Simplifying Your Life with Capsule Planning

Many of us have a tendency to overfill our lives with clutter in all facets. Over the years, I integrated capsule planning into my routine and made it my priority to consolidate and clean up excess in all categories – starting with my wardrobe. I was tired of the common dilemma: despite having so many options, picking out what to wear each morning became a stress-inducing task. This often happens because our wardrobes are packed with trendy items that don’t necessarily mix and match well, leaving us feeling like we've got nothing to wear.

Enter the concept of the capsule wardrobe—a solution that I implemented to emphasize quality over quantity. I worked on putting together a streamlined selection of clothing that is not only versatile but also easy to combine, simplifying my daily outfit decisions. Essentially, I wanted to craft the ideal, clutter-free closet that worked for my lifestyle. In this post, I'll also reveal how adopting this approach helped me evolve my unique style of capsule planning.

Part 1: Putting Together A Capsule Wardrobe 

1. Picking a Color Scheme: I decided on a palette of black, white, gray, and nude because these colors felt most 'me'.
2. Clearing Out the Closet: Everything came out of the closet, and only items fitting the chosen color scheme and that were a good fit went back in.
3. Getting Rid of Excess: Items not worn in a year, those not in good shape, or outside my color scheme were either donated or sold.
4. Budgeting and Adding Key Items: With the money from sold items, I bought a few essential pieces to help reduce the time I spent deciding on what to wear and ensured my closet matched my personal style and needs, focusing on fewer, quality pieces rather than quantity.

What I added:

• a basic leather tote
• basic pair of leather booties
• a pair of leather flats
• a basic black pump
• a pair of athletic shoes
• card holder
• 3 pairs of jeans (black, darkwash, and cropped darkwash)
• 6 basic t-shirts (nude, 2 black, 2 white, gray)
• a black and white silk blouse
• a pencil skirt
• an lbd (little black dress)

Part 2: Applying Capsule Concepts to Planning

1. Setting Up My Planning Style
   I went for a clean look with mostly black and gray writing and used fineliners and gel pens in muted colors for clarity. Some of my favorite writing tools can be found in our CEO Writing Collection, which features the Colnk Double Ended Highlighter, CEO Chic Liquid Fineliner and the Lopet Smooth Classic Gel Pen– each carefully selected for their effortless writing properties. When I’m not using the coveted pens from the CEO Collection, I have the Zebra Sarasa Dry and Uni- ball One F Gel Pen series on rotation. Both are superb choices when you want smooth gel ink, vibrant colors and convenient portability.
   
2. Clearing Out Old Supplies
   I got rid of cheap or brightly colored planners and supplies that didn't match my new aesthetic. I parted ways with anything that wasn't functional or didn't fit within my chosen color scheme.
3. Choosing the Right Planner
   I ended up liking spiral-bound planners but needed something more sturdy and customizable, so I opted for a Cloth & Paper 2024 Dated Planner Bundle | Weekly Schedule, designed to incorporate interchangeable inserts and keep me on track for the year. 
4. Selecting Planning Tools
   I kept to my color scheme with the planning inserts and accessories I chose, aiming for simplicity and function in my daily planning. To further keep my notebook tidy and organized, I turned to the following Cloth & Paper accessories: Time Block Sticker Set, Transparent Sticky Notes, and a Page Marker. When I really need a sticker to highlight important dates, tasks, or memos without obscuring the view of what's underneath, I turn to the Spotlight Sticker Set. Accessories allow me to make last minute adjustments and hone in on important highlights.

Results: Both my closet and my planner are now more organized and less cluttered. Sticking to a specific color scheme helped avoid impulsive buys that I'd later regret. Overall, both processes have made daily decisions easier and helped me focus on what's important.

Whether you're new to planning or looking to simplify your existing system, consider giving capsule planning a try. It worked for me, and it might just make your life a bit easier too!