The Capsule Wardrobe

So, now that I'm de-cluttering, and having so much fun doing it, I decided I need a capsule wardrobe.
A wardrobe of a few basic pieces of clothing to mix and match for a variety of daily outfits.
I have always loved the idea of this and even came close to accomplishing it quite a few years ago
but somehow I kept accumulating more clothing without getting rid of any!
Leads to clutter that constantly needs organizing!
And staring at a closet full of clothes on Sunday mornings trying to figure out what to wear is NOT fun!
I am SO tired of that!

I got rid of more than 40 pieces of clothing!
I know, it is so ridiculous!
And I still have to go through footwear, coats and accessories!
Honestly, it is SO exciting to see the clutter LEAVE!
You HAVE to try it!

The basic capsule wardrobe consists of basic pieces in neutral colors that suit you;
navy, black, brown, gray or shades of white (cream, ivory, tan etc).
I'm going with black, brown and ivory.
I took everything out of my closet and piled them on my bed.
Then, I took my favorite pieces and tried to come up with as many outfits as possible.
It was amazing how many different looks I got from a few pieces!
I added different shoes, bags, scarves, etc, to make the outfits more exciting.

It is so much easier to pick out what to wear now!
I even used the camera on my phone to snap a few outfits in case I get brain fog!
Love it!

Here are a few examples of a basic capsule wardrobe:
The first one is from www.nicolelsinclair.com
and the second is from www.simple-ways-to.com
I hope it simplifies your life a bit like it did mine!
Have fun!
P.S. I am working on the kids clothing now in the same way!

Simply September

Ahhh, September!
I love it!
I am so happy to be on a schedule again!
Of course, I don't want every minute scheduled~
We need time to relax and chill, too!
(As if we haven't been doing that all summer!)
I love the change of seasons and the change of schedules.
It makes life exciting and interesting.
Oh, but I do love a simple life!
Hmmm.
What can simple mean?
Let's see.
~More time at home.
~Less running around.
~Less clutter.
~More time for faith and family.
~More time outdoors.
~Listening to beautiful music.
~Reading wonderful children's books.
~Talking and listening to God.
~Simple, healthy meals.
~Enjoying the beautiful things in life.

So I said to myself~
"Stop dreaming, Laura, and start simplifying!"

The first thing I thought to simplify was our meals.
I came up with this plan that makes it easier for me to think about our meals.

A Meal Template!
Yay!
This is what it is: (I plan on using it until I am sick of it.)
I picked a main food for each day of the week and I create my meals from that.
~Monday is chicken or turkey day.
I cook a chicken dinner with 2 whole chickens along with all the vegetables. I then boil the bones and tiny bits of chicken into broth so I can use it for other meals.
~Tuesday is rice, bean and veggie dishes.
I know it's coming, so I pre-soak the beans the day before. I can even cook the rice before and then add whatever veggies and spices I want.
I could do Mexican, middle eastern, greek, italian. Whatever we are in the mood for.
Next Tuesday, I plan on making black bean and rice burritos with all the toppings.
~Wednesday is salad day.
I am thinking hearty salads, like cobb, chef, taco, greek etc.
I will add bread of some sort.
~Thursday is fish day.
Fish, veggies and a salad.
So simple!
Everyone loves it!
~Friday is homemade pizza day.
Lenny decided he will be the pizza maker.
He's all fired up!
He made it once and considers himself quite an expert!
It was really good~crispy crust, yummy sauce!
He found a thin crust recipe online.
I will post the recipes at a later time.
Every week could be a different flavor. There are so many types of good unusual recipes for pizza!
Now Saturday. Soup and sandwich day.
This is our running day and I didn't want to worry about what we were going to have for dinner, so I thought this would be a good meal.
I plan on using the crockpot and just making sure there are sandwich fixings in the fridge.
It could be as simple as vegetable soup and broiled tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwiches.
Sunday. Pasta day.
I plan on putting this meal together in advance.
I plan on lasagna this week so I will make it Friday and probably freeze it if I do not have enough room in my fridge.
I'll put it in the oven on Sunday morning before church. Or I could layer it in my big electric roaster. I have even made lasagna in a crockpot.
Other pasta ideas: spaghetti and meatballs, turkey tetrazinni, greek pasta salad etc.

So I have a plan.
Will I use it?
Yes, I will.
But I am enlisting every single child I have to help me!
I am not doing it by myself!
I don't need to!
The kids need to learn their life skills, you know!
I will ask each one for specific ideas for each meal and we are going to put on our aprons together!
Actually, maybe I will hang up mine and go take a nap!

I do know that every day won't be as easy as it sounds, so on those days, I have a back-up plan: breakfast for dinner!
Oh well!
It's better than the fast food on the corner!

Anyway, I look forward to more simplifying.
Does anyone want to share their simplifying ideas?
Oh, Please!!!
I long for simplicity!

The Simple Living Guide's 28 Secrets to Happiness

I spied this book on the table of a very resourceful young wife one year when a friend and I popped in on her for a quick visit.

It was the very first time I had met her.

She had a table full of canned applesauce and fresh bread warming on the counters.

Hmmm.

I liked this girl already.

She didn't even have to say a word!

So, next to the jars of applesauce, I spy a book:

"The Simple Living Guide" by Janet Luhrs

I searched for it at the library, checked it out, read it and bought it at Border's when I got a 40% off coupon.

It has chapters on:

Time

Money

Work

Simple Pleasures and Romance

Virtues

Families

Gardening

Holidays

Etc.

In the introduction it lists 28 Secrets to Happiness.

1. Live beneath your means and within your seams.

2. Return everything you borrow.

3. Donate blood.

4. Stop blaming other people.

5. Admit it when you make a mistake.

6. Give all the clothes you haven't worn in the last three years to charity.

7. Every day do something nice and try not to get caught.

8. Listen more; talk less.

9. Every day take a 30-minute walk in your neighborhood.

10. Skip 2 meals a week and give the money to the homeless.

11. Strive for excellence, not perfection.

12. Be on time.

13. Don't make excuses.

14. Don't argue.

15. Get organized.

16. Be kind to kind people.

17. Be even kinder to unkind people.

18. Let someone cut ahead of you in line.

19. Take time to be alone.

20. Reread a favorite book.

21. Cultivate good manners.

22. Be humble.

23. Understand and accept that life isn't always fair.

24. Know when to say something.

25. Know when to keep your mouth shut.

26. Don't criticize anyone for 24 hours.

27. Learn from the past, plan for the future, and live in the present.

28. Don't sweat the small stuff.

I like this list.

I would like to add forgiveness to the list.

~To forgive and to be forgiven.

Life is way too complicated without forgiveness!

Other than that, I think it's a wonderful list!

Does anyone have any other ideas?