Well everyone, it is almost April. And I am feeling like spring!
Is it still snowing? Yes.
It actually just snowed a foot overnight, but I'm moving past it.
Did we have to wear scarves yesterday? Yes.
Is it actually spring? Not a chance!
Am I letting it get me down? NO!
I am so ready for spring and summer!!
We are currently on our 21st day of quarantine due to the coronavirus and to be honest, I'm feeling sort of jealous. Jealous of those who are not on quarantine you ask? Oh no! I'm jealous of those who are posting their isolation photos while lounging on their back decks in the sun and heat of California or Florida or ANYWHERE warm with trees and grass in the background.
Do you know what I wouldn't give to be able to relax while on isolation on my back deck without a parka and a hand warmer??
But it will not stop me!
As I am here in my quarantine, I am using this time and getting my children's spring and summer wardrobes decided! And today I am going to share my process with you.
A few years ago, before I had my third child, I was shopping for my children the way most parents do. Going out whenever I was in the city or near a mall and snatching up some cute pieces that I hoped would go with whatever was in their closet.
I would find good sales and pick up those items, or items from second hand stores, or even the cutest little faux fur jacket for my daughter that matched NOTHING else. But it was so cute! I would bring them home to their closets and still feel like when I needed an outfit, there wasn't much that went together. I had a bunch of separate adorable pieces but not many outfits.
Then I started researching capsule wardrobes.
Now at the time I started looking into them, I was doing it for myself. I'll be sharing how I do a capsule wardrobe for myself in my next post - watch for it!
Then one day I stumbled across a blog that showed me that capsule wardrobes were also possible for kids.
My mind was BLOWN. A capsule wardrobe for my kids?? Why hadn't I thought of this before??
I could buy specific items for my kids that were cute, stylish and all went together! One of my favourite things about capsule wardrobes is that you shop less! You can shop twice/year for fall/winter, then spring/summer, or once per season. There would be no having to go out more than that for my kids, so this was guaranteed to save me money in the long run.
As a long time budgeter, I love any chance to save money!
So I decided to try it for my children that year and I have never gone back. I promise, if you have ever been frustrated trying to find items for your children, or feel like you are always spending money on their clothing, you might want to try this.
It has changed my life as a mom!
Today I want to share with you my steps for creating a capsule wardrobe for your kids! Here we go!
1. Decide on a colour scheme.
All 3 of my children have amazing blue eyes, given to them by my husband (his eyes are also gorgeous ;) So for all of my children, blue is always a colour I stick with.
For years I have been following the same colour scheme for my son:
Colours from the water and sky (think sea green, light blue, navy)
Grey
Tan
I like to throw in a pop of a bright colour like yellow but always in a solid colour so there are not 2 competing patterns. You can even use a colour scheme like "bright colours" or "neutrals". It doesn't have to be specific!
This enables me to pick items up when I find them in a larger size for a really good deal. Keeping his wardrobe colours the same year after year makes it very easy to purchase for him.
The colour scheme I have been using for my girls is:
Denim and light blue
Blush pink
White
Tan (on girls I like to call it more an oatmeal colour)
Decide early on if you prefer to have patterned bottoms or tops. I find it very easy to have all bottoms solid and the tops a mix of both patterns and solids. This way every item goes with the other items, which is the whole point!
Oh and can I also mention, family photos are never a problem as they all share base colours anyway!
2. Decide how many items you need.
This can be tricky the first time you attempt a capsule wardrobe, but remember it is completely customizable and up to you and your families needs!
This will vary by family depending on your activities, how often you do laundry, and how dirty your children tend to get :) It will also be a trial the first year and will remain a work in progress.
I keep random items for play and use the capsule more for out of home events and school. This works really well if you have hand me downs that don't quite fit into the capsule - use them for play and daily home activities!
This is the list of items for my son and daughters that I have been using successfully for years. I focus on comfort as well as style so both the kids and I are happy :)
Boy capsule list
5 T-shirts
2 Tank Tops
2 Long Sleeve T-shirts
3 Hoodies/Sweaters
4 Pairs Pants (he doesn't love jeans so I usually do just 1 pair of jeans and 3 others)
4 Pairs Shorts
1 Waterproof Jacket
1 Pair Runners
1 Pair Rain Boots
1 Pair Casual Outdoor Shoes
1 Pair Casual Sandals
1 Hat
1 Pair Sunglasses
2 Pairs Pajamas
2 Swimsuits
1 Pair Splash Pants
7 Pairs Socks
10 Pairs Underwear
I also add the following items as we go to church every Sunday:
1 Pair Dress Sandals
2 Button-up Shirts (1 long sleeve/2 short sleeve)
1 Polo Shirt
Girl capsule list
5 T-shirts
2 Tank Tops
2 Long Sleeve Shirts
2 Hoodies
2 Cardigans
3 Pairs Pants
2 Pairs Capris (leggings work well under dresses)
4 Pairs Shorts
2 Pairs Biker Shorts
4 Dresses (I try to keep them all casual enough for play but dressy enough for church)
1 Skirt
1 Waterproof Jacket
1 Pair Runners
1 Pair Rain Boots
1 Pair Casual Outdoor Shoes
1 Pair Casual Sandals
1 Pair Dress Sandals
1 Hat
1 Pair Sunglasses
2 Pairs Pajamas
2 Swimsuits
1 Pair Splash Pants
7 Pairs Socks
10 Pairs Underwear
3. Assess their current wardrobe.
Once I have decided the colour scheme and how many items they will need, I head to their closet armed with that list and a pencil. I go through each item of clothing that is currently in their closet with my child, have them try on every item I think I can keep for the new season to make sure it still fits, and mark the items I have on my list. If they don't fit with the capsule, I place them in a pile for "play" or "home" clothing.
As you do this, place items to donate or keep for younger siblings in labeled totes or boxes.
Once my list is complete with what I currently have in their closet, I will go to the storage room and look at the items I have been saving. These include hand me downs, items kept from an older sibling, or items I have picked up through the year on sale.
I keep these items in a labelled tote in the storage room and remove from them and add to them at the season switch over, and when I receive new items. This works well for us, and when I don't change my colour schemes, saves us a lot of money in the long run.
I love saving money!
4. Shop for the required items.
Now that I have my list and I know what we currently have, I am able to shop for exactly what I need. I will usually do quite a bit of online shopping as we live out of town, and I also love that I can search for specific colours. This makes it very easy to compare price and style right from home!
My favourite places to find kids clothing items are linked below!
I can shop from my computer, have the items shipped directly to me, have the kids try them on and be done just like that. SO EASY!
5. Reassess at the end of each season.
This is the most important step!
Your child (and you) have now been living with this wardrobe for a season. Time to reassess what items you used and which you didn't, and also anywhere you maybe had the wrong count requiring more or less.
Mark these down and place the list in an easily accessible location for the next season change! I keep all of our families wardrobe lists in my Home Management Binder. If you don't have a way to keep your frequently referenced paperwork in your home, check out this post for more information on how we use a Home Management Binder!
That's it!
I can promise you, once you try this it's really hard to return to another way of shopping for children's clothes. You save so much money and can easily make numerous outfits from the items you have chosen, and any way we can make mornings less stressful is a win in my books!
Enjoy planning your children's wardrobes, and as always, let me know what you think and what you would like to see!
happy organizing,
Jerilyn
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