How I Cleaned My Closet, Made a Capsule Wardrobe, and Found My Style in 3 Steps

Back in March, when California was starting its stay-at-home orders, I saw on Instagram that our VP of Influencer Marketing Rachel Zeilic was preparing to turn her closet into a home office. I immediately DM'ed her requesting she document the process to turn it into a story onBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing . With her 10-month-old baby at home, Zeilic needed a dedicated space to make the most of her working hours (though, aren't almost all hours working hours for parents at home these days?!). The only problem? The walk-in closet was cluttered with boxes and binsnot an ideal state for maximum productivity.

closet clean out was in order, and Zeilic decided to take it a step further and use the opportunity to create a capsule wardrobe, too. Zeilic knew a typical capsule wardrobe wouldn't work for herthe normal draconian approach where you have to reduce your entire closet to a handful of pieces felt too restrictive and like it could be ripe for regret.

As we've learned, it's best not to make too many rash decisions during this time (I'm looking at you, DIY bangs). Rather, she created a mood board to help "really define" her style. "Having a reference point for what to move into my 'this season' section of the wardrobe, and what to keep, toss, or give away makes it a lot easier to clean out my closet. The mood board also helps me to shop more intentionally to fill in the gaps," Zeilic shared.

As for anything that didn't fit the mood board? If she thinks she may want to wear it down the road, it simply gets stored into bins for future use. For those of us who are attached to our clothes (um, all of us?), it's a way more realistic approach to curating a new look for yourself and paring down your closet.

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(Image credit:Best Knockoff Luxury Clothing )

Step 1: Create a capsule wardrobe mood board. Zeilic used the Unfold app to make the pretty mood boards below. She shares, "The vibe of my (post stay-at-home) mood board is 'Boss Mom.' With my baby, I have little to no time to get dressed in the morning. Going with neutrals means I can just throw anything on in the morning and the chances are it will all go together. The stay at home mood board was an extension of that. The light, neutral tones make me feel calm in this moment of craziness, and I wanted to add in a little bling to feel a bit glam and look good on Zoom calls."

Step 2: Separate items that fit into your capsule. This will allow you to see what pieces you're missing and can shop more thoughtfully to fill in the gaps. You'll also be able to select your outfit more quickly each morning, as you already have a go-to section of your wardrobe. Bring in any pieces you need to enhance your wardrobe organization. Zeilic bought the below nail polish rack, which ended up being perfect to store sunglasses and accessories. As you go through, note things that need to be cleaned, ironed, or repaired. You'll never wear them if they're not ready to grab and go!

Step 3: Sort leftover clothing into "store," "sell," and "donate" bins. Zeilic recommends putting on your favorite playlist or podcast to do step three, which is the most intensive part of the process. Some of her favorites are The Tim Ferris Show and The Skinny Confidential if you feel like learning, or Who Weekly, if you feel like zoning out to some mindless gossip.

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(Image credit: @rachelzeilic)

A peek at the before and after. From clutter and boxes to room for my new desk and office chair. Win! 

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Shop My Mood Boards:

Both of the mood boards are heavy on mix-and-match neutrals with a special emphasis on creams and tans, which feels particularly fresh this season. Ribbed basics, which always look more expensive than they are, and matching sets are also aplenty.

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(Image credit: @_marisamartins/@sylviemus)

When life returns to (a new) normal, the neutrals scheme will be carried forward with fabrics like satin, silk, and leather. Accessorizing will be key to amp up a pared down color scheme, and tailored pieces will be on heavy rotation. 

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Editor in Chief

Kat Collings has over 15 years of experience in the editorial fashion space, largely in digital publishing. She currently leads the vision for editorial content atReplica Shopping as the site's editor in chief, having risen through the editorial ranks after joining the company in 2012. Collings is a Digiday Future Leader Awards nominee, was named Buzzfeed's best fashion Instagram accounts of the year, and is a member of the CFDA Awards Fashion Guild. Prior toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , Collings worked on styling projects for brands such as Vogue, Teen Vogue, Lucky, and Oliver Peoples. She graduated from UCLA with a BA in communications and calls Los Angeles home.