Capsule Wardrobe

I am really not a big fan of trends. Ever since Doc Marten shoes when I was a tween, I always had trouble adapting to new ideas. I look at a new trend and I think "that is terrible, I would never wear that." Or do that. Or try that. It's not an aversion to new things: I would jump a plane in a heartbeat to somewhere I've never been, or jump into a new sport, or pick up a new hobby, or try a new instrument. I just don't have an eye for fashion trends, I suppose. Give it six months, or likely even a year, and then I'll come around.  Leggings and a long shirt or sweater are my go-to now - finally something comfy when I want to get down on the ground with the kids, or hiking up and down the stairs all day, or running around getting everything done. The first time around I saw them I swore I'd never put them on.

But I came across something today...a fashion trending idea...that has piqued my interest. It's called a capsule wardrobe. The idea is that you have basic, essential pieces in your wardrobe that never go out of style, that can be mix and matched together, and that pares down your closet to nearly nothing.

Oh my, that I love.

I've written before about my yearning for simplicity and less stuff around me, and sometimes it's just so hard. The truth is, I don't usually have the fashion sense to stand in the store and know "that, that there is a perfect basic, essential piece for my wardrobe." Fashion involves colour coordinating and figure fitting and budget balancing and I just don't have the knack for it. If I ever really committed to the capsule wardrobe, it would likely mean that I've downloaded a picture of a collection and I simply go out and pick out those exact objects, and then mix and match as indicated in the picture.

Ah well. Can't have all the talents.

So I tore into my closet and drawers a bit today to see what overflow lay behind the doors. What I discovered is that:

1) I actually don't own a ridiculous amount of clothes, and I own even less shoes
2) My closet was stuffed because I only do two switches a year, meaning that although it's winter I still have all my fall stuff in there. And once spring comes I'll also stuff in all my summer stuff.

That's what comes from living in a small space. You get to use storage bins really well. I have a huge amount of standard size large Rubbermaid totes, each one filled and labelled and stored by frequency of access, and every single one is accessed often. Seriously, when they were stored in my basement I accessed a tote at least once a week. Now that they are in a storage unit I try to wait until I need to get a few things. But I'm still over at the storage a couple of times a month. I don't store things I never use; I store things I don't need on a daily basis.

So until I have the budget and desire (and most likely a shopping/fashion advisor) what I do plan to do is to have only one season in the closet at a time, and three totes each storing the other seasons. That way I only have one tote of clothing in my closet at a time, leaving the breathing room I so deeply yearn for.

I choose you

I had a little slip of a memory come to mind today when I read a post online. The writer said that one day when her little baby fell asleep on her chest, she chose to just sit there and rest with her wee one instead of tending to the large pile of laundry to fold.

I can't say I often struggled to "choose laundry" or chores over much else. My early days of motherhood were utterly exhausting between major food allergic reactions and children too smart to ever sleep. Most days I chose just to stay perfectly still with a sleeping baby on my chest because I was not going to risk anything that might wake them.

And still, I remember those moments, a tiny little body curled up into mine, feeling the gentle beat of of their heart, smelling the warmth of their head. I spent hours, hours, hours, with a sleeping baby on me, and I loved every single minute of it. I'm so grateful to have such a flood of memories because I chose just to sit with you.