How To Plan Your Spring Capsule Wardrobe
Another season is right around the corner, if not here already, and this time I’m ready for it! I recently sat down and got serious about organizing my wardrobe. The best way I found to do this was to create a spreadsheet of all my clothing and then color code and move things around to see what works for each season. Today I wanted to share with you the template I used and some helpful tips for getting everything organized. So are you ready to make all of your capsule wardrobe dreams become much more real and attainable? Keep reading for my top tips for organizing your capsule wardrobe and the tools you need to get started!
How to Use the Capsule Wardrobe Planning Spreadsheet
The Master List Tab
The spreadsheet is split into 5 tabs. The first is a Master List of all the items in your wardrobe. When writing my list of clothing I like to include certain details: the brand (this helps jog my memory), color (if I have more than one), and style (such as long sleeve, flared pants, etc). There are some categories left out of this list, including, activewear, loungewear/pajamas, underwear, jewelry and accessories. I just find that these items, are things that I use all the time but aren’t helpful to include when putting outfits together. The Master List is organized into the following categories:
Pants & Jeans
Sweaters & Cardigans
Tops & Blouses
Dresses & Jumpsuits
Skirts & Shorts
Coats & Jackets
Shoes
Bags
When starting a tab for a new season you can copy the entire Master List and then delete those items that are not season-appropriate. There will of course be wardrobe staples that you wear throughout each season. The Master List is meant to cut down the time it takes to organize at the start of each season. Keep in mind that there will be major wardrobe updates at the start of the Spring and Fall seasons, and smaller updates at the start of Summer and Winter.
The Season Tabs
Each season tab is grouped into 3 months. This may vary depending on where you live and some season may be longer than others but the three month period is a good place to start.
Winter: January, February, March
Spring: April, May, June
Summer: July, August, September
Fall: October, November, December
Color Coding
Now that you have your Master List looking spiffy, it’s time to take sense of it all because let’s face it, looking at a list of clothing on a spreadsheet is about as helpful as looking at your closet in the morning thinking, “I don’t have anything to wear.” This is where color coding comes in handy because you can visually determine how much of your wardrobe is being utilized each season. This should happen at two times; once at the end of each season and at the beginning of the next season.
At the end of each season you will want to make a color-coded key of three different categories: Not Worn (in the 3 month period), Most Worn and Missing/Replace. The ‘Not Worn’ category will help you determine which items you may consider giving away at the end of the season or trying to wear more next year. The ‘Most Worn’ category is helpful to reference when planning next year’s capsule. The ‘Missing/Replace’ category, quite obviously, is an indication of items you might add or replace the next time around.
At the beginning of each season, you will want to color code for two categories: Pack/Give Away and Missing. The items that you mark as ‘Pack/Give Away’ are not going to be used in the new season so you can either pack them into storage or donate them. For storage, I suggest these storage cases from IKEA for under-the-bed storage or storing clothing in suitcases. Once taken out of your rotation, you can delete these items off your seasonal list, or in the case of donating items, off the Master List. Items categorized as ‘Missing’ are the gaps you discover in your wardrobe and want to shop for at the start of the season. I like to add these items into my list with this color coding so I know what to look for while shopping.
Sweater: H&M | Dress: Mango (Similar) | Shoes: Avarcas Pons | Bag: JW Pei | Necklace: Mejuri
Now you have all my tips for using my capsule wardrobe planning spreadsheet. You can download a free template below by entering your email address. I found this spreadsheet extremely helpful in getting a clear understanding of how much of my wardrobe I’m actually utilizing. With that knowledge I can make better purchasing choices and get the most out of the clothing I already own! I know that a perfect capsule wardrobe doesn’t happen overnight, and actually takes a lot of planning, but in the end it will make your life a whole lot easier and that’s something worth working towards. So I encourage you to download the Capsule Wardrobe Planning Spreadsheet, make it your own, and take the first steps to a more organized wardrobe!