How to Create a (Seasonal) Toddler Boy Capsule Wardrobe
Around the beginning of the fall season, I shared on my Instagram Stories how I was going through Eli’s clothes to prepare his toddler capsule wardrobe for the season. Since then, I’ve been so excited to share with ya’ll how I organize Eli’s little toddler clothes because it has truly been a lifesaver for me! So that’s what this post is going to be about: the why and how to create a seasonal toddler boy capsule wardrobe.
And just a few things to keep in mind as you read this post: a) this wardrobe is capsule-ish. I’ve seen capsule wardrobes that are made up of specific numbers, and I don’t really follow that. I just buy what I feel is needed in each season, but I do make sure to keep the amount of items as minimal as I can. B) Eli is 2.5 years old, which means he isn’t growing nearly as quickly as he was when he was a baby (praise the Lord!).
Why We Use a Toddler Capsule Wardrobe
First, what a capsule wardrobe is: A capsule wardrobe is a collection of essential, timeless clothes, shoes, and accessories in one's wardrobe - usually a pretty small wardrobe (the norm I’ve seen is about 33 items). I’ve done this for my own wardrobe for a couple of year now, and love it, so I knew I would love it for my toddler boy, too. Here are a few reasons as to why a boy toddler capsule wardrobe works for us (and can work for you, too):
Keeps My Sanity
With lesser clothes, I feel like I can be more organized - especially since we live in a one-bedroom apartment, which means Eli’s clothes are also in our shared room. All of his clothes are kept in a small clothes organizer where it is so easy to see all of his clothes in one place, and to just quickly throw an outfit together. It takes me maybe three minutes to decide on what he is going to wear.
He Wears Everything
I remember going through Eli’s clothes each time he grew out of them and my heart sinking because there were a handful of items we never got to put him in because he had so many clothes! Let me know in the comments if I’m not the only mama this has happened to! This used to frustrate me to no end! Now that we have a toddler capsule wardrobe for him, Eli gets good wear out of all of his clothes. This makes me feel like money has been well spent! Which brings me to my next point…
It Saves Money
Because we aren’t buying all the things, and we are being much more intentional, we for sure save a lot more money. For one, buying less items means spending less money, but as I’ve stated above, Eli gets to actually wear everything so I don’t feel like we are wasting money.
Invest in Quality Pieces
The above reason also allows us to spend on quality and splurge if we choose to. Now, I’ll be honest: we haven’t gotten to the point of buying super quality pieces yet because: hello, toddler boy here! But when Eli is older, I will be sure to invest in more quality clothes that I know he won’t tear up so quickly.
How to Create a Toddler Boy Capsule Wardrobe
Alright, so I gave ya’ll the ‘why' for a toddler boy capsule wardrobe, so now let’s get into the how. It’s really pretty simple, which is a big win for this mama who is working on making life as simple as possible these days!
Prepare the Season Before
To make this easier on yourself, give yourself time to prepare the season ahead. Planning out a good 3-4 weeks ahead of time would give you enough time to go through what your child has, make a list of what they need, as well as time to go shopping for these items, if need be.
Make a List
Think about what your toddler is in need of: Did your son grow a size and needs to size up? Are you finding that you don’t have enough pants to get you through the week? Are you finding yourself doing laundry way more often than you’d like? What activities is your little one involved in? Do they need nice outfits for church or other nice events?
Choose a Color Palette
Having a basic color scheme for your toddler boy capsule wardrobe makes life so much easier! Everything doesn’t have to be all the same color or super matchy, but having almost everything compliment each other makes it possible for more outfits and cuts down on decision time. Also, a bonus, when your toddler suddenly decides that he wants to pick his own outfit out (we have just entered these days, and I’m learning to pick my battles!), they won’t look too out of place when they pick that shirt to go with those pants.
What’s on my List
Okay, so this is what we currently have in our toddler boy capsule wardrobe. I will note that since we live in Georgia, winters are pretty mild here, so Eli’s capsule wardrobe actually includes fall and winter items (which means I get about six months of just one wardrobe!). Also to note, he was just beginning to rock a 2T at the beginning of the season, but mama knew better to also size up and get a few 3T items as well! Oh, and another thing: since Eli is all boy all of the time, he usually wears his items once before they need to go straight into the washing machine. I’m hoping as he gets older, we can pare down a little more as he can wear things like his jeans more than once throughout the week.
Tops
5 long sleeves
2 button downs
3 sweaters
Bottoms:
5 sweatpants
1 pair of black jeans
2 pairs of khakis
Jackets and vests:
2 jackets (one pullover and one zippered one)
1 vest
Pajamas:
4 sets of pajamas
Socks:
10-ish pairs
Shoes and accessories:
2 pairs (one set of sneakers for rough play and days at the park and one set of boots)
2 hats
2 pairs of gloves/mittens
*Eli also has a pair of clothes that stay in his book bag for school in case of any accidents
A Note About Grace
If you’re thinking about creating a toddler boy capsule wardrobe, don’t make this harder or more stressful than it needs to be. It shouldn’t be about a set number, but more about what your child needs, and what works for you and your home. To be honest, with the list I’ve shared above, we could stand to get rid of a few pants and shirts. But Eli was gifted some of those items during Christmas, and they work well in our current wardrobe. I don’t feel like we are stuffed with clothes. Also, some seasons you may need more or less clothes. In the spring, I anticipate a lot of layering, but I know we will need a lot less clothing in the Hotlanta heat. All of that to say, just go with what works for you, Mama!
