - LIST
The capsule wardrobe checklist is where the magic happens!
This is where you design your ideal wardrobe
Step 2.a) List out life categories across the top your MMM Capsule Wardrobe checklist template
You can create your own spreadsheet, draw columns on a piece of paper, or grab my printable or fillable PDF capsule wardrobe list if you want a done for you version.
Life categories are any part of your life that’s important to you, that requires you to dress differently.
Here are some examples:
home
school
work
gym
lounging
weekend
dog walks
date night
skiing
cycling
pilates
hiking
gardening
painting, etc.
Try to lump “like” categories together - e.g. if you would dress the same for date night as you would for weekend brunch, list it as ‘date night/weekend’.
Here’s a completed handwritten capsule wardrobe checklist example:
Step 2.b) List out types of clothing items that you wear down the left side
E.g. short sleeve top, long sleeve top, hoodie / cardigan, jeans, etc.
To keep things simple and to avoid having to repeat this process every 3-6 months, I recommend that you create a year round capsular wardrobe, so remember to include clothing for every season.
I like to include shoes & bags as well, as I used to have loads of accessories that never got used.
Here’s the list of headings I use to make sure I include everything:
Tops
Bottoms
One pieces (dresses, rompers, etc.)
Outerwear
Intimates
Footwear
Accessories
Other
If you want a complete list, here’s a handy list of 215+ clothing types to ensure you don’t forget anything
Step 2.c) Taking all of the above in to account, fill in how many of each clothing item you need
So on the “short sleeve top” row, work your way along and put in how many short sleeve tops you need for each of the lifestyle category columns (e.g. work, home, gym, etc.)
The best thing about this system is that you can be as minimal or maximal as you like. (*unbiased cough* go minimal)
Everyone’s “magic number” is different – there’s something very satisfying about having all of the clothes that you need, and none of the clothes you don’t.
If deciding how many t-shirts you need sounds overwhelming, I’ve created a (free) capsule wardrobe calculator to help you work out how many of each clothing item you need!
Just answer a couple of questions, and then the calculator will suggest how many of each item to keep.
Keep going until every cell has a number in it.
It feels like it’s going to take ages but it goes really quickly when you get used to it - you’ve got this!
This is how to build an intentional capsule wardrobe list, item by item.
Step 3 - PILE
You’ve done all of the prep, now it’s time for action - roll up your sleeves, glug some water and do some stretches!
Grab all of your clothes and make a big pile on your bed or floor (don’t forget to include all of your clothes, including items in the laundry)
Now start sorting your clothes into the following piles:
Step 3.a) Favourites
Picking out your favourites is much easier than deciding what to let go of.
Grab your completed Capsule Wardrobe Checklist and work your way through it until you’ve picked the relevant number of favourites for each clothing item in each column.
This is the fun bit - you get to shop your closet!
If you’re feeling nervous about what to pick, check out these capsule wardrobe essentials to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered.
Example:
Let’s use an example of me paring down my generous collection of leggings.
Here’s my completed capsule wardrobe checklist for that clothing item:
First, let’s just concentrate on the cell in yellow: leggings to wear at home / for lounging
I would gather together all of my leggings
Let’s say I found twelve pairs - 10 for lounging in at home and two for the gym
In my Capsule Wardrobe Checklist above, I wrote down that I need 4 leggings for lounging in at home
I can put the 2 gym leggings aside for now, until I go through the gym column later
Out of those ten leggings for lounging in at home, I pick out my favourite four pairs and then add them to my favourites pile
That leaves me with six pairs of lounging at home leggings that now need to be added to other piles…
Step 3.b) Donate
Add items to this pile that are in fair to good condition, that you’re not interested in selling.
Just think how happy someone will be to find these items!
Example:
Continuing with the leggings example:
Three of the leggings are in good condition but are cheaper brands so it’s not worth trying to resell them. I add these to the donate pile.
That leaves me with three pairs of leggings.
Step 3.c) Sell
Add items to this pile that are in great condition, that you’d like to try to resell
Here are some great tips on reselling items & donation etiquette.
Example:
One pair of leggings is in great condition and is a really popular brand so I add them to the sell pile.
That leaves me with two pairs of leggings.
Step 3.d) Recycle
Add items that are damaged or in poor condition to the recycle/repurpose pile
(you’ll never need to buy cleaning rags again!)
Example:
One pair of leggings are damaged so I add them to the recycle/repurpose pile.
That leaves me with one pair of leggings.
Step 3.e) Maybe
Add items that you’re not ready to part with to the maybe pile.
Once you’re finished, box up everything in your maybe pile and label it with a date three months from now. You can review after that date to see if you’re ready to let go yet.
Psssst …If the step 3 still sounds too daunting for you, then you my friend are a scaredy-cat minimalist
…And that’s ok!
There’s a modified version of step 3 just for you :) Check out the FAQs
Example:
I’d describe the last pair of leggings as my 5th favourite leggings.
I don’t feel quite ready to let them go yet so I add them to the maybe pile.
Step 4 - MAINTAIN
Step 4.a) Follow the one in, one out rule
There’s no rule saying that you can never shop again, just follow the ‘one in, one out’ rule to maintain your perfectly designed closet capsule.
Example:
Imagine that I found a new pair of leggings that I liked more than one of the four pairs that I kept.
I’d buy them and then pick out one of the existing pairs from the favourites pile to donate.
Step 4.b) Review your Capsule Wardrobe Checklist periodically
Change happens.
Check your capsule wardrobe checklist categories and numbers every now and then (once or twice a year should do it) to make sure it still suits you and your lifestyle.
Capsule Wardrobe Review SAQs
(should ask questions)
Here are some suggested questions to explore if you’d like to do a guided capsule wardrobe review:
Does my current capsule wardrobe reflect my personal style and preferences?
Am I able to create multiple outfits with the pieces in my capsule wardrobe?
Are there any items in my capsule wardrobe that I haven't worn in the past year?
Are there any gaps in my capsule wardrobe that prevent me from creating certain outfits?
Do the pieces in my capsule wardrobe fit me well and make me feel confident?
Are there any pieces in my capsule wardrobe that are uncomfortable to wear?
Do the colors and patterns in my capsule wardrobe complement each other and allow for versatile styling?
Are there any pieces in my capsule wardrobe that are worn out or in need of replacement?
Do I have too many or too few pieces in my capsule wardrobe?
Does my capsule wardrobe suit my current lifestyle and needs?
If this was helpful & you’re looking for a way to support Minimize My Mess, gosh - a) thank you, and b) I’d love it if you could Pin some images or share this post on social media 💚
FAQs
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SO. MANY. BENEFITS!
Most people wear 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time. The excess, unused clothes take up space, time, and energy.
One of my favourite benefits about being intentional with my wardrobe is being ecofriendly and sticking my middle finger up at fast fashion: wear what you have, shop less, buy clothes you’ll actually wear, choose quality pieces, buy second hand and support ethical brands!
Here are the MMM Capsule Wardrobe Promises:
1) Your home will be less cluttered because you wont have excess clothes
2) You’ll save money because you will be more intentional and aware when you shop
3) Shopping will become easier because you’ve defined your style and colour palette
4) You wont regret letting go of anything because you’re making intentional decisions
5) You can wear lots of colours & patterns, or be classic & neutral – it’s completely up to you!
6) You can be as minimalist or as maximalist as you want
7) You’ll be much more creative about putting outfits together and accessorizing
8) You’ll have more space in your closet
9) Laundry will be easier & less overwhelming as it won’t build up as much
10) Getting ready will be quicker and more fun
11) You’ll eventually have a closet full of better quality clothes because you’ll prioritise quality when you buy replacements
12) You’ll be able to easily maintain your new MMM capsule wardrobe because you’ll follow a simple one in one out rule
Here are my favourite 25 capsule wardrobe benefits
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For me, a capsule wardrobe means that you identify your unique style, what you actually enjoy wearing, and how many things you actually need …and then only keep those things.
Do you ever notice that it’s always the same items in your laundry every time because you gravitate towards the same outfits? They are your real favourites & are what should be in your capsule wardrobe.
You can also check out this list of 17 capsule wardrobe essentials
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If you follow this process, it should take around two hours.
The first hour is for planning.
The second hour is to pick out your favourites.
Try to keep moving at a reasonable pace to keep your momentum going. It’s easy to get bogged down and feel overwhelmed. Remind yourself that this is zero risk as anything that you’re not ready to let go of is going into your maybe pile to be packed away.
You’ve got this!
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You don’t!
This is a one time exercise as this is designed to be a year round capsule wardrobe (aka all seasons wardrobe). Here’s the difference between year round and seasonal capsule wardrobes.
I personally prefer a year long capsule wardrobe so I don’t have to review it every 3-6 months.
Maintenance mode is easy - just stick to the one in one out method. So if you buy a new t-shirt, pick one of your existing t-shirts to let go of.
Life changes all of the time. Keep your all season capsule wardrobe list of items handy so you can periodically review it and adjust your numbers if needed.
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To recap: any thing that isn’t quite your favourite, but that you’re not quite ready to let go of yet can go into your maybe pile.
Then you box up your maybe pile and write a date three months from now on the side of the storage box.
Then review on that date or later.
If you find yourself desperately needing something from the maybe pile before the end of the three months, no worries! Just go get it and pick something from your favourites to swap it with.
On to the maybe pile review:
1) Before you open your maybe box at the end of the three months, assess your capsule wardrobe list. If you need more variety or choice, feel free to increase the number of items in each column.
2) Now open the box and start making three piles:
a) Favourites – for any item that you’ve really missed and want to save (unless you increased your number on your capsule wardrobe list, you need to pick a similar item from your original favourites to move into maybe or donate pile)
b) Donate – for any items you’re ready to let go of
c) Maybe – for any items that you don’t want to bring in to favourites, but that you’re not ready to let go of
3) Cross out the original date on the box and write a date three months from now to repeat the process.
This is what we did for my husband and he only needed to do one review and a couple of swaps before he was ready to let go of everything else.
Take your time and be kind to yourself. This is easy for some people, and really difficult for others.
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Are you a scaredy-cat minimalist? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
When you build your capsule wardrobe, all you need to do for step 3 is to make two piles:
1) Favourites
2) Store
Store anything that doesn’t make the favourite pile. Try and live with just your favourites for three months (write a date three months from now on the storage boxes to remind you not to open them sooner).
At the end of three months (before you open your boxes), assess your list and how you’ve felt on the trial.
If you need more variety or choice, feel free to increase the number of items in each column.
Now open the box and start making three piles:
Favourites – for any item that you’ve really missed and want to save (unless you increased your number, you need to pick a similar item from your original favourites to move into storage or donate pile)
Donate – for any items you’re ready to let go of
Store – for any items that you don’t want to bring in to favourites, but that you’re not ready to let go of
Cross out the original date on the box and write a date three months from now to repeat the process.
Take your time and be kind to yourself. This is easy for some people, and really difficult for others.
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In my opinion, no, most generic online capsule wardrobes aren’t realistic.
It’s really difficult to accurately predict how many clothes we need.
The good news is that if you work through the MMM capsule wardrobe process step by step, it’s a fool proof way of building a realistic capsule wardrobe.
Remember that there’s all this handy-dandy capsule wardrobe calculator to use if you’re unsure.
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Your magic number is purely up to you!
My magic number is 90 – including underwear, sleepwear and shoes
Sean’s magic number is 107.
The numbers don’t matter at the end of the day – it’s more important to have all of the clothes you need, and none of the clothes you don’t.
This capsule wardrobe calculator & capsule wardrobe list template will help you find your magic number.
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I highly recommend identifying what you need and shopping your closet before buying anything new.
So in theory - $0!
However, you might identify that you actually need 4 pairs of work trousers, but you currently only have 3 pairs. Hopefully, because you’re coping without four pairs at the moment, you won’t need to rush to find another pair and can wait until you can afford it.
Once people live with their capsule wardrobe for a while, they tend to hone in on their style and start to gradually invest in key, quality pieces. My favourite way to do this is find high quality pieces second hand.
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Here’s my capsule wardrobe list if you need a starting point:
Theme: french, stripes, polkas, red, black and white, blue, leopard print, pockets
Laundry: once a week
.
Total – 90 pieces
Tops - 14
Short sleeve x 4
Sleeveless x 2
Long sleeve x 2
Cardigan x 2
Hoodie x 2
Jumper x 2
Bottoms - 10
Jeans x 2
Shorts x 1
Cropped jeans x 2
Long skirt x 2
Leggings x 3
Dresses & Rompers - 6
Romper x 2
Casual dress x 2
Dressy dress x 2
Work - 10
Trousers x 3
Tops x 5
Blazer x 2
Loungewear - 8
Lounge top x 2
Lounge shorts x 2
Lounge bottoms x 2
Lounge hoodie x 2
Outerwear - 4
Rain coat x 1
Winter coat x 1
Light jacket x 1
Body warmer x 1
Footwear - 10
Sandals x 2
Heels x 2
Boots x 2
Trainers x 1
Waterproof boots x 1
Dog walking shoes x 1
Dog walking boots x 1
Underwear - 28
Knickers x 10
Ankle socks x 5
Dress socks x 5
Fluffy socks x 5
Bra x 3
Reminder: This list is perfect for me & my lifestyle
…but maybe you actually leave the house on a regular basis?
Maybe you ski all winter and speed cycle all summer?
Maybe you sleep nakey?
Maybe you do laundry every two weeks?
Maybe you regularly attend formal events?
Maybe you let go of cropped jeans back in the early 2010s when I should have (...never!)?
Always create your own capsule wardrobe list rather than trying to make a stranger on the internet’s list try and work for you and your life/style
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Capsule wardrobes are great for babies!
I bought way too many things for Willow before she was born. A capsule wardrobe would have been a really helpful way to stay focused and save money.
A few things that I learned:
Not all babies are messy – I thought I’d be doing 17 outfit changes a day, but sometimes wee baby Willow wore the same thing for a few days. We needed a lot less clothes than I thought.
No outfit is cute enough for me to pop poppers – the zip is king when it comes to dressing wiggly babies
Babies don’t suit every colour - You’d think that babies could wear anything but I found that Willow suited some colours more than others straight from day 1 (my husband Sean thought this was the most ridiculous thing in the whole world, but I stand by it!). I wish I had just bought a few basics and then bought more when I knew her.
If I were to do it all again, I would only buy one type of outfit …Bonds wondersuits. They’re unbelievably stretchy, adorable designs, last forever (Willow wore the same size for over a year – that’s UNHEARD of in baby sizes) and they have regular sales. She still wears these as PJs and I wish they made adult sizes because I want a pair too.
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Capsule wardrobes for kids save time, space & money! Here is your free step by step guide.
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Here’s Willow’s capsule wardrobe list if you need a starting point. As she grows out of things so quickly, I do separate it into to seasons per year.
Themes: Stripes | polka dots | plain | minimal logos, graphics and text | ruffles | denim | fluffy
Colours: Blush | white | pale blue | cream | pale grey | baby pink
Laundry: once a week
Autumn / winter
Tops
Short sleeve top x 2
Long sleeve top x 5
Jumper x 2
Cardigan / hoodie x2
Dress cardigan x 1
All in ones & bottoms
Play suit / pjs x 6
Overalls / rompers x 3
Casual dress x 2
Party dress x2
Trousers x 3
Outerwear
coat x 1
Mud suit x 2
Woolly hat x 2
Mittens x 2
Footwear
Boots x 1
Indoor shoes x 1
Trainers x 1
Welly boots x 1
Dress shoes x 1
Other
Xmas outfit x 2
Swimming costume x 1
towels x 2
Dress up costume x 2
White tights x 2
Spring / summer
Tops
Short sleeve top x 5
Long sleeve top x 2
Jumper x 2
Cardigan / hoodie x 1
Dress cardigan x 1
All in ones & bottoms
Play suit / pjs x 6
Trousers x 2
Shorts x 3
Overalls / rompers x 3
Casual dress x 5
Party dress x2
Outerwear
Light Jacket x 1
Summer hat x 2
Mud suit x 1
Footwear
Sandals x 1
Indoor shoes x 1
Trainers x 1
Welly boots x 1
Dress shoes x 1
Other
Dress up costume x 2
Swimming costume x 2
towels x 2
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Like with most things, gender is completely irrelevant when it comes to going through the MMM capsule wardrobe process – hurrah!
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Here’s Sean’s capsule wardrobe list if you need a starting point.
Colours: sea blues and greens, olive, burgundy, grey, black
Laundry: once a week
Tops
Casual T-shirt x 7
Long sleeve top x 2
Short sleeve shirt x 1
Golf shirt x 2
Hoodie x 4
Plaid shirt x 2
Cardigan x 1
Outerwear
Mac jacket x 1
Bomber jacket x 1
Wool coat x 1
Ski jacket x 1
Formal
Suit x 1
Long dress sleeve shirt x 2
Bottoms
Jeans x 3
Shorts x 2
Lounge shorts x 2
Swim shorts x 2
Joggers x 2
Lounge trousers x 2
Work
Work T-shirt x 7
Work long sleeve x 2
Work hoodie x 2
Work coat x 1
Work vest x 2
Winter work trousers x 2
Summer work trousers x 2
Work shorts x 2
Underwear
Underwear x 14
Work / hiking socks x 7
Dress socks x 7
Ankle socks x 7
Under shirt x 5
Footwear
Gym shoes x 1
Hi tops x 1
White sneakers x 1
Work boots x 1
Sandals x 2
Dress shoes x 1
Blundstones x 1
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Creating a work capsule wardrobe checklist is easy as all you need to do is include work as a lifestyle category.
Here’s a dedicated post on how to create a Work Capsule Wardrobe
By adding work as a lifestyle column heading at the top of your capsule wardrobe checklist you can build it in exactly the same as you would for any lifestyle category
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No rules, just one goal: wear everything you have, and love everything you wear
Here’s a list of 31 common mistakes that people make with their capsule wardrobes
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So, funny story. I’m a massive dorky McDork face so in my mind, having a formula to help you calculate how many pants to keep was a great way to simplify this process.
…Turns out I’m in the minority and it was hindering more than helping!
So instead, I created the MMM Capsule Wardrobe Calculator, so you can answer a few questions, and then the calculator will suggest how many of each clothing item you need to keep.
Go check it out and let me know how you get on!
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This is entirely based on what you like to wear. Just because a stranger on the internet says that a classic, white shirt is a capsule wardrobe essential, doesn’t mean that it will work for you.
Trust your gut and wear what you enjoy!
Here are some essentials that people sometimes forget to include.
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I would always recommend a year round capsule wardrobe and you only every have to do it once, and then you’re in maintenance mode.
Other than shorts, thick pjs and chunky winter jumpers, I wear a lot of my clothes year round - I just layer them in colder weather.
Here a breakdown of year round vs seasonal capsule wardrobes to help you work out which is best for you
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Things you need to complete your capsule wardrobe:
Colour analysis results
Your list of personal style keywords
Bags / boxes for clothing piles
Marker to label boxes
An accountability partner (optional)
Pen & paper
or
Spreadsheet to make your list
or
MMM capsule wardrobe checklist template (recommended)
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Follow this a similar process for your travel capsule wardrobe - Happy travels!
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A capsule wardrobe is my number one recommendation when people ask how to minimize your wardrobe or closet.
It’s not the only way to minimize closet clutter though, I chat about how to become a minimalist with clothes here.
And here are 20 rules about when to get rid of clothes
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You can find all of my capsule wardrobe resources in one place on my Capsule Wardrobe Homepage
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I recommend that you treat sentimental clothes exactly the same as any other sentimental items.
Add them to your memory box, and then review everything together when it’s full. It makes it much easier to see what really is important to you, and what you’re ready to let go of.
Conclusion
I’m really excited for you to work through the process and start reaping all of the benefits of having a personalized capsule wardrobe.
Check out the capsule closet FAQs below or feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions that aren’t covered.
My goal is to make the capsule wardrobe process as clear and easy as possible, so if anything isn’t clear, let me know!
Further reading:
Free 60 day challenge:
Thanks for reading!
If you found it helpful, please take a moment to comment & share - it makes a really big difference for a little site like mine :)
Love, Ema
