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How to Build A Capsule Wardrobe for A Toddler 

If there’s one area of life where you really shouldn’t have to stress it’s your toddlers Wardrobe because a) they will look ADORABLE in whatever they wear and b) it will be be FILTHY moments after you button it up!

However toddler dressing can get stressful; they keep growing out of things, the one shirt that matches those trousers is dirty, there’s only odd socks in the drawer. Ugh, eye roll emoji!

Why bother?

I honestly think the capsule wardrobe is one of the best home organisation tips I’ve picked up since becoming a Mum.

Firstly because it saves time. I no longer need to know what’s clean or what matches, everything my son owns matches everything else so there is always something to wear. It also means anyone can dress the toddler, not just Mum!

Secondly because a capsule wardrobe saves money. There’s no more impulse purchases that don’t match anything else, no more surprises when he grows out of things and has nothing to replace it, no more items that only match each other and therefore hardly get worn! Instead you do one big bulk buy at the start of the season and you’re done, which incidentally is another time saver!

Here’s how to keep it simple and build a wardrobe that works for you and your toddler.

Pick a brand

Get to know which brands fit your child well, in my experience there can be huge variances in sizing depending on where you shop. Alfie is a very skinny boy, I find Zara too baggy, Mamas and Papas too long but M and S just right.

Knowing your sizes is also handy as it lets you direct friends and relatives to items your little one can actually wear when birthdays or Christmas time rolls round!

Pick a colour scheme

This is easier once you’ve picked a shop as most brands will tend to have a ‘theme’ which they base the seasonal collection around.

There’s several benefits to a colour scheme the two main ones being that it will allow you to mix and match and secondly (massive Mom bonus here) you can sort your laundry much faster and do fewer loads!

It also means you’ll need fewer clothes as each item is more flexible and can be worn in a number of ways.

Be selective with your spending 

I’m a firm believer in balancing quality and value. For a little while I was swayed by bargain clothes which were cheap and usually adorable. However I’ve gradually come to realise that these don’t wash well and are too light for our colder winter months.

Invest in quality outer clothes; thicker tops, well made trousers and durable shoes. Keep your value buys for things you’ll layer over like underwear, vests or socks or clothes you’ll wear once like Christmas jumpers or fancy dress costumes.

Our example

This winter I’ve finally gotten the hang of the capsule wardrobe. This season’s colour scheme is navy, red and yellow….because that’s what was available when I went to M and S!

How to create a capsule wardrobe for a toddler.
Alfie’s entire Winter Wardrobe
  • TROUSERS – We have two pairs of ‘smart going out’ trousers. These are a nice cord fabric and lined for extra warmth. We also have two pairs of tracksuit pants that I usually swap to when we’re in the house. These are a life saver! Alfie’s still crawling a lot so knees get very dirty and worn, having house pants cuts down on laundry and reduces wear and tear.
  • TOPS – As it’s Christmas I opted for two shirts which will look neat and dressy when we’re out with family. In addition we have two long sleeves and I chose the thickest ones so they’ll be fine with just a vest and a coat without a jumper. Finally he has two jumpers, one reasonably festive knit and another sweatshirt.
  • LAYERS – this is where I bargain hunt! I buy multipacks of plain white vests (about 8 vests) so they can go under everything. I also buy several of the same multipacks of socks (about 12 pairs). I have a terrible habit of mismatching the family’s socks so having three of each pair greatly increases my chances of getting it right! I like to have a few multi packs of jersey tops (about 4) for under jumpers too.
  • COATS AND HATS – coats will be the most expensive items so may well dictate the rest of your wardrobe. We have one rain coat for Winter and Spring, a warm coat for days when we’re playing outside and a body warmer for when we’ve to do lots of quick stops in and out of the car seat. This may sound like a lot of coats but Ireland is seriously cold and seriously wet. Our weather can change so often in one day that I like having these options. So far we only have one hat and glove set which I haven’t managed to misplace….yet!

And that’s it! 4 pairs of trousers, 6 tops/jumpers, a couple of changes of underwear and enough outerwear to cope with whatever type of weather you deal with!

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