Anyone else out there feel totally disconnected from your body at times?
I feel it all the time during the workweek sitting at my desk for 9-12 hours a day and more sometimes. Connecting to my body doesn’t always come naturally to me, so I have to constantly remind myself to make time for physical self-care and that it can make such a difference in mental health and outlook on the present moment. I feel like this is me most workdays… 🥴
If that sounds familiar to you, then I hope the tips I have for you will help and be a good reminder to take care of yourself first before work throughout the day and week. But first, let’s go over some basics.
What is physical self-care?
Practicing physical-self care is taking the time to regularly take care of the one body that you will have for your entire life. Physical self-care is one of the eight key areas of self-care, including emotional self-care, spiritual self-care, psychological/mental health self-care, professional self-care, environmental self-care, and financial self-care.
If your back is sore from sitting all day, it’s listening to the signals your body is sending to stretch those muscles, work on your posture, and maybe get a new chair or make sure your set-up is ergonomic.
If your scalp is itchy from products you’re using, it’s being thoughtful about whether you should explore using something less harsh on your sensitive skin.
What are examples of physical self-care?
Physical self-care practices can range from activities such as moving your body and eating healthy. Physical self-care examples can look like taking micro-stretches throughout the workday, giving yourself a good foot scrub after a long hike or workday if you do manual labor, getting a massage, or as simple as drinking enough water. The important thing to remember about self-care is that it is about listening to what your mind and body need. 💆♀️
Physical Self-Care Ideas:
Do a 15-minute morning yoga before you start work
Walk or bike to work if you have to go to an office over driving your car
Eat wholesome, nutritious foods that taste delicious and put clean fuel in your body
Stretch at your desk or wherever you work throughout the day
Set a timer to remind yourself. Some companies have programs that force you to stop working for 5 minutes and do stretches.
Take a 1/2 hour walk after dinner before slumping into the couch (guilty of this one pretty much every night)
Drink plenty of water throughout the day
A good rule of thumb is about 0.5 to up to 1.0 oz for every pound you weigh. So if you weigh 130 lbs, that’s 65-130 oz or 8-16 cups.
Practice good sleep hygiene (my list of reminders I keep in my sleep log is below)
No screens one hour before bed
Reflection time in my journal before bed
Take a hot shower
Stretch
Tidy up
Wear a sleep mask
Drink warm caffeine-free tea like chamomile
Have a window open or cracked depending on the weather
Wash face, lotion, brush teeth, floss-even if you feel too tired
Use silk pillowcases (In my 40s, I’m trying it all to stave off wrinkles and thinning hair. These ones from Amazon are simple and inexpensive)
Rest when you’re tired, it’s the most efficient activity you can do
Sit in the sunlight for a few minutes, but be mindful about protecting your skin
Go for a swim
Take a hike, nature heals
If you’re overdue for any medical check-ups, get them on the calendar
Do your nails (preferably with non-toxic polish, Cirque in Luna is my fave-pricey but lasts and super fun!)
What do you do to practice physical self-care? I’m always looking for new small ways I can integrate movement throughout the day. Please let me know if you have any tips for lower back physical self-care especially. Haha, now it’s time for me to get some help from you guys!
Choosing quality over quantity means prioritizing a few key items over lots of most times mediocre things. It could refer to belongings like clothes or even friendships. For belongings, it also means that maybe you spend more money on a few really classic pieces that will last forever versus buying a bunch of cheap trendy pieces that you’ll get sick of fast or that won’t hold up as well.
For friendships, maybe you focus on the few people in your life who make you feel the best, who show up for you and love you unconditionally versus having tons of casual acquaintances in your feed. It’s about being picky with who we decide to use our energy/time and spend our money on.
Quality Clothing and the Benefits of Minimalism
To illustrate the concept of quality over quantity examples, I’ll take you back to the eighties. I was a kid growing up in eighties America and one of my best friends’ parents divorced and her mom moved her back to France. She would come to visit her dad every summer, so we were joined at the hip the whole time. I had tons of colorful clothes with hearts and stars and patterns that I’d change multiple times a day and she would always be in the same grey dress or white shirt. My bathing suits were two piece and glittery with ruffles. She had a blue speedo that she wore every summer.
When she got $200 one summer for helping out at her dad’s shop, she went out and bought a pair of black pants, a crisp white shirt, and a new sweater. My 13-year-old brain did not compute. But she said these are quality pieces that I can wear for years. The French mentality vs. my American teenage brain were on opposite sides. There is no right or wrong in this scenario but it just illustrates the difference in perspective. Years later she told me she was always jealous of all my fun and colorful clothes.
It always stuck in my brain even though for years I still continued to be a clothes and shoes horse, especially vintage fun and wacky pieces. For the last decade or so though, I have embraced a mostly minimalist approach to all of my belongings. Focusing on quality pieces, the ones that make me the happiest, and feel like a true expression of me. It just so happens that my color palette has somewhat muted and most days I prefer neutral tones because it’s easy and makes my mind feel calm.
In fact, I wrote an article on “8 Awesome Aspects of Creating a Capsule Wardrobe to Energize your Routine.” The article includes all of the benefits you can experience by simplifying and creating a minimalist wardrobe. And if you’re looking for some suggestions, this article from Durability Matters includes some of the clothing brands that I look to.
But my absolute favorite for saving up money on super quality, well-made, thoughtful, and gorgeous clothes is hands down always TOAST. I’m in love with everything they do and stand for. If you haven’t heard of them, please give them some love.
Here are some great quality over quantity quotes to inspire a shift in mindset:
Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles. – Steve Jobs
A bad investment is going for quantity over quality. If you’re trying to be careful with your wallet, especially with the economy right now, you have to choose staple pieces. – Christian Siriano
We measure genius by quality, not by quantity. – Wendell Philips
It is quality rather than quantity that matters. – Seneca
Quality means doing it right when no one is looking. – Henry Ford
Quality, not quantity, is my measure. – Douglas William Jerrold
Quality is the best business plan. – John Lasseter
Being busy does not make you better or more successful. Quality, not quantity is what is important. – Tamara Taggart
Quality over quantity relationships
Now back to the friend front, I have a few super important friends in my life that I nurture my relationship with above all others. These are friends who have seen some of my worst moments and say, well you think you’re the only one? Welcome to the club! They are the best people I know who have no objective other than loving each other and being there when we need to laugh, vent, cry or whatever is coming up in the moment.
I would rather have 1 amazing best friend than 100 decent regular friends. It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. – Connor Franta
You don’t need everyone to love you. Just a few good people. – Charity Barnum
For people who are introverts and highly sensitive, it can be very rewarding to focus on a few key relationships and it also helps to temper social anxiety and overwhelm. That’s not to say that you cut out friends or only have a few. I have tons of fabulous friends and acquaintances in my life who I love to spend time and connect with. And I’m so appreciative and grateful to have so many people in my life. I just know the few calls I’m gonna make more regularly because I just miss my few closest buds if too much time passes.
So if you’re wanting to save some money, save time and energy, feel less scattered, then it’s worth exploring how you’re prioritizing these things in your life. It’s a gentle reminder to explore your perspective and see if there’s a desire and space to make shifts in your thinking.
Are you looking for some awesome podcasts to help you grow and learn how to be better at life? I’ve got you covered.
Here are 10 of my absolute favorite best self-help podcasts that I listen to on the regular. These are podcasts that I’ve gained so much from personally by listening to multiple episodes on my commute when I was commuting in The Before Times and when I’m cleaning. I love to listen to podcasts when I’m cleaning because it makes the process of cleaning more fun plus there’s the added benefit of learning something new that will help you at the same time.
So without further ado, here they are! All of the links to the podcasts I’ll share will be to Spotify so you can easily click and listen. The podcasts range from tried and true voices like Oprah all the way to some young emerging voices in the self-help arena. I love that so many young brilliant women are taking on the podcast world by storm and making it happen.
Super Soul
“Awaken, discover and connect to the deeper meaning of the world around you with Super Soul. Hear Oprah’s personal selection of her interviews with thought-leaders, best-selling authors, spiritual luminaries, as well as health and wellness experts. All designed to light you up, guide you through life’s big questions and help bring you one step closer to your best self.”
Personally, some of the very first episodes and series are some of my favorites with Brené Brown, Paulo Coehlo, and Deepak Chopra. Brené Brown’s two-part interview is all about how being more vulnerable can make our lives more meaningful (Part 1) and how to move past shame (Part 2).
The second episode is one of Oprah’s famous “aha-a moments.” Paulo Coehlo’s was power. If you’re wrestling with the meaning of life, check these two episodes out. I mean, everything Coehlo writes hits me in the soul spot. They talk about why you’re here (on earth in this life experience), what’s your personal purpose here, how to keep the faith on your journey… It’s just so sweet. Here’s Part 1 and Part 2 in Spotify.
Unlocking Us
“We are hardwired for connection, and connecting requires courage, vulnerability, and conversation. I want this to be a podcast that’s real, unpolished, honest, and reflects both the magic and the messiness of what it means to be human. Episodes will include conversations with the people who are teaching me, challenging me, confusing me, or maybe even ticking me off a little.”
And of course Brené Brown has her own podcast, Unlocking Us. I loved the episode with Dolly Parton. I’ve heard a few different interviews with Dolly Parton and they are always super interesting. She’s such a profound songwriter and her attitude towards life’s challenges always blows me away.
I love the bit especially about the power of truth-telling.
Limitless Life
“Chances are, you’ve been sold a version of success that isn’t actually yours. It often sounds like: follow the accepted path, get approval from other people, and evidently, abandon the truth of who you are. Hard pass. With a lovable blend of wisdom and humor, Limitless Life™ is here to realign you to your inner guidance, self love, and infinite possibility.”
If you’re in the blogging world, you’ve probably come across Melyssa Griffin’s work. She’s a freaking ray of positivity that everyone needs in their lives. Think of her as your life cheerleader to be the best you there is and who will cheer you on to do what you were made to.
“Author Sahara Rose @IAmSaharaRose is the fresh young voice for the modern spiritual movement, called “a leading voice in the millennial generation into the new paradigm shift” by Deepak Chopra. She shares how you can tune into your unique gifts, find your purpose, fulfill your mission, live in your Dharma and blossom into your highest self.”
Sahara Rose’s podcast has been on my radar to check out for a while and I’m just now getting into it. What’s nice is that she’s got some shorter episodes that are like 15-30 minutes and then some meatier ones that go to an hour and more. So you can get a taste of her style and see if it resonates with you. I tend to like starting from the beginning because I’m just linear like that with organizing. So a good place to start is her first episode from 2017 where she gives a nice intro into the podcast and what she’s going to talk about.
Self-Helpless
“As featured on Conan and The Tonight Show, Self-Helpless dives into all things self-improvement with Type A comedians Delanie Fischer, Kelsey Cook, and Taylor Tomlinson.”
Who doesn’t need a little self-help comedy in our lives?
There’s a tendency in the self-help arena to be very serious and I find myself doing it in my writing sometimes. There are times when the last thing you want is to continuously read about the self-help positivity tropes and just want some real shit. While these ladies are funny AF, there is real substance in these episodes.
I’m an adult child of divorce (parents split when I was 2 and there were multiple marriages and divorces after that), so I resonated so hard with this episode on adult children of divorce with Nishima Gupta. I appreciate the fact that they play off each other and don’t shy away from talking about hard topics like sexual abuse and sobriety.
Almost 30
“We dive deep into topics like modern spirituality to health and wellness, aliens to entrepreneurship, social justice, and self development. With every episode, our mission is to empower you, expand what you think is possible and, make you laugh – a lot. We are honest, open, and above all, human. We are committed to learning right alongside you in real time so we can all find growth in every moment together.”
Just having cracked my 40’s last year, it’s refreshing to listen to Almost 30 because Krista and Lindsey are so fun to listen to and they’ve achieved so much at a young age. Listening to them makes me feel like embracing my youngness at heart. They are so frank, funny, and it feels like you’re chatting with your girlfriends, the ones who you really love in your inner circle.
I just got done listening to their episode about leaving LA because I live in LA and have been lusting over the greener grass of the country and having a yard again. It’s interesting to listen to their explorations of spirituality and perspectives on life changes.
Optimal Living Daily
“I read you the best content on personal development, minimalism, productivity, and more, with author permission. Think of Optimal Living Daily as an audioblog or blogcast where the best blogs are narrated for you for free.”
ODP is great for a quick few minute listen (episodes range from 7-10 minutes) for daily lessons and reminders about things like setting healthy boundaries, creating a self-help routine, how to meditate anywhere at anytime.
Justin Malik basically just reads other people’s blogs on personal development and related topics. It’s a little bit dry at times because of that. It also doesn’t have a conversational and more engaging vibe like a lot of the others, but it’s got some great quick tips. I also like that the material comes from a host of different authors.
The Self Love Fix
“The self love fix podcast is a podcast all about helping WOC delve deeper into self love, self worth, personal development, self esteem and self care. Here on the self love fix we get relatable, we laugh, we cry, we heal, but most of all we learn about the truth of who we are and what we deserve.”
Beatrice Kamau is the host of the Self Love Fix podcast and is an inner child healing coach. It’s great to see a woman of color supporting other women of color to cultivate self-love, self-worth, and self-esteem. I really got a lot out of this episode on abandonment, re-parenting, and relationships.
The traumas we experience in our families of origin are some of the most impactful factors that influence our journey through life. I love her focus on the inner child and delving into healing and peeling back the layers to look into ourselves.
Mindful in Minutes
“Short, weekly guided meditations to help you find mindfulness in simply minutes. Join Kelly Smith, founder of Yoga For You, for simple and grounded meditations that help you with real life issues like anxiety, insomnia, self-esteem and manifestation. All meditations are 20 minutes or less bringing you what you need to find mindfulness in just minutes.”
Mindful in Minutes has some great short episodes, including some great meditations. But I really love some of the longer episodes, like this one called self-love freeform. Kelly is the host and she shares her self-love journey and gives fair warning about triggers and for me, is super relatable.
Sometimes when I was listening to her it was like hearing myself talk. I resonated with how she just laid her soul out there and shared her personal experience. It’s interesting because she talks about how alone she felt as a kid, which Nishima Gupta talks about in the Self-Helpless podcast linked above.
Emotional Badass
“Emotional Badasses are survivors, thrivers, seekers, and healers! Expand and awaken to your higher purpose, be more present and authentic, find strength in spirituality, quiet the monkey mind of modern society with meditation, and connect deeply with yourself and safe others.”
I’m writing this post a few days before Mother’s Day and it’s perfect timing with Nikki Eisenhauer’s latest episode on Mother’s Day and family trauma. It’s especially poignant for people with painful or challenging relationships with their mother or father for that matter. Her content is so thoughtful and cuts right to the real real of fucked up family dynamics. I am going to text this episode right now to all of my friends and family who need to hear it. 👨❤️👨 On a related note, if you’ve made it to the end, you may be interested in my post on 10 powerful emotional self-care practices to get stronger.
If you listen to any of the best of the best self-help podcasts for the first time and find a new resource or connection, let me know in the comments. Also, if you’re looking for some good self-help reads, check out my posts on some of my favorite self-help books here and here. 📚
Emotional self-care is to be conscious of and name your feelings, sit with them, feel them in a way that honors you and emotion and builds emotional intelligence through self-reflection.
Emotions will come out in some form 100% of the time. If you sit with them and allow yourself to feel the feels, versus running away or ignoring or suppressing, you are giving yourself the chance to work through the emotion so that you, versus it, are at the controls.
Why is emotional self-care important?
Emotional self-care is critical to enjoying life’s experiences. A healthy mind with well-developed emotional intelligence can experience the same event as a mind struggling with mental health through a more grounded perspective.
Why is that so powerful? Outside events have less power to push your emotions around. Think of the difference between a sapling and a tree when a strong wind blows. The sapling whips all over the place while the tree sways gently back and forth.
We’ve all heard that the mind, body, and spirit are connected. Modern Western tends to prioritize taking care of the body, which is 100% critical. But taking care of the mind is equally important. For someone who has had mental health struggles, I’d argue it’s even more so.
You can be super physically fit or not, you can have no physical disabilities or have a disability – and you can be emotionally fit in any of those scenarios or a complete mess. Regardless of your physical reality, your emotional perspective will dictate whether you are content, satisfied, miserable, or ambivalent.
“How is it that we spend more time taking care of our teeth than we do our minds?”
-Dr. Guy Winch
After you’re done reading, scroll back up and take 15 minutes to watch this super powerful TED Talk by Dr. Guy Winch on practicing emotional first aid. It is worth more than the time it will take to listen to!
What are examples of emotional self-care?
Below are ten simple intentions to practice emotional self-care in your everyday experience:
Create boundaries for yourself
Protecting ourselves from others’ energy is critical for balancing our emotions, especially if that energy is negative or triggering.
Other people may not even realize that their energy or needs affect you.
It can also be hard for friends or family to get used to you creating healthy boundaries for yourself, and they may even take it personally if they’re not used to it. You don’t need to explain yourself, but you certainly can let them know that your boundary doesn’t mean you care about them any less, that it’s about you taking care of your needs.
Say no to being busy
The following quote from Courtney Carver says it perfectly.
I don’t say no because I am so busy. I say no because I don’t want to be busy.
Saying no to things is a way to protect your time and space. It gives you back time and space to focus on what you want to do with your time. But it also helps you to remember that you have choices.
Just because there’s an expectation for you to do something does not mean you have to.
Work on managing your stress
My husband and I just got home from a hike, and I talked about how stressful my job is (again for the 100th time).
Sometimes, depending on our life circumstances, there will be periods that are more stressful than others. Right now, my job is the most stressful thing in my life, with lots of deadlines, huge expectations, lots of people watching, and plenty of opportunities to make mistakes.
But, I have the choice to leave whenever I want and seek out another job that requires less of my mental and emotional bandwidth.
So, every day that I choose to do the job, I know that is my decision and what I focus on is how to manage the stress better and better wherever I can. It’s not always easy, but small changes make a difference that adds up over time.
Ways that I manage my stress every day are to:
Delegate tasks where I can
Making sure I communicate clearly
Set boundaries on my time
Listen to my body when it’s sore and tight from sitting all day and moving
Eat well to fuel myself with health energy and push me forward
Go easy on myself when I start to lay on the judgy vibes
Create and lean on your support system
If you don’t have a support system in place, that should be top on the list of your self-care needs. My support system includes my therapist, a women’s process group that meets every week, my husband, mom, and some of my closest friends.
Knowing that there are people to reach out to for help when you need it, whether it’s to get together for some laughs or talk through something challenging, gives a sense of confidence that you can handle whatever life throws your way.
Ask your support system for help right when you start to feel overwhelmed.
We all need support at different points, and you’ll probably be able to return the favor sooner than you know.
Stop saying how are you; try saying it’s nice to see you instead
I recently heard Sah D’Simone talking about this, and it resonated. If you haven’t discovered Sah yet, get ready for some positivity and love and just all the goodness. I highly recommend binge-watching his IG feed.
Asking how someone is can feel like a “verbal filler.”
Next time you ask someone how they are, think about whether you want to know how they are. Most of the time, it’s just something we say to fill the space as a nicety. And most of the time, when it’s asked of us, we say okay, or good, or some vanilla answer to return the social gesture. But what if instead, we try saying it’s nice to see you.
Let it be okay to let things be and not over-explain your actions
Sometimes I still struggle with this one, especially in work settings where you’re dealing with power dynamics.
If something you said or did makes you feel like you need to go back and explain yourself, take a breath, let it rest, and take some time to think it through.
This happened to me the other night when I got done with a meeting; I thought something I said offended one of my colleagues. When we got off the video call, I immediately started to text him and ask if anything was off. Then I talked with myself to put the phone down, and it was probably fine, which it was.
Remember, you don’t need to explain anything to anyone else.
Do what you feel is right for yourself at the moment. If you would have made a different decision in retrospect or handled it differently, you will do it next time. That’s how we learn and grow. Every day we have the chance to be a better version of ourselves, for ourselves. Which, by the way, is not a reflection of our value.
Feel your emotions without judgment, shame, or uncertainty
Emotions are beautiful and what makes us human. Just look at how many emotions there are on the “feeling wheel.”
As much as you can, don’t be hard on yourself for how you feel or what you feel. Our experiences shape how we process emotion. Much of what happens around us shapes how we think of ourselves, even though it is not who we are.
We learn as we grow how to feel our emotions, especially those that may have caused us to feel uncomfortable, judge ourselves, feel shameful, guilty, or uncertain in ourselves. All that said, it’s not like there’s a switch that you can flip to be able to start being a master emotion feeler, so take it easy and give yourself the grace and space to learn how to be open to your emotions, whatever they may be.
The feeling wheel is a super useful tool to better understand more accurately what you’re feeling. For example, feelings of sadness can mean different things.
Are you feeling stupid, inadequate, or apathetic?
Once you can zero in on what you’re feeling, you can start to figure out what’s causing it, why it’s making you feel that way, and how you can make shifts to feel better.
Discover how to appreciate your own company
For some of us, this has always been easy, myself included.
I’m an introvert and homebody, so entertaining myself has never been a problem. But I have plenty of friends who find it hard to be alone with themselves.
If you don’t enjoy your own company, why would you expect anyone else to?
Plus, if you learn to be comfortable with yourself when it’s quiet and still think of the feeling of calmness and grounding, that would allow you to feel.
Express your feelings in a safe space and in appropriate ways
It is so essential to express your feelings, especially when something is bothering you, or you can’t quite figure out how you’re feeling. The more you share with others, the better you’ll know who you can share with in different situations.
I think back on when I leaned on friends and family to help me figure out challenging mental health issues. They were happy to support me and try to help, which was everything at the time. But now that I know I can call my therapist and have a weekly group call to share and get feedback, it’s given me a whole new sense of confidence in my self-resolve.
Sharing does wonders to normalize so many things we go through and feel so strongly about. Sometimes the feelings are so powerful; you forget that you’re not the only person on the planet going through life. We’re all out there doing our best!
Determine to forgive yourself
We all need a little more grace these days. Work on giving yourself the permission to make mistakes and not beat yourself up if things don’t go as planned. You are not the same person you were yesterday, never mind the year or five years before. The person who made that decision back then is not the same one in the mirror today. Today, you may make a different decision thanks to the time and experience that has taught you more each day. If you can master self-forgiveness, watch out, world!
Thanks for making it to the end. If this post resonated with you, please stay in touch and watch out for new posts as they come out! If you like this post, check out The Beginner’s Guide to Self-Care in 2021.
HINT: It’s energizing because it simplifies everything! There are so many reasons that a capsule wardrobe simplifies your daily routine and beyond. So, what are the benefits of a capsule wardrobe? How can creating a capsule wardrobe simplify your life?
What are the benefits of a capsule wardrobe?
Benefits of a capsule wardrobe include having to do less laundry (woohoo!!), simplifying your morning routine, combatting decision fatigue, having a smaller ecological footprint, creating more space in your home, and feeling good in everything you put on your body. For more on how to reduce decision fatigue as part of de-stressing your life, check out my post on living a stress-free life.
Now that you have the why, let’s get into what the heck a capsule wardrobe is and what are some tips and steps to create one.
What is a capsule wardrobe?
Capsule wardrobes are those that are intentionally simple and limited only to essential pieces and those that bring you joy, with the intent of simplifying your closet and reducing the number of decisions you have to make in the day.
For that reason, many capsule wardrobes focus on quality over quantity and slow fashion over fast fashion. It is common for capsule wardrobes to be filled with sustainable and ethical pieces, which is also an intentional choice.
But for some, creating a capsule wardrobe is solely for the purpose of simplifying their morning routine or because they have limited space (hello tiny homers and mini-apt dwellers).
How can I start a capsule wardrobe?
Like all good things, it is a process… So, remember you do not need to do it all in one afternoon.
This process is what has worked for me over the last decade or so that I have been trying my absolute best to maintain a capsule wardrobe. You’ll find tips, a checklist, and steps below to get you going on your way to creating your very own capsule wardrobe.
Capsule Wardrobe Tips
Why do I care about capsule wardrobes? Because creating one can simplify your life, make your morning routine more relaxing, create intentionality around what you buy and how you spend and reduces mindless fast fashion consumption. So, with that out of the way, here are a few best practices to keep in mind as you start on your capsule creation journey.
Basics and essentials should be neutral colors, whether black, grey, white, blue, or beige.
The color palette of your entire wardrobe should be based on a few key neutral colors and if you want as an option, a few more playful accent colors. This helps to make paring much easier and save you time overall.
You can add in a few items with stripes or different patterns, but my personal preference is to not go too crazy. IMHO, we tend to get sick of stripes and patterns faster than solids. 👕
Shoes should be multi-purpose, functional, and can still be super cute. The same rules go that you want shoes that you will truly wear every day, and limit “special occasion shoes,” like the heels you always pull out for weddings, as much as possible.
Jewelry is where I struggle the most because, for me, it tends to be more sentimental than clothes. I have jewelry from my great-grandmother, my grandmother, my mom, etc. Fortunately, I don’t have any jewelry from any Ex’s (which I’m sure my hubs is happy about). I tend to go through my jewelry a few times a year to let go of anything that either drags down my energy or I feel obligated to keep (and I would not otherwise wear it). On the plus side, jewelry takes up the least amounts of space, so if I’m lenient with myself on anything, it’s keeping pieces that I’m on the fence about or I don’t wear that often, but I love.
Do not buy anything new! At least while you’re trying out your new wardrobe for the first few months. There may be pieces that you feel like you just have to have. Like when I found said amazeballs deer beret. In the moment, did I think it was the most amazing creation ever to be seen on earth? Yes. When I see it now do I feel the same way? No. But, I’m happy that I have a picture of the moment and it’s always there for inspiration.
Print a capsule wardrobe checklist of staples
Before you begin the following steps, you’ll want to have a sense of what should be included in a capsule wardrobe and have a reference (like a capsule wardrobe list of items). A good rule of thumb is to have about 25-50 pieces total. That may seem extreme to some, but there are plenty of people who are living it and would never go back.
The following list is a good example of what you should strive for, but everyone’s going to look a little different depending on where they live (and I didn’t include undies cause you can figure that out 😊.
10 t-shirts/tops
2 sweaters/sweatshirt
1 jeans
1 dressy pants
2 pajamas
1-3 workout pants/tops
1 swimsuit
1 winter/warm jacket
2 dresses
1 skirt
1 purse
1 winter hat
1 sun hat
1-3 scarves/mittens
10 pieces of your absolute favorite jewelry
1 watch (though I’m done with them, that’s what cell phones are for!)
10 socks (combo of wool, cotton, etc. based on your activities)
1 sneaker/athletic shoes
1 dressy shoes
1 sandals
1 boots
1 slipper/house shoes
1 hiking boots or any other you need for a hobby
Consider the benefits of owning fewer possessions: less to clean, less debt, less to organize, less stress, more money and energy.
-K. Collins
Steps to Create a Capsule Wardrobe
Put all your clothes and shoes in a big pile
Next, take everything out of your closet and drawers and pile them all on your bed or the floor if there is too much.
There is a visceral reality-punch when you see that great big pile of fabric and start to think about how much you spent to get that great big pile of fabric over the years. Then, think about how much you ACTUALLY wear. 😵
My bet is if you are anything like me, it’s about 10%. And do not cheat, I mean EVERYTHING needs to be in that pile. If you have winter clothes up in the attic, drag them out. If your swimsuits are under the bed for the season, they go on the pile.
Sort your clothes
The next step is to start the sorting process. It is not as fun as getting picked by the sorting hat at Hogwarts, but it can be pretty dang rewarding pretty quickly.
Ok, so get a few pieces of paper and a marker and write need, want, meh, and toss.
Need is for items like work-issued boots or anything that is personalized, for example, if you are a new mom and need to have a nursing bra or anything like that.
Want is for anything that brings you joy or is a great staple. Think of your absolute favorite dress that makes you feel super sexy or your favorite jeans.
Meh is anything you pick up and are ambivalent about. If you don’t have an instantaneous reaction, it should go into the meh pile.
Toss is for items you haven’t worn in over a year (be strict about this one because no you aren’t going to wear it if <insert whatever excuse you’re thinking of>.), anything that is discolored/stained/holes that are not intentional (I see you pre-ripped jeans), and EVERYTHING that makes you feel dumpy, frumpy, uncomfortable, or doesn’t fit you today. Now, I know the saying, “Beauty is pain, dahling,” but f*ck that sh*t. You can 100% be fashionable without messing up your back with shoes that don’t fit and hinder your ability to walk correctly and wear pants that allow you to breathe.
If you get anxious, just take a deep breath, take a break, walk away, and remember-this is a choice. There is no set rule, but the more you let go, the more space you create for new energy to flow in.
Clean house
Here’s where the fresh start brings in new energy and starts to feel amazing.
Move all of the clothes in the meh and toss piles into bags and boxes. I do not like to use garbage bags myself, because it seems so freakin wasteful. I use old boxes, bags I already have around the house, and even old sheets that are ready to move along (lay sheet flat, clothes go on top, then pull the sheet together and tie it up).
Take it all and put it in the garage, in the trunk, anywhere that makes it easy to get to the donation station. If you’re confident you won’t regret getting rid of anything, don’t hesitate and bring all of your lovingly donated clothes to your local dropoff box or thrift store.
If this is all super new to you, you can hold off and live with your new wardrobe for a few months while storing everything away. But do not go in there and pull anything out. The whole point is to try it out and I guarantee the majority of stuff you’ll forget you ever had. And if there’s something you put in that you just cannot stop thinking about, well then maybe it has a spot in your closet after all.
Now an excuse that I’ve heard a ton is that it’s wasteful to get rid of all of these clothes that you’ve spent money on and barely worn. I disagree entirely. You already spent the money on clothes you don’t wear.
Getting rid of perfectly good items may seem wasteful, but that’s not where we went wrong. It was wasteful to purchase it. Now we are just acknowledging it.
— Rachelle Crawford
Buying clothes you never wear was the wasteful action, to begin with.
Now, you are donating the clothes to people who will actually make use of them and maybe will reduce the number of new clothes that they buy. It’s a win-win, and remember that it’s good to pass it forward, do good deeds, and share the wealth. It feels good! 🤩
Le Fin
I hope this sparks some excitement for you if you’re considering a capsule wardrobe as a way to simplify your life and leave a little bit lighter of a footprint. Let me know in the comments if you still have questions or if there’s anything else you want to know about how a capsule wardrobe can simplify your closet and your life! And if you want even more inspo, check out Courtney Carver’s tips on where to find it.
