A capsule wardrobe is a minimalist approach to fashion that emphasizes thoughtful details, fine fabrics, and interesting textures. It reduces visual clutter, making it stress-free and easier to live in a minimalist way. To create a minimalist wardrobe, start by decluttering one area at a time and focus on keeping items that bring value to your life. Minimalism can improve mental health by ensuring versatile clothes with classic silhouettes and can be worn with most other pieces.
To create a minimalist wardrobe, admit that you own too much clothing, wear fewer colors, embrace the idea of one, donate, sell, recycle, discard, impose an arbitrary moratorium on shopping, set a monthly spending limit, and purchase quality over quantity. Start by organizing your closet into categories, creating three piles, and then moving back to your maybe pile.
Organize your clothes into categories, discover your style, create unique looks, save for staple items and shop secondhand, and care for your garments. To have a truly minimalist approach to clothing, you don’t need to dress in all black and white solid colors; instead, have a curated wardrobe.
To maintain a minimalist lifestyle, find something that excites you and take up that mental space. Wear only neutral colors, keep a certain number of items, wear simple accessories, and buy high-quality clothing. Be comfortable with repeating outfits, pay attention to fabrics, define boundaries, and borrow when needed.
📹 decluttering my ENTIRE closet | minimalism + capsule wardrobe tips for beginners
My first minimalist declutter video! I hope these closet decluttering tips are helpful to you if you’re working on minimalism or on …
Are minimalists happier?
A survey by the Simplicity Institute found that 87% of 2, 500 people living with fewer possessions reported being happier now than when they owned more. This may seem contradictory, but considering the benefits of living with less, such as less debt, stress, and cleaning, it makes sense. Happiness is not about owning as many possessions as possible; it’s about living life consistent with one’s greatest passions.
Do minimalists spend less money?
Minimal living is a cost-effective approach to financial freedom, as it involves accumulating fewer items, reducing expenses related to storage, maintenance, repair, cleaning, and disposal. This approach allows for more opportunities to use finances in other ways. While many believe that earning more money is the secret to financial freedom, it is actually spending less. This is the simplest solution to most money problems. Living a life that accumulates only the essentials often leads to financial freedom. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize a life that accumulates only the essentials to achieve financial freedom.
What is the opposite of minimalist?
Maximalism is the opposite of minimalist graphic design and website, which aims to communicate with clarity but with a wider range of graphic elements. Minimalist designers often live by the motto “less is more”, but some may cut out all graphic variety from their work. The core distinction between minimalist and maximalist designers is that minimalists aim to convey as much information with as few visual elements, while maximalist designers aim to cohesively implement a wide variety of graphic elements into their work.
How many pairs of jeans should you own?
Denim experts believe that three pairs of jeans are enough for any wardrobe, categorizing them as dressy, everyday casual, and messy jeans. Dressy jeans are versatile and easy to dress up for a night out, often in skinny black. Every day casual jeans are more relaxed and classic blue denim, suitable for weekends and pairing with various footwear and casual looks. These jeans can be dressed up or down, and can be dressed up or down for a night out.
What colors do minimalists wear?
Neutrals are essential for a minimalist wardrobe, offering simplicity, elegance, enhanced visual space, and versatility. They complement various design elements and can be easily coordinated with accessories. When choosing neutral tones, consider lighting, space, and personal preference. White and off-white convey purity and sophistication, while off-white adds warmth and depth. Beige and taupe infuse warmth and tranquility, creating a cozy atmosphere.
Gray and charcoal create a sleek and contemporary ambiance, providing a backdrop for various accents. These shades contribute to the minimalist aesthetic and can be paired with various accessories and furnishings.
How many clothes is it normal to own?
The survey results indicate that the majority of respondents possess between 77 and 155 articles of clothing in their wardrobe, with a few exceptions in the 300+ range.
How do I become an extreme minimalist?
An extreme minimalist typically possesses a minimal number of items, maintaining an aesthetic simplicity and prioritizing the creation of a tranquil environment. Such individuals may not derive pleasure from conventional domestic environments or material possessions. However, their chosen belongings frequently align with the aforementioned characteristics.
How to be minimalist with clothing?
Fashion stylist Madeleine Kennedy emphasizes the importance of well-suited pieces in minimalist style, such as property-tailored pieces and neutrals. Essential accessories include black and white trousers, blazers, and button-ups. Paule Tenaillon and Marine Braquet, founders of NOMASEI, recommend a pair of loafers, a silk-colored scarf, and a clean leather belt with minimal buckle. Style therapist Christina Stein suggests that loud and monogrammed pieces don’t jive with minimalism, and suggests using a bag by Mansur Gavriel or the Row instead. She also advises against graphic tees, as they don’t fit the minimalist aesthetic. Overall, minimalist style is about balancing style and functionality.
How to be a minimalist luxury?
Minimalist luxury is the conscious practice of decluttering one’s surroundings, focusing on the removal of superfluous items and concentrating on the essentials. This approach engenders a tranquil ambience, thereby fostering clarity and composure in both corporeal and mental realms.
What is the minimum amount of clothes needed?
Researchers have found that a “sufficient” wardrobe for a person living in a two-season climate consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits, and 85 garments for those living in a four-season climate. A modern capsule wardrobe could consist of six outfits for work, three outfits for home wear, three outfits for sports, and two outfits for festive occasions, plus four outdoor jackets and pants or skirts. The exact mix depends on a person’s individual lifestyle needs, but the 74-85 garment recommendation is generous and more than most previous generations possessed.
The report suggests that if other actions are taken by brands and consumers, we could return to consumption levels of 2010 while still being within fashion’s carbon budget for a 2. 7 degrees Fahrenheit pathway.
What clothing style is minimalist?
Minimalist clothing is characterized by neutral colors, timeless silhouettes, and high-quality fabrics. It is a mindset that opposes trends and focuses on dressing as a signature, fine-tuning personal style, and reducing overconsumption. This approach helps refine personal style and reduces overconsumption. For example, wearing pearl earrings or a certain shade of blue can create an instant sense of recognition, making them more powerful than trendy items. A minimalist mindset can help refine personal style and reduce overconsumption by focusing on quality pieces that are loved and used daily.
📹 How to create a Minimalist Wardrobe (& why you’d want to!)
:: IN THIS VIDEO :: The white and colored tops shown are all from Marshall’s this season! My Favorite Shoes: …
Thank you so much for perusal!! You can find the full Minimalism Back to Basics Playlist here: cli.re/BASICS OTHER THINGS SHOWN: The white and colored tops shown are all from Marshall’s this season! My Favorite Shoes: amzn.to/3qUvmOR My Earrings: rstyle.me/+s1YtxZy-_Nig6k_yRPmxnw My Black Shirt: amzn.to/42ETWkx Hope you have a great day!!! – Dawn
When my father passed away last January, I had to bring all of his clothes home with me. I could not bring myself to get rid of them. My sweet friend asked me if she could take them home with her. I was so numb, that I didn’t even think it was weird. But out of Daddy’s shirts and jeans, she made 13 throw quilts and a pillow. One for each child, grandchild, great grand child, 2 sisters and 1 brother. When I am missing him, I wrap up in a quilt and remember him wearing the shirts and pants. This is a great idea for sentimental clothing.
One of the biggest blessings in disguise is losing 80% of our storage space when we moved into our now-“forever” house. I had already been thinking about why I allowed our prior home, which happened to have a massive amount of built-in storage for its size, to become a warehouse. It was because it was so easy to just amass stuff, I never felt like I had to think about whether it had a good purpose. Everything “sparked joy” and that means that all we did was just fill up those storage spaces with inventory that did not enhance our life. It weighed it down. So since we have basically no built in space in our “forever” house, we had to get real, and the container concept meant that we simply could not keep drowning in stuff. Once we recognized this, it was like a light switch flipped and we suddenly could not WAIT to shed excess stuff. I donated what had to be over 100 pairs of shoes, 29 black trash bags filled to the brim with clothing (so much with tags) and seriously 100 boxes of books and felt lighter and lighter and lighter with each Goodwill run. I do not miss any of it and am somewhat dumbstruck by how ridiculously easy it was to keep accumulating and never considering it. And the extrapolation to today is that I now look at anything I own with a new stinkeye because I no longer assume I will love it the same way over time as when I first got it. Example: I went to Marshall’s in 2021 mid-pandemic and found a totally adorable lavender blouse with ruffled sleeves and a lavender t-shirt to line it.
Another perk to a minimalist closet is how easy it is to pack for trips. I just packed for a trip that includes three days of dressy clothes and I’m wearing the same pair of shoes that look great with all outfits and they are super comfy. The old me would have thought “the same shoes for all three?” and the new me says “Absolutely!” The casual outfits were easy to chose because it’s stuff I wear all the time, like, know look good together and so I’m done packing. Love it.
Thank you for such quality content always, Dawn! I would add, when I’m decluttering an item of clothing with tags, or that I’ve barely worn, I like to ask myself, “what did I learn from this item?” it helps me remember that it is not a total waste if I learned from it that maybe I don’t like that type of top, or that it really wasn’t a good color on me, etc. We’re human, we make mistakes; the best thing to do at that point is learn from them. 😊
It’s definitely possible. 🙂 I love wearing dressy bright colors. Used to think I had to get rid of all my fun clothes because that wasn’t being “minimalist”. Now realize I just have to be extremely intentional about what i keep. I can’t stand black, grey, beige colors. makes me feel depressed when I wear them. Love your system Dawn!
I think if I have a dress with tags on it that I don’t like I can donate it for someone who likes it and can’t afford brand new dresses. I like the looking out for each other kind of life and not how much did I spend. (Should add that my family has been in poverty level for the past 30 years – who knows about the future, but wanted to write this since otherwise you all would think I’m giving away brand new clothes with tags because I can afford to. 😀).
Great article, Dawn! I was very inspired by Courtney Carver @bemorewithless and Project 333, so I applied the container concept to my clothing. I bought 16 pink velvet hangers and I use those as the limit for tops, T-shirts and dresses. I also have two pairs of trousers, two jeans and a tracksuit stored in a hanging shelf unit in the same wardrobe. I’m in the UK, so I do have a small tote with off-season clothing that I can swap in as the weather turns colder, but most of my clothes get worn year round. Having a simplified wardrobe really does feel good!!
I actually like wearing a lot of white T-shirts. Lol. I find them versatile and convenient and better in our hot climate and it happens to look good on me. It’s very simple to add color via layering in colder weather. I have lot of the same basic staple pieces for all seasons. Usually regular tees work well down here for about 3/4 of the year, as it’s only really cold for a few months out of the year (and even then I have a few long sleeved white tees for that lol). Plus to me, it’s such a nice look. White tee. Darker pants. White canvas tennies. Imo can’t beat that look for day to day. Then just dress it up with a cute necklace or watch and cute sandals when I’m feeling “fancy.” Lol. (I also have a couple of more “blousy” looking white tees…but in essence they’re still just tees). You can also easily change your look for fun with super simple things like tucking in, half front tuck or no tuck. Def don’t need more clothes for more variety. Just need to play with what you have a little bit. I find the best mindset is just that tho. Don’t work to fit your wardrobe. Make your wardrobe work to fit you. Someone recently told me that I always look so cute and “put together.” I guess I’m doing something right by now with it. Lol. But more importantly, it’s easy and low stress for me to maintain.
Thanks for calling me out today, Dawn! I’ve been needing to declutter my closet for a few months now and I just couldn’t find the motivation. I’m going through a pretty stressful time, so actually doing something productive that’s taking care of ME will feel so good! Okay… here I go with my donate box & bag…
Thanks Dawn. I have minimized my closet several times due to various life events. Work was my identity and it was my life. I like more dressier clothes even though I don’t work. Dressing nice makes me happy even though my health makes me feel extremely sad. I love that dress from Buckle!!! x’s lj p.s. wonky houses are the best!! 🙂
I still find myself thinking I need to have black denim, a Jean jacket, white button down, little black dress etc. But I have four young kids, work from home with two of them here with me and don’t have to dress up for hardly anything including date nights since my husband and I usually do those in house to save money. I have enough basic pieces and jeans that fit me properly and shoes that can work for several different occasions. I don’t have a lot of the “staple pieces” that you see in other articles or on Pinterest, but what I have works great for what season of life I’m in now. And it feels SO GOOD!! 😊
I need to start on my closet. My big hang up is that I tend to think I have to fold all the clothes that go into the donate box. How do I get rid of that feeling and just chuck them in the box? It takes me forever to sort through things. I did the same when hubby passed and I was donating his clothes. Silly I know, but the struggle is real.
I’ve always been so in love with black anyway, and I’m so glad I don’t have to feel bad about it anymore! I was trying to create lots of colour, because I felt “boring”, but I realised it was just so overwhelming for me. Too much going on! I’m happy to go back to my natural tendency. I’ve finally created my capsule wardrobe with all your tips, and I love how simple it all is now. Blacks, whites, blues, dark reds are my fave!
Thanks for encouraging us all ! Went through and eliminated a whole closet of hanging clothes. I used to not have room to get my hand in to scoot the hangers now the clothes hang nicely. Going to look again and donate to ” free store ” as they distribute at no cost to the needy. My church supports the community and helps set up households for them. I’m going through dishes next and on and on and on !!!! Blessings 🙏
Dawn, Would love articles with your meal planning and budgeting for food. I used to buy at Sam’s and stock up but we tend to see things get wasted/expired. I have very low inventory of food now and it makes me nervous since I’m not used to it. We have seen a lot of areas of your house please have articles about FOOD ❤️❤️ love your work! You have helped me in so many ways! Thank you!
I’m in a season of life where I am cycling through pregnancy, postpartum and my “normal” size. I’ve found it so helpful to keep only the clothes that fit right now in my closet. I was getting so stressed and anxious with a closet full of clothes that didn’t fit or or work for the stage my body was in. I keep a tote with all the clothes that don’t apply to the season I’m in and swap out as needed.
The “must fit my today body” concept was life changing to help me declutter my work wardrobe. While I have been the same size for 20 years, I have many clothing items that need “hacked” with safety pins or can only be worn layered a certain way, etc. Realizing that my body is not going to magically change so I don’t have to safety pin a top that’s too low cut gave me the realization that I need to let these items go. Such a simple concept that made such a meaningful difference for me!
Nobody understands the concept of “what fits your today body” quite like a pregnant woman!😂 I have previously simplified my wardrobe using your methods Dawn, but at 5 months along I truly understand that point so much better now! I have a back section of my closet for clothes that get put on “sabbatical” when I size out of them, but still want to wear them post-partum. Thanks for the helpful articles!😊
Being chunky really makes it harder to get rid of clothes because nothing really makes you feel great about yourself. Maybe comfort is a better criteria for me 😂 My Mom is 80 and her generation cares so much more about clothes. It’s not just her either. I was perusal an elderly YouTuber pack for an overseas trip recently and I just had to recognize how much they care about having the right clothes even when it means dragging extra luggage to another country. Recently we were going on a vacation and I told my mom we had to pack light. She didn’t even know how. Has anyone else noticed this with older women in particular??
When a person has too many clothes they are most likely only using a small portion of them anyway (they’re the things in the laundry basket!) so decluttering what’s left in the closet on laundry day can be a great way to start IMO. I have a small wardrobe and still find that I only wear most of my favorites once every week which means summer clothes may only get worn 12 times per year (3 months of tank top weather here). That seems way too little for something I love! If realized that I buy more I won’t have time to wear my favorites as often before they go out of style.
I have a 2yo and a 3mo and I’ve basically ended up in a uniform this summer unintentionally… I’ve been rotating between the same 3 dresses that are breastfeeding friendly and comfy for hot weather and ok to get spit up or peanut butter hand prints on. And you know what, I never thought I’d like having a uniform but in this stage of life with 2 very small kids, it’s important that I get dressed in the morning but it’s also important that I can do that as easily as possible. 10/10 as a 2under2 mama
Actually I see nothing wrong with a simple black wardrobe since you can add color to it with accessories, and it can always change up that way. I have been going through my closets lately and I have a few bags of clothing that are just not “me” anymore to donate. It feels good. I do have to say that I have kept a few sentimental pieces, but what I have decided to donate makes up for keeping those few things. Great article!
I kinda have a uniform? I wear a T-shirt and yoga shorts on a daily basis at home hanging around the house. I only wear “real clothes” lol when I go out. Because of this I need less outfits and also have less laundry to do, t-shirts and yoga shorts (not yoga pants, too hot for Florida) don’t take up much room in the washer. 💜
My criteria is: I have to LOVE it! Like if I went to a store, today, I would go up to it and say “Wow, I love this shirt/pants/shoes/shorts/dress. I have to LOVE how I feel and look in it, today, and without needing any repair, stain removal or tailoring. It’s easier to donate things that you bought originally from a donate center or thrift shop for under $10. There is no guilt or shame surrounding a smaller amount like that, for me. That’s also why I (almost) never buy from a retailer, as it was so painful to have to donate/give away a dress that cost me over $100 or a pair of jeans that were $85 etc.
You were talking about clothing being sentimental and it being the only reason I was holding on to something. We had a house fire over 8 years ago, and I was only a person at home, I was asleep, and I had my pajamas on. Until this week I have held onto the pajamas that I was wearing, because I was wearing them and lived through a fire. I have not worn them in years, but I just wouldn’t get rid of them. I hear you and Cass speaking all the time about your clothing talking to us. It wasn’t until recently that I figured out that fear was attached to those PJs. I felt like the pajamas saved me from the fire. Which is completely inaccurate and I knew it, but because of that very emotional moment in my life I was attaching that memory to those pieces of clothing. Thank you so much for helping me identify something as strong as that that was in my mind. I love you, my sister in Christ! Thank you! ❤️
Love the tips. For me, I have a color palette that I implement to help me stay on track. I wear black, white, and blue jeans. For my splash of color, I have light shades of pinks. If it doesn’t fit my color palette, I don’t even look at the clothing. I go through my things twice a year. I color coordinate everything in my closet and drawers.
I am going through organizing my clothes because I have lost 40 pounds and went from being a size 16 to 12. I am still losing weight so I only have a small amount of clothes per size. As soon as I need smaller clothes I give away the clothes I can not wear anymore. This is not a fast weight loss but a change of listening to my body. Thank you for all the advice.
Having just moved(and even after the death cleaning declutter), I was amazed at how much inventory of everything was “hiding”. We had so much useable stuff I can’t even tell you. We totally redid our new home with pieces we already had. Our purchases are so much more purposeful now, thank you for the inspiration.
Another area to consider when cleaning out the closet is having coordinating tops and bottoms. I live in Florida and have a lot of colordul tops or bottoms with prints or designs. I like most of them but they’re limited to what else I can wear them with. I am realizing I need to pull all of them out and set aside to either coordinate with solids or give away. Great article. What a small closet you have. 😅
I know for sure that I have more clothes than you, Dawn. But! Your concepts and ideas have been revolutionary, absolutely life changing for me! And, I have WAY less in my closet than I used to. I used to have two ends of my closet filled with clothes and other stuff, now it’s just one side. I was able to turn the other side into a little recording booth for my work. Also…I feel so GOOD when I walk into my closet! Everything is a yes, everything is intentional. It’s beautiful, easy and functional. And believe me, before, I had sentimental clothes, clothes I hoped I’d lose weight for, clothes I loved but that just didn’t quite work on me. I do not miss one thing at all. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 Thanks, Dawn!!
Thank you so much Dawn. I have watched you (and struggled) for years since I had kids. My family and I are moving to a new house and I am taking full advantage of this opportunity and actively applying every tip you and Joshua Becker have given while I pack up my home. I am getting rid of SO MUCH STUFF! My new house is going to be great and NOT overpacked! Thank you for all you do!
Funny that this came up today. Yesterday, I went to Goodwill. The purpose was to see if they had a purple blouse. This is very different, because usually I go in the store and see what they have. I didn’t look at the pants because I have enough. Oddly, though I was very attracted to a Jones New York shirt. But it was something I would’ve been wearing when I was working – very professional. I’m not there now. So this really does help send down what I buy. My husband didn’t notice dome large piece puzzles, though. So I am decluttering a few other things. I had more Pendaflex folders and tabs then I would need for the next century.
I really appreciate your articles that focus on clothing and simplifying one’s wardrobe. In the past year I’ve been stream-lining and re-organizing my closet (albeit, slowly) keeping your tips in mind. It has definitely helped me get rid of clothing that otherwise would have found its way back into my closet, and stopped me from bringing in more (unnecessary) inventory. ❤
It’s hard for me to get rid of clothing that is only a bit too snug. I try to convince myself that I can lose the few pounds in no time. However, I really liked the “today body.” I donated two pairs of white pants and a very uncomfortable pair of white shoes that I only wore with those pants. Thanks for the great article.
Hi Dawn. I think you look nice in your jeans and black tops. I think keeping your closet holding a low inventory of only clothes that benefit you in the stage of life you’re in makes so much sense. I have sorted through my clothing and donated several garbage bags full. So now the only clothes hanging in my closet are clothes that fit and that I want to wear. My closet shelf is another story – so that’s my next area to tackle.
I saw this on another article – it’s something that drives me a little nuts lol! Clothes in purgatory! As a minimalist (sometimes I have as FEW as THREE (shirts/pants)) So, yes I do wear things multiple times before washing them! For me, if something is still clean – it goes back into my closet. If something is dirty – it goes into the laundry! There are no other choices other than these 2 choices! I do not have a special hook, or chair or shelf or basket for ‘in between’ clothes! Do these clothes now have cooties? lol! I’ve also noticed that these folks who have the hook, chair, basket, etc will ultimately declare the clothes in purgatory to be dirty and wash them. So they end up running out of clothes and have the visual clutter of a hook/chair/basket overflowing with purgatory clothes! Wash! or Wash Not! There is no between! ~Yoda
Excellent article! I guess I’ve always approached my closet from a minimalist viewpoint. I lost weight a few years ago and I got a bit carried away in replacing items that didn’t fit, so now I’m paring down to the items I truly love. My goal is one item per week until the end of the year. Anything new comes in, then something must go.
I spent two months in England and thought very carefully about the clothes I brought with me. I essentially created a capsule wardrobe that still stands me in good stead five years later. The only problem is that it was a wardrobe for April/May. My summer wardrobe is much more of a hodgepodge. I now need to go away for July/ August 😂
Minimizing my wardrobe has been a process!! I think my next step is a time will tell bin to get out of sight those silly pieces that I can’t seem to let go, and also maybe a bin for all my winter stuff. I have room in the closet for it, but it looks cluttered in there (small shared closet) so I might just put it in the attic. Thanks for the push Dawn! ❤
Each season, I pack as though for a two week trip, including some dressy, active wear, and everyday wear. Then everything else for this season, goes! Over the season I might add a couple new things. As the season changes, I do it again for the next season. This ensures everything fits and goes together in a couple of capsule type wardrobes. Since I usually do laundry every week, two weeks gives me a bit of extra.
I had gotten rid of a lot of my clothes a few months ago and I still have too much!! And none of it is beautiful or valuable mostly just t-shirts and jeans. I was thinking about paring my clothes down even more and decided to go with a uniform with very few items. I hate laundry and piles of clothes. I was going to try to find a few blue shirts because I like blue. It’s hard to do. So while at the store today I found a couple of blue shirts and tried them on. Also tried on a black shirt in the same style as a blue one. I actually liked the black better. (I ended up buying 2 of the same shirt.) And there’s the added bonus that I can finally have a reason to use all of the necklaces that I have that t really like but never bothered wearing with t-shirts. I think black is going to be great for me.
For me, I own more summer stuff than winter even though winter is my favorite season. I typically don’t own a lot of clothes but I have clothes I don’t like but keep out of need. I can’t afford to replace clothes with what I want to wear. Donating a $5 shirt makes me feel like I wasted $5. Its common to shop thrift or secondhand so unless someone donates good stuff, it’s not an overall win. I honestly own 2 or 3 shirts that I love. For a price thats to love as well.
My daughter and her family just moved back home into an apartment we have behind our main house. I had no idea how much stuff I had put back there, it was just a giant storage unit and man cave for my husband. Daughter and I are getting them settled and then both of us has vowed to get rid of what we don’t use. You already can hardly walk thru my living room because of all the donation/garage sale boxes I’ve pulled out so far. It is painful but really needs to be done.
I love your website so much. It’s helped me many ways. I can’t ever be a minimalist, nor can the family members I live with. One of them is a hoarder, the other is a “just in case” person, but for everything. However, my mom who is the just in case, has started to come around to purging more items. Slowly we are making progress. I’ve always been good about the one in and one out rule, but not strict enough. I’ve given rid of four trash bags this year and boxes and boxes of household decor items we don’t need. I am decluttering constantly. A few things at a time. God bless you Dawn and your beautiful family.
My mother is a clothing hoarder. She shops all of the time. Then to get rid of stuff is so hard. I had a kids jumper that I was going to give away, kid outgrew it. She didn’t like it and would not let it go until I went and hand embroidered daisy’s all over it. Because it was just too boring as is, and there was one tiny little hole that she wanted covered. So I had to spend 3 hours working on something that needed to be given away. What do you do with people like that?
About fitting us right now… I literally fluctuate between two sizes and feel like I have to maintain two wardrobes 😩 And I do actually get back out the smaller or larger size pants/shorts. Or what if you invested a lot of money in a certain style of jeans that you absolutely love on your body and then they go out of style, can’t we pack them up and hang onto them for when it comes back in style because what if we can’t afford to buy them the second time around? 😂 I joke, but I’m kind of serious. 🤷🏼♀️ I WANNA let it go… but I’m frozen!
I have one pair of jeans in quarantine with the aim of fitting back into it within 6 months. I have 2 wardrobes: Special Occasions which holds 4 dresses and my All Year wardrobe which holds 41 clothing items (excluding sleepwear, underwear and 8 pairs of shoes). I find having all 4 seasons of clothing in one wardrobe visible keeps impulse shopping under control.
This article has great ideas, but I have a question. I’m petite and my weight fluctuates up or down 5#. If it’s lower I wear a 2, if higher I prefer a 4. To get rid of one or the other would really waste money and maybe leave me naked 🤷🏼♀️ I’m kidding, but do you get my point? I did get rid of zeros and even larger sizes I once wore, but I do still fluctuate from week to week up or down one size.
Ok…so this is nice but my issue is that my closet stores stuff besides clothes and I really have no choice about that. We don’t have much storage nor a garage etc. I have old toys and books I want to keep for grandkids, memorabilia, winter items…it will never look how I want it to because of lack. 😢
I. know I won’t be popular but we all get bombarded by minimalist hints. I don’t seem to be able to avoid them. I am a grandmother and live on my own. I was always fairly tidy. However I had what minimalists call clutter and lots of clothes. I arranged flowers. pictures ornaments, lighting, which is very important, as I wanted and did receive compliments. Obviously when my children growing up the place got untidy with their clutter. As they went into teens it got worse and they would bring friends home which added to the mix. That passes, and alot quicker than you think as your children move on and your home stays orderly. I see my kids often and see them coping with their children and their chaos. But they wouldn’t change it. Yes the home can look chaotic. However minimalist seem to spend so much time making their homes tidy, clean and frankly boring.and not concentrating on what’s important, the here and now as a family. Time passes so quickly as you all know. The kids will go and have their own homes. So think more of family life and not stripping your wardrobe down to 20 items.Having orderly kitchen cupboards labelled up to the eyebrows. I was always fairly tidy. and was aware I had too much stuff. I did selling on eBay for a number of years that was useful. Enjoy life now with your family and not perpetually whittling everything down it looks quite frankly boring and bland.
I’m in a total clothing conundrum at the moment. I was diagnosed with breast cancer back in May and I’m in the treatment process. Everything I own I can’t wear. I lived in Life Is Good t-shirts. I can’t wear anything that goes over my head for a while so I had to go buy some button up shirts. Talk about hard to find anymore. Meanwhile I’m living braless per doctor’s orders and very self-conscious about how I look. And then I had my epic meltdown when I realized that all of my favorite t-shirts bring the eye right to my boobs – the last place I want anyone to look at. So they are heading out the door for donation. I think I’ll be living in these baggy shirts until I get through this not-so-fun season and adapt to my new body. Then maybe I’ll find a style and clothing that can work for me. Although black shirts and jeans is sounding pretty appealing at this moment.
4:00… I’d have no clothing. Does everyone has a bunch? I havent found things that fit that I love. I have to keep things so that I dont get arrested. My hubby’s clothes take up 2/3 of our closet… plus he has clothing mountains on the floor. I dod just start wearing his clothes, but he kept commenting on it. I need a style I like I guess?
I follow your tips, and I’ve been putting fall clothing in the time will tell bin, not sure about some of the clothing that was seasonal/trendy this year. The older I get the more I’m leaning toward classic pieces in seasonal colors or neutral colors. Many things can be used in multiple seasons. Your advice helped me get to this point, and it makes my wardrobe so much easier to manage.
My problem is that all of the things that I have fit and are cute and I like them. But the thing is I’m at home with my kids most of the time and I also own a pet sitting business. So I basically live in the same t-shirts and exercise capri pants around the clock. I have dressier shirts and dresses and tons of cardigans that I keep just in case there’s a family event or a holiday or something else. But the thing is I don’t want to get rid of anything because sometimes I’m like well. I want something more pink and yellow for springtime. Or maybe I want something that’s a different pattern because it’s a cool vibe for the fall season for Halloween or something. But it’s hard to let go of anything because all of the pieces work and all of the pieces are cute. But I literally have bins and bins of clothes plus stuff in my closet but I rarely ever wear it but maybe like 5 years ago by and I’ll be like where’s that one shirt that has the cool pattern because that would be amazing for this one party that I’m going to I don’t know if anybody else struggles with this kind of thing, but I’ve gotten rid of stuff that I thought I didn’t need and then 3 years pass and I’m like damn. Where’s that sweatshirt or where is that sleeveless top that I could wear with this new cardigan It’s really difficult for me to just have a few pieces that I wear over and over again even though I don’t really need them. It’s hard because they all look nice and I’ve spent a lot of money on all of them over the last 30 years
I need this drilled in my brain. I have about 40 shirts hanging in my closet, but only maybe 15 fit me right now. I don’t like looking in the closet …. so why do I feel like I have to keep these clothes that don’t fit me? (I gained 40 pounds the past 4 years). I want to lose weight, but it’s rough … but for some odd reason I have been hanging onto these shirts that are too small. 🙁 sooooooooo hard
I need another option for jeans. Jeans never fit me because my waist is larger at my age. I don’t care for leggings either. Anyone have any ideas. I usually wear old WalMart Danskin pants that aren’t made anymore, but they look too sloppy. Clothing is luckily one of the things I don’t have trouble getting rid of. I’m retired so a uniform would work for me, though I like navy t’s or navy and white stripped t’s. I just got a pair of Abacrombie jeans…bad. Waist wouldn’t close, but the butt was baggy.
Not nearly as minimal as your wardrobe but the getting rid of things that dont fit my today body has been huge for me. I put on weight over lockdown and i have lost most of it again but im still not the same shape as i was before. Getting rid of those things that just made me feel bad because they didnt fit right has been a big help
So straight forward! I’m wondering how to organise my wardrobe. First of all we can have the four seasons in a day here in Ireland..cold, hot, rainy Secondly I need gardening clothes, and clothes for yoga And finally during school term I teach so I need to look reasonably fashionable. I would love suggestions to simplify my wardrobe. Thankyou
I lost a lot of weight and bought new cute clothes, and donated anything I couldn’t make smaller. But like so many women, in the last two years, I gained half of it back. It was so depressing looking at those cute clothes that I couldn’t wear. But instead of donating them, I kept all of my favorites in the attic as a “time will tell” . With Gods help, the scale is sliding downward, and some of them fit again. So at the beginning of summer, I went through everything and tried it all on, using your criteria. But anything that didn’t fit was not allowed back in my closet! I still have too many clothes, but at least everything in my closet is an option. So refreshing! But you’re right, we reach for the same things, so now I need to be more honest about other reasons why I don’t reach for certain things and get rid of them. Very helpful article as always!
have managed to slim my closet down to just a few items I like to wear but unfortunately my husband fills the whole study with closets full of his clothes which also hang on the backs of doors and many rucksacks full of stuff he gets angry if I suggest we go through it. I don’t ever think we will see eye to eye. He never comments on my clothes or how tidy my closet is. I am beginning to wonder if I could declutter my husband – oh dear.
It’s crazy how I look at your wardrobe and think how doable the amount you have is, then I look at my closet and think man I still have way too much. I’m still in my pregnant season which has made it awkward to know what will fit or not fit after I’m done. But I most definitely will be using your clothing articles as a guideline to know where to start!
I love how you and your husband share this closet and it’s a smaller closet than most women would consider acceptable even for one person’s clothing. I have this same exact size of closet and when we first moved in I gave it to my husband and only his clothes were filling it, but now that we’ve both minimalized our clothing, we too can share this size of closet fairly comfortably, as long as I don’t hang my workout clothes up. Which I’m guessing you also keep elsewhere. Can you actually show us your dresser where they are?
I usually use white plastic hangers in my closet. I would like to minimize my wardrobe to the point that I could have room to use nice wooden hangers. I hang everything that I can including jeans and scarves. Im thinking about 48 hangers would do it. Has anyone else done this switch, and do you miss using plastic hangers?
Very relatable Damn and when perusal the article I can check off all 4 boxes so I feel that I am on the right track – yeah for me. I’m working my way to a capsule wardrobe. It will take a lot of time but in the end I’ll end up with clothes that work for me. I also realize that breaking it down to different categories also helped, like sporty clothes, work clothes, clothes for not working. There may be some cross overs but it really helped bring the inventory way down.
I have one storage/clothes closet, (in PA we have change of seasons) but the clothes have to all live on the same closet bar. Following your advice, I have my current season clothes on one side. Then sub divided, every day tops, dressier tops and dresses. I also hang my capris and long pants. What makes this work is when I wear something that can be worn again, I hang it on the left. Clean tops fresh from the laundry are hung on the right, this keeps the rotation functional. Everything fits, feels good, etc. if I put something on and don’t like it, I take it off and put in my ongoing donation bin. I recently counted the items in my seasonal side of the closet, 30.
Perfect timing. I started my closet and drawer overhaul yesterday. I have one bag for donation this far. It is only the first layer but I have it a lot more organized and feel a bit better. Much more to go but excellent start, I am trying to make a list, and physically hang it up, and it needs to meet my list.
that blue paisley top looked cute on you, oooooo the white lace is nice on you too❤ I just did my closets the other day and a month before that and I am still pulling things out for goodwill. I put a plastic bag over the top of the clothes not in season that way I still have them, but I dont have to look at them.❤
This is extremely helpful to me at the moment, as are a few of your other posts. I’m moving for the first time in about 25 years. I’m going from having two closets and two dressers to having half a closet and one dresser. I’m still the same size I was 25 years ago, so it feels SO hard to let go of things. That said, THANK YOU for making this process easier for me.🥹🙏💫
I just discovered this website and perusal the articles that may apply to me. I hate clutter and having piles of stuff especially when the items are not used or junk. Does anyone have any advice for me as I like things being simple and clean if it’s broke throw it out, doesn’t fit sell it, all mail and papers and receipts etc I want to either file away cause they are important and should be kept or trash them! My husband is the complete opposite he will keep mail, papers, receipts, etc so much and so long they need to be put in big plastic bins! If it’s a stained up tshirt he says he may can sell it and get $0.25 for it. We have hundreds (I am not exaggerating) of vhs tapes that he refuses to get rid of cause some may be worth a lot of money and others he can get a few cents out of each of them if he sold them and I try to explain to him besides them being completely out of date they aren’t bringing any money just sitting there and are taking up space and time cleaning. I have to sneak and throw some away when I can I just recently threw away 2x vhs tapes that was how to articles on using windows 95!!😂 so basically I was wanting to know if anyone can give me any advice on this. Has anyone had similar situation? What can I do that will help or make it easier or whatever you can offer to help with my husband being a complete pack rat and hoarder and keeping everything with me wanting to simplify and minimize our belongings? (Also I’m not going for the minimalist 100% currently, I’m just trying to have the goal of sliming down our clutter and junk and just be a working progress) I would also like to add along with the hundreds of vhs tapes he also has hundreds of cds, cassette tapes, records, disks for computers, 8track tapes, and so on!