"At its root, you could say conscious consumerism is about voting with your purchases for products and services that are better for you and the planet. There are many ways in which conscious consumerism can be applied in your life, and my approach is through maxi-minimalism."

Read on to find out what maxi-minimalism is about, and how my capsule wardrobe has helped me win not just storage space, but head space, too. 

More times than i'd like to admit, I've found myself spending precious time wading through what I now know to be way too much stuff (some of it, never even used) in an attempt to conquer the chaos, make space, or downsize. These items were in my possession because I'd been wooed by a new trend (that ultimately wasn't for me), they were bargains apparently too good to pass up, or were perfect for a perceived future use (which never came). All that stuff ate up prime storage real estate, money, and precious time when the only way forward was to do a cull.

"Then something changed. I became an avid traveller, and my beloved 'stuff' suddenly became a massive burden. This was a pivotal moment for me, and I made the decision to become a maxi-minimalist." 

After my first major move I realised I hadn't missed any of the things i'd rehomed. Indeed, I felt agile, liberated, and even started in business. Talk about gaining head space! So, I made a radical decision to only own what I truly needed. I broke my world down into segments and looked at how I could distill the required tools down to a few highly functioning, quality products. 

In truth, it wasn't such a radical move. As a creative, I've always favoured having one well designed item that does several jobs really well over several single-task objects.

"The problem was I wasn't walking the talk."

Full disclosure: it's probably something I'll continue to work on for the rest of my life. And, i'm happy with that because with every advance I make in streamlining my existence I also attract more calm, clarity and creativity into my life. For me, it's a kind of meditation.

Benefits of being a maxi-minimalist

• I consciously consider my purchases, and consume less
• I'm part of a positive habit-change movement that's good for the planet
• I have less brain-drain and decision fatigue
• I save time, every day!
  
  

So, how did I apply maxi-minimalism in my life? Before making a purchase, or bringing something new into my life I asked myself:

Do I need it? Do I love it? Will I use it? 

Some examples:

I'm a Photographer, and this industry is awash with shiny equipment and preconceived ideas of what is required to excel. In the early days I lugged around the full shebang, to the chagrin of my back and neck. But, with the boom in budget travel and limited carry-on allowances it became increasingly difficult to explore with camera gear in-tow.

"So, I traded in my kit for what was then groundbreaking compact camera technology. Now I can have my camera by my side, wherever I go. And, it produces beautiful results, with a little help from me : )"

I'm also a designer. And, after studying, I worked with my father in his graphic design studio. He was an early adopter of computers and I soon caught the bug. They did pretty much everything I needed them to with ease and speed. But they were desk-bound. 

"When laptops came out it was a done deal!"

I could travel light and still create. Yes, investment was required, but all my needs were met in one concise package. 

I took to cycling later on in life, and love the freedom, eco and health benefits this form of transport offers. However, I just didn't feel confident on large framed bikes. I wanted something compact, easy to move, and store.

"All hail the folding bike ✋🤚"

My folder has been a game-changer. Due to its unique way of folding, it fits neatly into the tiniest of spaces in my compact home. If i'm in the supermarket I can comfortably push it around without bothering others. And, it even doubles as a shopping cart when I hang my bag over the handlebars. It also fits easily in the boot for days out. And, although not the lightest of bikes, it is easy to pick up and carry, when needed. I went with a good quality, new-to-me option. And, although my folder is 10 yrs old, it still works like I imagine it did when it was new.

For years I'd had a wardrobe full of clothes but struggled to easily pull together the looks I wanted because there was just too much noise. You see, I LOVE and find it very hard to resist beautiful colours and patterns. But, once I decided to create a capsule wardrobe I noticed a massive positive impact on my life.

"I gained time, storage space, and head space." 

I also found it so much easier to dress the way I wanted to. And, now, when I review my capsule with the change of the seasons it takes a fraction of the time. This last one gets more attention because it was possibly the most challenging to accomplish first time around (and was a major motivator in starting B3KI), but has probably had the greatest impact on my life, because it dealt with a pain-point I was facing every single day.

"If you are struggling to get the look you want, daily, with ease. And, if you're feeling decision fatigue, why not consider creating your own version of a capsule wardrobe."

At this point it's probably worth thinking about what a fully functioning capsule wardrobe might look like:
Ideally it should be a concise collection of quality, timeless clothing and accessories in 'your' colours, that meet the needs of your lifestyle. What you include should be items you love to wear that suit your body shape. A common thread you may notice when researching capsule wardrobes is the need to stick to neutral colours like black and beige, which makes total sense. However, that doesn't speak to my personal style.

"In my wardrobe I have deep blues, dark greens and warm tans as my base or anchor colours, sometimes together in patterns, sometimes as block coloured separates. I also have a few accent colours from 'my' colour palette to add some punch to my looks, such as pink, orange, and yellow."

At B3KI, we're also about injecting a little of the bold, the bright, and the beautiful into our daily lives so neutrals look a little different with us, too: a well thought out, brightly-coloured pattern functions like an animal print (which you can also now find on the neutrals list). My beloved BANG ON Bomber jacket in orange, pink and green Fan is a perfect example of this. It's elegantly relaxed in fit, and timelessly contemporary in design. It works well with the other items in our Solana range, but also looks incredible with my jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and tan leather handbag. I can dress this look up or down simply by changing my footwear, base layers, or accessories. It's that easy! And, BANG ON Bomber comes in a variety of fabric choices, colourways, and patterns so if you're looking for your perfect jacket, it might be worth checking out.

 Another item I wear constantly is my CHIN CHIN maxi cardi. In Summer, due to the heat where I live, only the lightest of clothing will do. But in Spring and Autumn you can't get me out of this hard-working maxi cardi because of the way it drapes so beautifully over t-shirts, bandeaus, pencil skirts, and leggings. It also acts as a lightweight outer-layer, and a dress in it's own right. It also comes in two fabric choices to help you achieve the look you want. And, it's definitely a major player in my collection.

MY PROCESS

There are infinite ways to approach a capsule wardrobe, and if you're looking to create your own, doing some research and trying the methods that speak to you will have you luxuriating in the benefits of your efforts in no time, i'm sure. Personally, I don't limit myself to a specific number of items (33 is a common suggestion) because I want the process to be easy and fun. Besides, the amount of storage space in my home allocated to clothing deals with that very nicely.  But, if having a number helps you focus, feel free to pick one and run with it. 

1. Style

First, I get really clear on where I'm headed and the look i'm going for, making sure I take into account the demands of my daily routine. An elegantly relaxed fit generally works best for me. And, I like the flexibility multifunctional, contemporary clean lines give me. 

2. Colours

This is a major factor when creating a capsule wardrobe. I needed to find out what 'my' colours were so I booked a session with a local colour specialist to discover the best colours for my skin tone, eyes and hair colour. It was a very interesting process, and I was amazed to see how one colour could knock off 10 years, whilst another could add them all back on, and then some! From my new colour palette I selected 4-6 of my favourites to work with, a couple of anchor colours - deep blues, dark greens, tans, and the rest brighter, punchier colours. 

3. Time

I blocked out 2-4hrs when I wouldn't be disturbed, with snacks and refreshments at the ready to keep energy levels high. I invited a friend over because the next steps require decision making, and getting a second opinion can really help speed things up.

4. Piles

I emptied my wardrobe and other places where I store clothes onto my bed. Then, I created piles for jackets, jumpers, t-shirts, skirts, trousers, leggings; whatever groups of clothing I had. If I came across something that didn't align with my goal style I didn't overthink it, I bagged it! If I found something that wasn't in my colour palette that got bagged too (which nearly halved my collection)!

5. Zone

Before I started zoning, I checked my piles for excess duplicates and selected my favourites, ensuring that they still fit and were in good condition.  

Zone 1. Love, wear often.
Zone 2. Like, wear occasionally.
Zone 3. Don't like, never wear.

Zone 1 + 2 stayed. Anything in Zone 3 got bagged. 

6. Review 

I double checked all items still on the bed spoke to my goal style, colour palette, and worked well together. I mixed and matched to create different looks and was pleasantly surprised by what my newly curated collection had to offer. If I felt like I was missing key items I jotted them down as I went. And, if I couldn't incorporate something into an outfit I bagged it because I knew it wouldn't get worn.  

7. Last Pass

I put everything back in the wardrobe, marveled at my work, and got excited about wearing what was now a collection of clothes in my ideal style that met my everyday needs in all the right colours. 

Finally, I did a quick rummage through the bagged up items to see if I'd mistakenly bagged any of the missing links I'd jotted down previously. This sounds risky, but I had my style objectives front of mind to stop me losing focus. And a friend to keep me in check. If they aren't there I have a list of what I want and I can add them in over time.

8. Gift, donate, recycle

Anything left over got gifted, donated, or recycled if past it's best.

9. Swap Party

It's worth mentioning that this is a process I repeat with the seasons. And, I keep any out-of-season items stored away until they're needed. When I know i'm planning to review my wardrobe I tell like-minded friends, which usually inspires them to do the same. And, before we donate our bagged up clothes we throw a Swap Party. It's so much fun to spend an evening together, catching up over a glass of something nice, strutting the catwalk (hallway) in new looks we've created from each others unwanted stuff, and sometimes finding the gems we've been hunting for. But, you can find out more on this in another blog, coming soon.

In Conclusion

The only real investments I had to make to achieve my goal were around time and decision making. In my case I didn't need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe, I just got creative with what I already had. And, you can do the same. If you feel you're missing key items, feel free to browse our collection, jump on live chat or drop us a line to see how we can help you find what you're looking for. It's what we love doing.

 

My takeaways:

• Creating a capsule wardrobe saves me space and time, and alleviates decision fatigue.
• Doing more with less is quick, satisfying, and good for the planet.
• When I clear the clutter I gain valuable headspace. 
• The effort required to create my capsule wardrobe curbs my desire to purchase items I don't need.

 

This process works well for me. But if it doesn't speak to you or your situation, that's ok. Always do what's best for you ♡
If you know someone you think might be interested, feel free to share.