Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Catherine Gordon of Midlands Minimalist.
One of the best places to start on the journey toward clutterfree living is in your closet.
Think of it as ‘a room with a room.’ Decluttering this clearly-defined, tiny space will build your confidence and set you on the path to lighter, freer, and better living.
There are other benefits too. A minimalist wardrobe edit will:
- Save you money and time. As you wear more of what you already own, you will spend less time feeling frustrated and exclaiming: “I have nothing to wear!!”
- Give you more confidence in your day-to-day choices as you will mix and match more successfully.
- Create the basis of a ‘capsule wardrobe.’ This is merely an outcome, not a rigid, prescribed goal. A wardrobe edit will help you create your own, unique collection.
Seize the opportunity with this 4-Step Wardrobe Edit.
Stage 1: Ready.
To prepare, ask yourself some key questions:
—What do I own too much of? Keep in mind that most of us wear only 20% of what we have 80% of the time.
—Why have I been holding onto things I no longer wear? Because I think it will come in handy one day… Or I can’t decide what to do with it… Or because of the nostalgic value… Or simply because I spent good money on it… Acknowledge these feelings, then let them go.
—Will I still enjoy fashion after my wardrobe edit? Absolutely! Fashion and beauty writer, Rae Ritchie says you can: “It’s a misconception to think that minimalism and fashion are incompatible. It’s still possible to remain up to date with major trends and have a small capsule wardrobe. You just have to be judicious in your choices. Treat how you dress as a fun creative hobby, a chance to play. With a foundation of versatile basics, you can easily drop in a few items that catch your eye.”
—So, am I ready? If the answer is ‘yes’, move to Stage 2.
Stage 2: Get set.
—Set aside some time, so you can really focus. Bring those old clothes down from the loft and pull out any stowed-away garments from under the bed.
—Have a good collection of hangers ready. Wooden ones enable your clothes to hang well, but you can also buy lovely felt-covered ones. When I decluttered my own wardrobe, I was astonished to discover over 20 yellow plastic dry cleaners’ hangers! Happily, they could be returned for re-cycling.
—Also, prepare some garbage bags.
—Finally, make sure you have access to a good full length mirror for trying on clothes.
Stage 3: Go!
—Review your clothes. Consider your clothes as though they were new items that you were going to buy (and spend a lot of money on). Evaluate each garment and consider the following questions:
- Does this suit me? Compliment my shape? Fit (now – not when you’ve lost 10lbs!)? Work with my current lifestyle?
- Is it in good condition? A color that suits me? Comfortable?
- Am I happy wearing this?
- Have I worn it in the last 12 months?
—Divide and conquer. Make a pile for each of the following 3 categories:
1. Items to keep
Identify, then return these to the closet, arranging by garment type, length or by colour. Hang trousers long to avoid creating a crease at the knee.
Try rolling items to be stored in drawers, KonMari style. Use shoe or gift boxes to store smaller items. As you look into the box, you’ll be able to see everything clearly.
Place hooks on the back of the wardrobe door for accessories such as necklaces.
2. ‘Maybe’ items
Would any of these things work with your ‘to keep’ clothes? Could they be cleaned, altered or mended? If not, relegate to ‘Items to let go’ pile.
3. Items to let go
To relinquish what no longer serves you, give them away, swish them (clothes swap), sell them (eBay/dress agency), donate them, or recycle them.
Stage 4: Maintain.
Now that you have created an edited wardrobe and clearly see what you own (and love), you’ll be surprised how easily you can imagine different combinations and identify any gaps.
To further maintain this edited wardrobe:
Store by season. Divide what you have into seasons. I have a summer/winter wardrobe, so I hang my summer clothes in small closet until I gradually swap them with my winter items when warmer weather returns. Take this a step further and try Courtney Carver’s Project 333, wearing just 33 things over a period of 3 months.
Adopt a ‘one in, one out’ approach. When you need something new, adopt the ‘one in, one out’ approach. As Gretchen Rubin writes in The Happiness Project, “It’s easy to make the mistake of thinking that if you have something you love, or there’s something you want, you’ll be happier with more.” Take the essentialist approach and keep one lovely item rather than several mediocre ones.
Change your mindset. Avoid shopping for specific occasions. Later this month, I will attend a friend’s 50th birthday party. With ‘cocktail wear’ specified, I will wear a favourite dress but certainly won’t buy anything new for the occasion. You know what? No-one actually notices what you’re wearing anyway and your bank balance will thank you for it.
Congratulate yourself on a job well done. So, now you’ve taken that first step. You’ve found confidence in your ability to declutter this little ‘room within a room’. Your journey towards clutterfree living has begun!
Most of all, enjoy seeing—and wearing—your favourite items every day.
Maybe you’ll even start thinking about which space to tackle next?
***
Based in the Midlands of England, Catherine Gordon offers perspectives on her blog, Midlands Minimalist, that are ‘mid-life’ as she is married with a teenager and owner of Ollie the Cockapoo.
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Rarely do I read the comments sections because inevitably there’s negative people or angry people, but I must say that this has been the most pleasant and encouraging comments section that I think I’ve ever read. LOL minimalism is new to me and after reading all of this I’m going to go purge my closet. Looking forward to a brand new year with less stuff. :)
I’ve adopted a uniform in order to get my closet under control. I have four pair of pants: two pair tan khakis; two pair gray khakis. I have four sweaters: two black crew necks; two black V-necks. I have four shirts: two white button downs; one black button down; and, one gray button down. It doesn’t matter which pair of pants, which shirt or which sweater I grab. Everything matches. People that know me know my minimalist tendencies and my wardrobe doesn’t strike anyone as unusual. I concede my wardrobe is austere but I think the idea of a uniform is a fantastic way to avoid clothing creep. Vera Wang, Steve Jobs and former President Obama are just a few personal uniform devotees.
I love these tips to help think about your wardrobe. I have found one of the easiest ways to edit is to edit as you wear items placing worn items on the far end of a hanging rod or on an empty shelf and only wearing items once until you’ve gone through your entire closet this way you get a good understanding of what you really like and wear versus the stuff that’s left over at the end. For more on how I do this check out my post at http://www.hopepostkids.com
I’ve been downsizing my wardrobe over the past few years. I didn’t buy any clothes for two years and slowly gave away things I no longer used. Then when I was down to only a few items, I bought a few pairs of pants and a few shirts (all the same basic style and color). I’m still working on the shoes.
Have a look at most religious paintings/images…Jesus never changed his garb in over 30 years ????????
I made the decision a few years ago to only wear black slacks or blue jeans. No skirts. No dresses. Then I got some thinner cableknit sweaters that work for three seasons in multiple colors.
Only black shoes or sneakers. Simple wardrobe. Simpler life. (yes, I had to get a long dress for a family wedding, but it was a tough decision to cave-in to family pressure)
About six months ago, I installed a multi-level closet organizer and was able to cull more clothes while organizing what i have. It was so glorious that I danced around my room while admiring my closet. Stress levels decreased, too. I can see what I have without digging.
Amen, Suzy! Everything i read about paring down my wardrobe proposed a piece by piece approach: go through your closet piece by piece and decide what to keep. But we bought those things for some reason so I barely made a dent in my wardrobe. Then I decided to pick my favorites. I limited myself to three items per garment. Three pair of pants, three shirts, etc. from there I was able to look more objectively at my clothes and decide on a few key pieces like you. Like you I now have a “uniform” and it’s made life so much easier.
These are awesome tips to get clutterfree wardrobe. Good post
I use a simple “one in, one out” rule. If I buy something, then I must get rid of something. It keeps everything organized and prevents clutter from accumulating.
Got a lot accomplished yesterday! Out with the old and in with the new! Looking forward to a great 2017 :)
Clean house!!!
Catherine, I really enjoyed this post and am now on your list to receive regular postings and occasional news! I have been dealing with the “keeping things for best” syndrome for as long as I can remember! I buy things I like, but keep them for that special occasion that never seems to materialize. I am now doing a better job of wearing things right away and enjoying them, but your recent blog post is an inspiration to really get my closet organized and functioning the way I would like. Thank you!
Thank you, Janet! It’s great to have your feedback and I’m so gladness you have managed to overcome ‘Sunday best’ syndrome!
That is *glad* LOL #autocorrect
I’ve never been a big clothes shopper or fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, but, like most Americans, I had more clothes than is necessary.
Getting rid of my chest of drawers and downsizing my attire (to what many would call extreme if you open my closet) has reduced so much anxiety from my morning routine. No longer do “I have nothing to wear.”
To quote JFM from the Minimalists, now all of my clothes are my favorite clothes.
This includes business clothing, casual, and work-out gear.
Minimizing your wardrobe is a great introduction into minimalism, so if you’re new to this lifestyle, have at it.
Next up: your bathroom and medicine cabinet :)
I don’t shop at all anymore, except food and petrol/necessities. I have enough clothes to last me forever and I am unnaturally attached to my 2x pair of black shorts….my mother moans that I look boring, but I don’t care.
Hello, Yes 2017 is the Year I become a Minimalist !!
I am so pleased to have found your website. Thank You.
Now must get into my closet m’m’m If I can Ha’ Ha
So glad I found your blog! I love the emails, inspiration and motivation you give me and my family! Just Awesome! Thanks!
I have minimized my wardrobe to the point where everything I own fits in my backpack – and now people occasionally try to give me (and my daughter) more clothes, coats and sweaters because they think we may be poor – in other words, maybe we appear to not have enough. What a confusing/confused society we live in.
That’s fantastic Cheryl, I’m working my way towards something similar
Cheryl, maybe they just have too much stuff themselves and they see someone with not as much stuff and think, “maybe I have a chance!” They just don’t understand that we got to be where we are by saying no to pretty much everything!
Love this! I did this with my wardrobe this weekend and it was so good, somehow it made me automatically feel a little less stressed and de-cluttered :)
Rachael xx.
theteacozykitchen.blogspot.co.uk
I did a shopping ban for a year, and during that time, slowly kept purging my wardrobe. I have practiced swapping one our for every new item I bought for years. It really helps my find items I truly love while shopping knowing something in my wardrobe will have to leave if I buy this new item. I feel like I still have some room for improvement. I want my clothes dressing to be as easy and non-stressful as possible.
Having fewer things definitely helps. I simply lay out (or hang together) what I’ll be wearing the night before. So much easier not to be making decisions or be looking for things when tired and sleepy!
I love the concept of a minimalist wardrobe and am trying to implement one in my closet. For me, the 80/20 is quite true mostly because of work. I work in a production type lab job so it doesn’t make sense to wear “nice” clothes if they’re just going on get dirty or stained. But work clothes are what I wear most of the time. I have been streamlining my work clothes to plain (mostly white) t-shirts and jeans, which makes mornings a breeze. All the rest of my clothes mostly sit until the holidays or a party rolls around. That is what makes a minimalist wardrobe hard! My “nice” clothes that I like are rarely worn because they are not work appropriate or I don’t want to risk staining them. So I essentially have a set of work clothes, non work clothes as well as summer and winter wardrobe because that is a must in Minnesota!
Inevitably, there’ll be some things you’ll want to keep for occasional use. I have an adorable fur-effect jacket that I love, but I haven’t worn it this winter…yet!
Other people don’t really notice anyway… it’s kind of freeing when you think about it. However, when you’re less preoccupied and burdened with stuff, they will notice THAT and ask :)
I love your ideas and plan to go thru my closet with this in mind. When I was a very young woman I made a change to winter clothes I could wash instead of dry clean. One of my co workers said, “When are you going to start wearing your wool skirts this year? I mean your ONE wool skirt- HA HA HA” I never explained to her that my dark knits were my winter clothes. So there may be people who notice how many clothes you have but their opinions don’t really matter.
Too right! The only person whose opinion really matters when it comes to style is yours. My 15 year old might argue on that, though!
I did this over winter break and recommend it! Now I can see everything at a glance and the clothes hang more comfortably in the closet. Several years ago someone showed me how to roll clothes – said his dad had to do that in the army, and it works because you can see everything in the drawer at a glance.
Something to consider: in addition to what’s mentioned in the article, organizing and maintaining clothes by function. For example, dressy (as in the cocktail example mentioned above, I have a couple of outfits suitable for warm and cold season wear, from very formal to slightly less so, that coordinate with each other); professional; casual; specialized activity garments (such as for skiing or running); and one outfit for heavy cleaning or painting.
I also noticed the tendency to buy and wear the same color themes, so after decluttering the wardrobe, instead of feeling too downsized, creativity came to the fore and I pulled out accessories that added new spice to what was already there. No more overwhelm, just a feeling of peace when I look in my closet and drawers. Much easier to maintain, too.
A couple years ago I did a big shirt purge and was left with about 2 colors plus black, white and grey. Seeing what was there left me feeling so calm and happy!
Bravo, Kathy! Colour analysis is a wonderful tool that ensures everything goes together. My colours are ‘warm, muted and dark’ so (in theory) if I stick to that when undertaking my wardrobe edit, everything that remains will work well together.
WHEN I shop, I love to shop Goodwill. I feel great about getting a beautiful dress for example that’s $6.99 instead of $69.99! And it’s not all about the money. I like the whole idea of reduce-reuse-recycle. Yes, it’s best to “shop from your closet” and reinvent something. No one is watching. Throw on a pretty smile! That is the best accessory of all :)
I agree with that one, Judy. You’re ‘never fully dressed without a smile’. Good for you on finding pre-loved bargains. Here in the UK, there are certain locations that offer a selection of great charity and vintage clothing stores, as well as dress agencies. Often, the charity shops don’t differentiate by brand; you can just as easily pick up a high-end top for the same price as a supermarket brand.
Here in New Zealand it’s the same! I buy all my clothes at opportunity, or ‘op shops’ as they are called here, and often get designer brands, often almost new, for a few dollars. I have been complimented on my style! And the great thing is it’s a donation to charity every time. Once a year, I return a bag for resale.
I love op shops too, primarily because what’s in fashion in the shops often doesn’t suit me. I need to find out of date stuff that I like!
I agree that no one is watching what you wear. I like grouping the clothing by season. You can maintain a flow as clothing transitions in and out of season.
I think that’s right, Tony. Unless you’re in a room of ‘fashionistas’, most people don’t notice what you’re wearing. Grouping clothing by seasons is particularly helpful. Thanks for your comment!
Same here – for work I have three dresses that are all the exact same style, but in different colours, that I rotate through. No one has ever mentioned that I wear the same thing all the time. For winter I wear them with tights and boots, for summer sandals. I love it, I never have that horrible “what shall I wear today?” decision to make in the morning.
I have a girl at work who wears her clothes over and over, it’s noticed. But who cares. It’s her life not mine, she apparently loves those shirts cause she wears them every week. She makes good money too.