How I streamlined my wardrobe to 55 pieces (and got rid of 60+ perfectly good ones)
For years I have heard about the benefits of minimalism. Less stuff, more clarity. And the idea has always appealed to me. BUT I am a crafter at heart (stuff) and love the idea of options in my wardrobe (more stuff), so I've kind of put it on the back burner.
The older i get, the more the idea of less stuff and less clutter appeals to me. I first heard about capsule wardrobes last year from one of my favorite fellow bloggers Miranda (you can read about her capsule wardrobe here!) and marveled at the idea. Her's was so elegant and creatively composed! Essentially, a capsule wardrobe consists of 40 pieces (including shoes! Yikes!) that can be mixed and matched to create many different options. Though it seemed perfectly simplistic and creative, I knew I would never be able to cut THAT MANY items from my closet. However I did want to simplify my wardrobe to less items, full of items that I truly loved.
So I set some ground rules.
- Cut wardrobe to 50 pieces.
- Does NOT include exercise clothes, pajamas, coats, or shoes/accessories (we were talkin' tops, bottoms, skirts, dresses, and sweaters). I DID however manage to cut my exercise clothes and PJs in half. Sorry about the shoes... they ALL survived. What can I say!?!
-Be ruthless!! If I wasn't in love with it, it was a gonner!
How I did it
1) Do a once-over. For kicks, count how many pieces you are starting with. I had over 120!! Waaayyy too much! Pull out all of the items that you initially know you can part with. And anything you haven't worn in 6 months.
2) Create 2 piles. The "outta here" pile, and the "maybe" pile. Most of my items were hanging, so i just left keepers in the closet. You may want a third "keeps" pile. Maybe recruite a cute assistant.
3) Get ruthless! I counted my items after initial pulling and I still had about 70-75 peices! It was time to get really strict with myself. Would I buy this again, today? Would I really miss this if it were gone? When it's getting tough, visualize your new, clean, crisp, and streamlined closet! Imagine how easy it will be to pick a great outfit!
4) I asked myself, "Is there anything I can't stop thinking about?" At the end of my sorting and tossing, there were about 2 things in the "outta here" pile that I just could not get off my mind. I ended up putting them back in the closet because I found that I actually did love them! DON'T take advantage of this step... stay strong!
Getting rid of so much might make you a little frustrated at first. Reagan got pretty flustered ;) but you can do it!
5) After throwing away any clothes that had damage or stains, offer any remaining "outta here" clothes to your friends and family! I found that, because I was being so ruthless, I was getting rid of some truly cute clothes that just didn't fit my style or life anymore! My mom and sister came over and had a hay-day! Knowing that those clothes will continue to be loved makes getting rid of them a lot easier! After offering to friends and family, donate the rest to the nearest Goodwill or D.I.
6) Tidy and organize everything in the closet to really feel the relief of your new, simpler wardrobe!
7) Marvel in the clarity that comes with your new clean and simplified closet! REalize that you could pick a top with your eyes closed and you'd be psyched to wear it!
A few notes...
- I live in Southern California, where seasons don't really exist. If you are in a location with true winters and summers, store away your out of season clothes for even more space and minimalism in your closet!
- Keep in mind that your room WILL be a disaster during this process. It's totally normal and means you are doing it right! The end will justify the means!
- My goal was 50 pieces, but I ended up with 55. I felt like it was a fair compromise! Getting rid of any more and I would have had regrets! Give yourself grace!
Having less stuff is truly liberating! It helps me think clearer and really appreciate the smaller amount of things that I absolutely love! I highly reccommend streamlining your wardrobe, and I hope this post helped!
Xoxo,
Alex
Walking into my closet is a lot less stressful now!