Capsule wardrobes

A capsule wardrobe is the concept of having basic pieces that go together and wearing them often. Here’s a good explanation: Capsule Wardrobe 101. The author’s guidelines are that capsules are made up of useful clothes that

• are suitable for the season
• fit today
• are appropriate for your lifestyle

She links to best practices for developing your own capsule wardrobe.

Seasonal minimalist wardrobes

I’ve heard about having 33 items of clothing but that doesn’t really appeal to me. For one thing, we have four different seasons when we’re in different moods about what to wear. Spring may be as cold as fall, but it seems warmer after the long winter.

So I’m trying this: seasonal minimal wardrobes. Pick out clothes for summer, fall, winter, and spring. I have four large tote boxes into which the off-season clothes go. Fall is reds and browns; winter is dark clothes, long sleeves and pants lined for warmth; summer is lightweight and light coloured; spring is cheerful colours. Some clothing, like blue jeans, carries over to all seasons.

What this does is immediately make more room in my dresser, since I’m not trying to fit in clothes for contrasting seasons. There’s not a complete separation between the clothes; nor do I count them. But there’s something sweet in putting away a season and not getting it out again for nine months. It also helps to keep me from feeling I have too many of something, because the extras are for other seasons.

My seasons are June – August, September – November, December – February, and March – May. I’ll want to keep the totes on the premises: I’m still sorting out which clothes belong to which season.

Controversial ‘Mother Canada’ statue plan dividing Canadians

Do we really need a 24m statue on this beautifully wild coast?

The cost of raising a child

This is a calculator to see what your little bundle of joy will cost you if you live in the United States:
Baby Cost Calculator.

The cost of raising a child

This is a calculator to see what your little bundle of joy will cost you if you live in the United States:
Baby Cost Calculator.

Kefir

I bought some kefir, a fermented milk, from a health food store and since then have been making my own. I don’t strain and rinse the kefir grains; I just spoon some lumps from the fermented milk to a new jar and fill it up with milk. It ferments while protected from dust but exposed to air, as I lay a paper towel over the jar. The resulting mixture tastes something like buttermilk or watered down yogourt. I let it ferment for about two days at room temperature as I like it sour.