Where to begin when you want to minimize your closet. It is no secret that as women we are told the having a diverse wardrobe is necessary. Buying something new for every occasion is just what you do. Let me tell you that I have found this to not be true.
Last summer, I began experiment with my wardrobe. Making it smaller, limiting my options, and creating a capsule wardrobe. This summer, I have adopted an even smaller wardrobe and its been amazing! Here are my tips on where to start minimizing your closet.
Let me also say that the overall goal with a minimal closet is to wear what you currently have and not buy pieces to fill “holes” in your wardrobe or your life for that matter. I get retail therapy may be your thing but I promise you can live with a smaller wardrobe. Don’t want to do it alone? I’ll do it with you.
1. Take Everything out of your closet.
I mean everything. Look at all your clothes at one time. It may be overwhelming but trust me it will get better.
2. Pull out the pieces you LOVE
Start with the current season that you are in, And pull out eh pieces you absolutely love and wear on repeat. Doesn’t matter the number of pieces.
3. Pack away Seasonal Items
For example its currently summer here in Wisconsin, so I would pull out all the things that I’m not going to need in the summer and pack it away until the temperatures start cooling down.
4. Establish your capsule
Take a hard look a the pieces you pulled out that you absolutely love. Are there any items that you’d love to add. Like a pair of denim shorts or a linen skirt? (those are the two things I’d like to add to mine lol)
If you need hard numbers to stick to you could reference project 333 and only keep it around 33 pieces or try the 10 item capsule. Both of which I have experimented with. My current capsule is about 14 pieces. not counting pajamas.
5. Try it for a Month.
Stick to it for a month and see if you are missing any of your other clothes. I’m guessing you’ll hardly notice a difference in the size of your wardrobe, since most of us only wear about 10% of what we own. I know I haven’t missed anything that I’ve decluttered or packed away since I started doing this.
There really are no rules you need to follow when it comes to your small closet. The intention is really to make your closet work really well for you.
Benefits I’ve Noticed
A few of the benefits that I have found from a minimized coset, is I hardly ever get stuck in the rut of looking at my closet and feeling like I don’t have anything to wear. It is AMAZING what limiting your options does to free up your mind, and your time. I used to think about what I was going to wear for so long and now I’m ready in under 2 minutes. I love it.
It also takes away from your laundry load. Less to wear, less time between washes which might mean you are doing laundry more but you are overall managing less. Idk about you but having more clothes meant I would go longer between washes which means my dirty laundry basket would be over flowing before I got to it. GAME CHANGING.
My kids also have very small wardrobes. It is IDEAL. Since kids grow so fast they don’t need that many pieces for each season. Less to manage means less stress for you.
I always feel put together and I won’t feel embarrassed if someone popped by and I’m caught in my pajamas still. I look forward to getting dressed because I’ll be wearing something I love!
