“Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers.” – Charles Dickens
A few years back, I experimented with reducing my wardrobe by joining Project 333.
The idea behind Project 333 is simple: Wear only 33 articles of clothing for the next 3 months. All clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards your number. Exceptions include wedding rings, underwear, sleepwear, in-home loungewear, and workout clothing. Clothing that no longer fits or becomes in poor condition may be replaced during the time period.
Originally, I decided to try it for a number of reasons:
- I needed an extra push to reduce the clutter in my closet.
- I find boundaries to be helpful in minimizing.
- The project sounded both challenging and reasonable.
- The Project 333 community seemed encouraging.
The project began on October 1 and concluded on December 31. And other than a few minor exceptions (think Ugly Sweater Christmas Party), I was able to stick to the rules of 33 articles of clothing with only minimal adjustments to my weekly routine.
It became an experiment that I valued and often recommended to others. I learned some valuable lessons about boundaries over those three months.
Consider the benefits of living life within boundaries:
1. Boundaries keep us restrained.
Artificial boundaries can keep us in check when our natural self-control does not. Over the years, I had amassed a closet full of clothes—far more than I truly need. Looking back, I am embarrassed at the amount of time, money, energy, and attention devoted to my clothes.
In similar ways, the average American carries $7,200 in credit card debt and watches over 32 hours of television per week. We are in need of boundaries. Good parents set boundaries for their children… and good adults should set boundaries for themselves.
2. Boundaries force our values.
When you are challenged to pare down your clothing to 33 items, you are forced to identify which items are absolutely necessary. You are forced to single out the most important, most versatile, and most loved items. You are required to identify the most valuable things in your closet.
Similarly, boundaries in life help to force this exact same thought process. Boundaries force us to identify the difference between “really important” and only “somewhat important”—just ask anyone who has ever been given a limited amount of time left to live.
3. Boundaries promote creativity.
Orson Welles said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” Limiting your clothing items to 33 items for 3 months forces art. Limiting your wardrobe to a capsule wardrobe does not rob you of personal style…it causes you to truly find it. For help getting started, try this: A Practical Guide to Owning Fewer Clothes.
4. Boundaries bring freedom.
This may sound contradictory…and depending on the exact boundaries, it may be. But in the example of clothing, I found great freedom in the project. It is a refreshing feeling to look inside a closet and see only clothes that you love. Getting ready in the morning is less time-consuming. Laundry is easier. And I saved a few dollars over the 3 months as well. The experiment granted me more time, energy, and money—the very things I was losing without it.
For me, Project 333 became something far greater than wearing fewer articles of clothing. It became about recognizing the value of boundaries. And the value of boundaries reaches far beyond our closets. It begins to spill into how we decorate our homes, the toys we buy for our children, our yarn supplies, and even how we choose to spend our time, money, and energy.
Why don’t you try giving it a shot?
You’ll enjoy the challenge. And you’ve got nothing to lose but the clutter in your closet.
33 articles of clothing…. ha I travelled Europe for 6 months with 5 t-shirts, 2 button downs, 2 sweaters, 3 jeans 1 chino, 1 pair of shorts, a ball cap, a watch, and 4 underwear/socks. Laundry once a week and a sink refresh on undies if needed in-between. At times I felt I could have done it with less.
I love, love, love this idea! I’ve been trying to figure out a way to declutter and reduce my wardrobe for awhile now. The Project 333 sounds like an excellent challenge and I’m definitely willing to give it a try. My question is does the 33 articles of clothing for all 4 seasons? I live in the suburbs of Upstate N.Y. I can see it working if I combine Autumn & Winter clothing, as it would just require more layers. Spring & Summer my work also, depending on how cool or hot it gets here. I guess it could be adjusted. Like someone suggested, 44 articles for 4 months. That’s food for thought! Hmmm
This is unhygienic. It clearly doesn’t work for people who…y’know… feel the need to launder the sweat stains and body odor out of their clothes, never mind the various stains an outfit picks up during the day if you take care of children or have a messy job. Let’s enumerate. 7 pairs socks, 7 undies, 4 bras, 1 nightgown, 1 parka (never mind hat & gloves), 1 pair winter boots, 1 pair shoes that breathe, 1 sweater or fleece to keep warm, 1 purse or tote bag or backpack, 1 watch, 1 pair earrings, 1 wedding ring, and Whoops! I’m already at 27. I guess I have to choose between wearing shirts and pants this quarter!
If you read the article in its entirety you will notice that there are exceptions, like stocks under wear, bras, etc. This is merely a challenge. It creates parameters that assist in improving our life. We give children parameters. Why not stick to some ourselves. Or you could always get creative and modify it for yourself. Like 444, 44 items for the next 4 mos. Surely you can find a way to stay clean and reduce your clutter. I usually find it’s easier to maintain a higher level of cleanliness when there is reduced clutter.
I find this very interesting. I am trying very hard to declutter my house. My bedroom has so many clothes in it. I cannot actually sleep on my bed right now. I have a tall dresser and a big long dresser and drawers underneath my bed that are full of clothes. I have a fold out table that clothes are stacked all over and then I have a double closet that is so full. It’s ridiculous.. I I have enough clothes to clothes ten women. I have enough shoes for five women. I have a collection of over 50 scarves, the pathetic thing is I don’t wear them. Hey seriously need to declutter my house as it is affecting my mental health. My challenge is to get my house Decluttered within the next three months. I am a disabled veteran and it is going to take me a while to go through my whole entire house and declutter it. I’m praying I can do it as I know. I can live more happy life if I don’t have so much stuff suffocating me.
The article said do not count undies garments and sleepwear
You clearly didn’t read the rules of the challenge properly
Perhaps I would actually use the 1 apron that I possess, :).
You missed the part where she listed the exceptions such as underwear, wedding rings, work out clothes, outer wear, lounge clothes and PJs….
I mention that in the first paragraph. Thanks for the comments and helping draw attention to that again.
Did you read it? Socks and underwear don’t count – that would be ridiculous
Look back, it does not count things like underwear or bras or wedding rings, etc. Because those are things you will need on a day to day basis, decluttered or not. It’s also a suggestion for a decluttering challenge. Make it your own. I cannot stay out with the 333, I’m just to clumsy, also I work in a garage and am often covered in sawdust. So that clothing gets replaced daily. I’m going to try a 555 challenge myself, and see how it goes. I don’t think I’ll ever go to the 333 even if I didn’t get my clothes dirty on daily basis, I just love them too much, but I can certainly try for less than I have. If I don’t make it, I’ll at least find things to take into the next challenge with me. Make it your own. These are jumping off type list of guidelines. You take what works, you do you!
Underwear, socks, lounging wear aren’t counted.
I have read the book Project 333 and loved it. While I’ve never owned loads of clothes, I’ve always felt I was scrambling to find something that went well with something else. My problem is one day I wake up and want to wear my flamboyant rainbowy clothes, the next I want to dress all elegant and smart. I also have a handful of different clothes for the seasons in the UK. I definitely want to better coordinate my wardrobe, though.
Emma!!!! I miss you!!!!! Love, your PAF sister Nikki, who is trying to stop hoarding and start minimizing. ????
thanks for the information , it is just amazing keep posting like this more
Reading all the comments I’m still wondering if the 33 is for all the seasons? Or 33 for each season? Because I have to have dress clothes, plus casual wear, and there’s summer dress shoes & casual, & winter dress shoes/boots & casual. My friend just told me about this in a book she’s been reading and gave me the link to this page. I’ve thought about this kinda thing already, because I have clothes that I like, but when going somewhere I’ll put it on and then say, no I don’t really like how it looks, so I go to one I really like and where often. And same with jewelry, it’s got to be sparkly or I tend not to wear it. And THEN there’s the fluctuating weight! Which I’ve just got stored away, so I’m not going to count those right now.
Last year I gave SO MANY bags of clothes away because I really never wore them or a size that I wouldn’t wear if IT did fit right now. I gave to a friend and then have her pass them on to other friends. I had SO MANY shoes I use to wear with high heels, which I ALWAYS wore, but health and age limits me wearing most of them anymore, although the better quality ones, I still can, just not as high as before.
This time I think I’ll donate to a woman’s shelter, because when a woman has to flee from an abusive husband with or without children, they usually ONLY HAVE what they’re wearing. Wish I’d thought of that before.
It’s 33 articles of clothing for just 3 months (Project 333).
That made me smile real big.
???? Thank you
And yes… what you said is true.
You forgot about the holidays!
Parties, parent greets, the list SICKLY goes on….????
Living the military life for 30+ years we moved a lot! The time during the actual move was so freeing! We had to live out of our suitcase for anywhere from 6-12 weeks. You learned that you really didn’t need all that stuff!!
We have been displaced to a hotel due to a house fire. I have 5 outfits, 3 pair of shoes, and A few coats. I am surprised how easy this has been. I am hoping when we get back in and i get my belongings back, i will be able to make donations to get my closets down to the things that i wear the most (these 5)
thanks for the information , it is just amazing keep posting like this