How To Create a Capsule Wardrobe for Your Toddler

Once you create a capsule wardrobe for your toddler getting dressed each day will be easy! You’ll most likely spend less money and spend less time on laundry. 

What is a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of clothing that can be mixed, matched, and worn together in different ways. The idea is to choose a simple color scheme and purchase a few quality items that can easily be put together and styled into a number of outfits. 

Why you need a child’s capsule wardrobe

A kids capsule wardrobe makes choosing what to wear easy. No more tears over not finding the pants that can only go with a certain top. Kids can easily choose a top and bottom that will match and look nice together. Having fewer clothes in a child’s wardrobe makes getting dressed easy.

Having a small wardrobe also means less laundry in the laundry basket and more money in your bank account. There’s no extra cost in the capsule wardrobe approach and it’s completely customizable to suit your needs. 

How to build a capsule wardrobe for your child

Step 1:

Think about how often you want to venture into the laundry room to do laundry and determine the number of items you’ll need to purchase. If you do laundry once a week, you’ll want to make sure you have at least 7 days worth of clothes. However, if your kids are like mine there may be an outfit change here and there so you’ll want to take that into consideration. I usually add 2 or 3 extra outfits per kid. 

Step 2: 

Choose a theme or color palette. I’m a lover of neutral colors so I tend to lean in that direction but I take each child’s personal preference into consideration and allow them to help make decisions on a color palette. In all honesty, that looks a lot like, “Would you like this top or that top?” Allowing my kids to choose each piece makes getting dressed much more complicated. I’m not big on graphic tees but I often allow one per season. 

Step 3: 

Think about the season and determine what specialty items may be needed. Coat for your winter capsule? Swimsuit? Rain boots? I shop seasonally for my children’s clothing. We live in middle Georgia so I can actually get away with shopping for only 2 seasons; Fall-Winter and Spring-Summer. I may have to pick up a few things here and there but not very often. 

Step 4: 

Take inventory. It’s wise to take a little time to see what they already have, what still fits from last year, what doesn’t and needs to be purged or donated. This will save you money and help in decluttering and making room for new clothes. 

Step 5: 

Start shopping intentionally. Use a list like the one I’ve provided as a free download and keep focused. Try your best to stick to what clothing items your child needs and pass on all the cute stuff that doesn’t go with your color palette. 

Where should I shop?

There are a few of our favorite places to shop when creating a capsule wardrobe for my kids. No need to shop in expensive high-end stores. There will likely be stains and holes along the way. However, I do like to get high-quality items that my children can pass down. 

• H&M: Such an affordable store with lots of options to fit different themes or color schemes, especially if you’re looking for neutral colors or organic cotton. 
• Old Navy: This store typically has a few color schemes to choose from with lots of options for bottoms that can be worn with any top. 
• Target & Walmart: Both are affordable and have basic staple pieces like jeans, leggings, and skirts. These stores are also, great for affordable shoes and accessories. 
• Secondhand shops or thrift stores are also great places to get clothes for your child’s closet. A little bit of time browsing the racks or even shopping websites like KidZen can save in the long run. 

Another tip is to shop at the end of the season for next year’s seasonal capsule wardrobe. If you can afford to shop ahead and then put the clothes away for next season, it’s the best time to get great deals. 

Don’t overthink it. Creating a capsule wardrobe for young children can be easy! Simply download and print the guide below and start at step 1 above. Feel free to add or take away depending on your budget or your kid’s likes and dislikes.

My youngest loves dresses and hates jeans so we go heavy on dresses and skip the jeans. Not into color schemes? No worries. Just use the list as a guide to what to purchase for the upcoming season.