We have a place where I live that only serves a salad buffet. A salad bar simply. This place has inspired me to create my own salad bar in the fridge. It is so easy and convenient: no food prep, I just take it out of the fridge and and everything is pre-cut.
Since I mostly eat salad anyway, I can prepare the various bowls with ingredients for both lunch and dinner and boil a couple of eggs, fry some halloumi , etc. and voilà: dinner is served.
A couple of years ago I decided to stop "cooking". This technically means that I decided to stop spending time on:
- come up with a dish
- go grocery shopping
- tear open all the food packaging
- put the packaging in the recycling bin
- search for a recipe
- find the right spices for the dish
- find the right cookware and utensils
- cut all the ingredients
- fry, boil, steam etc
- wait for the meal to be ready to eat
- set the table
I basically eat the same thing every day: salad buffe.
Many would perhaps think of my salads as boring. But the variations are incredible. Having my own salad buffet every day is one of the most time-saving, healthy, fun and inspiring choices I've made, and the choice has saved me from making time consuming and unnecessary cooking decisions. It has saved me huge amounts of resources when it comes to time, energy and money (“The Big Three” when it comes to minimalism).
But I discovered something.
The salad bar I mentioned earlier offers a basic selection of green salad, ruccola, pickled carrots, red & white cabbage.
You can also choose some carbs: quinoa, pasta, noodles, roasted vegetables etc.
Maybe not so much fun in itself, but add some avocado, a couple of perfectly boiled egg halves, some halloumi and maybe some pickled red onion and olives.
The salad buffe has some similarities with a capsule wardrobe:
- There are a couple of base garments. They are always the same.
- You can get some variation with the carbs options.
- There are some tasteful toppings that will help you get almost unlimited variations.
If you compare the salad buffet with the capsule wardrobe's minimalist, carefully selected garments, you can clearly see that the concepts are quite similar.
The baseline is always the same. Pants, jackets, skirts, a couple of high quality sweaters or cardigans, a couple of carefully curated dresses. Socks.
The "carbs"-garments can be varied, but you don't have an unlimited supply. You use what you've got: Tops, stockings, shoes, bags & purses.
The toppings is the little extra that spices up the whole ensemble: Jewellery, shawls, accessories. The bling.
The stress got replaced with a salad buffe
I cannot express enough how grateful I am that I have made the decision to stop cooking. Some do not feel this stressful at all. Maybe you like to cook. In that case: Great! But for me it is not like that.
In retrospect I can now see great correlations between my eating and how I dress. I never have to make those mentally taxing micro-decisions that drain my cognitive resources without me even being aware of it.
My stress levels have clearly decreased when it comes to other things that I would rather spend my time and cognitive resources on: being creative, being a mentor, coming up with fun and inspiring courses and workshops, etc.
If you also want to create a salad buffe inspired menu for your wardrobe, I've put together a list on how to get started.
1. Plan your menu (wardrobe):
Start by assessing your current wardrobe and identifying which garments form the backbone of your style. Just like choosing salad greens for your salad, choose basics that suit your and personal style. Are you a pants person or a dress person for example? Write a list of who you are and in which situations you're wearing what.
Choose your base ingredients:
Choose a number of timeless basics. It can be a white shirt, a pair of jeans and a skirt or trousers in a neutral colors. These garments form the basis of your wardrobe, just as lettuce form the basis of a salad.
3. Add some color (variation):
Just like choosing different vegetables and fruits to add color to your salad, you can include some colorful pieces in your wardrobe for variety.
4. Choose your favorite toppings (accessories):
Choose accessories like jewelry, bags, and shoes to spice up your basics and add personality to your outfit, just like you choose toppings to enhance the flavor of your salad.
5. Create a balanced composition (mix and match):
Just as you want the flavors in your salad bowl to balance each other, make sure your basics and toppings complement each other and can be mixed and matched to create different outfits.
Prioritize quality over quantity (sustainability):
Invest in high quality garments that will last a long time and can be used season after season: in the same way that you want to choose good, nutritious and organic ingredients for your salad.
7. A timeless baseline (classics):
Classic garments that never go out of time are always good to invest in when it comes to your capsule wardrobe. Say what you want about the salad classic lettuce, tomato and cucumber. It's not super sexy in and of itself. But it forms a pretty good base.
8. Adjust to season (variation):
Just as you choose the season's best and most affordable ingredients for your salad, you can also review your capsule wardrobe at regular intervals and change the clothes according to the season.
9. A well balanced taste (style):
Your wardrobe needs to reflect your personal style. Just as a salad should have a balance of flavors and textures, you can also think about how your wardrobe matches your personal style.
10. Organize your salad buffe / wardrobe:
If you come to a salad bar, you want the salad bar to be appetizing and organized. You don't want the olives to be mixed up with the mozzarella cheese and the pickled red onion when you order.
Imagine the time it would take if you had to pick the various ingredients from a mixed mess.
It's the same with your wardrobe. If you have a cluttered closet, it's not easy to decide what to wear. Keep your capsule wardrobe organized so you can clearly see what you have, keep the clothes in good condition and easily choose from the clothes you have.
The Capsule Wardrobe
Creating a capsule wardrobe and building a perfect salad bar have a lot in common. Both require that you choose carefully in a balanced way, and that you spice it up with your own creativity to achieve the result you desire.
I want you to give yourself the chance to start thinking more minimalistically. Not only does it save time and energy, but also your precious cognitive resources. You get more focus and clarity in your brain once you start decluttering.
If you want, you can check out my online course The Capsule Wardrobe (course in Swedish)
The course is designed to help you go from a closet full of clothes you don't use to a well-sorted, organized capsule wardrobe with everything in its place.
The course is completely online, and you take it at your own pace. During the course, you will receive guidance and direction from me, and you will also get tasks, assignments and checklists of what you need to do next time.
Read more about the course here >>
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My name is Theresa and I am a professional organizer. I help coach people who want to downsize and start living a simpler and more minimalist life with fewer things and more focus.
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