Minimalism is an intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that doesn’t. It starts with a mindset, which is an ongoing development rather than a final goal. To start your minimalist journey, identify your motivations and understand the importance of mindful consumption.
The minimalist style is about “less is more”, meaning you don’t need all the décor, accessories, tools, furniture, and clothing in your home. Instead, focus on one room at a time rather than tearing apart the whole house all at once.
To be a minimalist, you should focus on decluttering possessions regularly, preferring quality over quantity in your belongings, feeling content with fewer material possessions, and prioritizing experiences and relationships over material goods. This guide will help you live with less, slow down, and begin to create a life you crave.
Some signs of becoming a minimalist by choice include regular decluttering, prioritizing quality over quantity, feeling content with fewer material possessions, and prioritizing experiences and relationships over material goods. To truly know what you want, be honest about why you’re embracing a minimalist lifestyle, focus on the positive, give concrete examples, and make the mess never go away.
Being a minimalist requires consistent daily effort, as everything you own serves a purpose or brings joy. Minimalism gives you space, time, and energy to focus on what matters most, and one of the things that matters most is you. By focusing on what’s truly important, you can create a life that you love today.
📹 this is the EASIEST way to find your style (no shopping required!)
In today’s video I share the exact decluttering system I used to declutter my way down to my “perfect” capsule wardrobe. The truth …
Are minimalists actually 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.
Is a minimalist lifestyle healthy?
A clutter-free environment can have numerous health benefits, especially for those managing chronic conditions or mobility issues. It reduces dust and allergen accumulation, improving respiratory health and reducing anxiety and stress. This calming effect is especially beneficial for those in their golden years, as mental well-being is equally important as physical health. A minimalist lifestyle encourages independence by making daily tasks more manageable, allowing individuals and loved ones to perform activities without assistance.
This autonomy is crucial for maintaining confidence and self-esteem. Minimalist living requires less energy for daily upkeep, allowing individuals to focus on more fulfilling activities. Additionally, a minimalist home environment encourages meaningful interactions with friends and family, which is vital for emotional health, as maintaining strong social ties is linked to better cognitive function and decreased loneliness among those in their golden years.
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 type of personality is a minimalist?
A minimalist person is someone who values simplicity, usefulness, and clarity, focusing less on material possessions and more on what makes them happy. They avoid non-essentials and enjoy what truly matters to them. Benefits of being a minimalist include improved mental health, less stress, and more time for enjoyable activities. Some signs of a minimalist person include:
- Minimalist lifestyle
- Minimalistic approach
- Minimalistic mindset
- Minimalist mindset
What is the most quiet personality type?
INFP individuals are reflective, quiet, and idealistic, loyal to their values and those important to them. They are adaptable, laid-back, and interested in understanding and helping others. In contrast, INTP individuals are original, logical, and creative thinkers, often excited about ideas and theories. They value logic, knowledge, and competence, are quiet and reserved, and may be difficult to get to know well. INTP individuals are individualistic and uninterested in leading or following others. Both types of individuals have a well-developed value system.
How do I know if I am a minimalist?
Minimalism is the intentional practice of owning fewer possessions, focusing on the things that support one’s purpose and removing excess items to focus on the most important ones. This lifestyle is marked by clarity, purpose, and intentionality, promoting the things we value and removing anything that distracts us from them. It is a way to live a more balanced and intentional life, allowing us to focus on what truly matters.
What is the 20 20 rule in minimalism?
Over the past few years, the couple has been reducing their just-in-case possessions, ensuring they don’t pack anything just in case. They believe that any items we need can be replaced for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from their current location. This theory has been proven to be true 100 times, with no replacements needed and no longer requiring more than $20 or going more than 20 minutes. This theory is likely applicable to all items and people, including the couple.
The couple hasn’t missed the hundreds of just-in-case items they’ve gotten rid of, and most didn’t need to be replaced. Getting rid of these items clears their minds, frees up space, and takes the weight off their shoulders.
What MBTI types are minimalist?
The ISTP and ESTP personality types tend to adopt a minimalist lifestyle, while the ISFP and ESFP can explore creativity and minimalism. Diplomats, consisting of the INFP, INFJ, ENFP, and ENFJ personality types, are pack rats with strong intuition and empathy. They are future-thinking and often worry that decluttering may hinder their ability to help others. If you are a diplomat seeking help in decluttering, consider joining upcycle or free cycle groups. These personalities can help you explore the depths of minimalism and showcase your creativity.
What is the 15 minute rule becoming minimalist?
The “15-minute rule” is a simple and effective way to manage time effectively. It suggests setting a timer for 15 minutes to engage in activities such as walking, journaling, writing, or checking in with friends. Many people believe they don’t have 15 minutes, but they could find the time to do so by reducing distractions, reducing phone usage, and waking up earlier. The rule encourages investing time in something meaningful, but it may lead to waiting for a free time or day off, which may never come.
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.
Are there downsides to minimalism?
The process of reducing unnecessary items can be time-consuming and requires a comprehensive understanding of one’s essential needs, which may not be readily apparent for individuals who do not adhere to minimalist lifestyles or inhabit environments that are conducive to such practices.
📹 5 Easy Ways to Test Out Minimalism
Do you believe you could benefit from simple living and minimalism but don’t want to get rid of all of your stuff and then regret it?
I’ve found it’s also helpful to have a “take to the cleaners/tailor” pile. Sometimes an item would be a love, if the legs/ dress were an inch shorter, or the waist didn’t gap, or if it didn’t have a hole, or if it didn’t have a stain. Those are things you can have fixed and get them to your love pile 🙂 I ended up teaching myself how to use a needle and thread because all my pants gap at the waist. Being able to fix that at home is so helpful.
I struggled with the purge until I learned how my body shape directed the style of clothing that looked best on me. I kept pieces that I thought were basics but the cut of the item didn’t suit my shape. For example there are many different types of white t-shirts. I figured out why I chose to wear some over others and it had to do with my shape. This helped me purge those items that weren’t my favorite.
For the longest time I thought I was into trenchcoats, fisherman stripes, heeled boots, dainty layered necklaces, handbags… Beige, white, black. I couldn’t figure out why it felt like I couldn’t breathe when I was in public wearing these items. It was a very strange feeling, like I’m actually holding in air. In retrospect, this feeling is called self consciousness. It was such a relief when I realized that I like wearing the same three pairs of jeans and T-shirts, hemp flannels, everything that Patagonia has ever made. I like olive green, orange, brown. I don’t actually care that much about fashion in the sense of what other people are wearing. I don’t like Pinterest, I don’t like selfies, I don’t like make up, I don’t even really like nail polish. My idea of looking cool is a long sleeve T-shirt and a short sleeve T-shirt over that: rust belt core. I care about having a good skin care routine Madhippie to the rescue! I care about regular haircuts, but not blow drying or styling my hair so much. Weirdly, I get way more compliments now. Because I am myself. Natural, don’t really care that much about what other people think of me. That was a cool realization. And it was such a relief to feel free from social media and trends. Your article is awesome!
As I get older, I realized it’s important to get clothes with comfortable material not just the look. When I declutter, it’s usually the most uncomfortable, unbreathable clothes that I get rid of first regardless of how nice it look on me. While clothes that I wear all the time wear out more easily, I just need to keep multiple pieces of them. But since I wear them all the time, I wouldn’t consider getting multiple pieces of the same clothes a waste.
I classify my clothes into four categories: “EveryDay/Occasional/Whimsical/SpecialMatch”. EveryDay: my usual office and casual garments; Occasional: clothes for special occasions and holidays; Whimsical: clothes that are completely not me, but provide the most fun and excitement; Special Match: garments that look horrible by themselves but are incredibly gorgeous in specific ensembles.
You’ve helped me so much in feeling less out of control when it comes to my wardrobe and getting dressed each day. I have OCD and really struggle with perfection AND getting rid of things. Your articles have helped me find my personal style so that when I get dressed, it doesn’t have to feel “perfect” because whatever I wear feels like me. And you’ve helped me be able to get rid of things that don’t feel like me. So thank you! Love your articles and always thinking to myself “WWCMD?”
Love your articles! I did a big declutter last year. I donated all the old items in which I felt frumpy and that I honestly didn’t enjoy wearing anymore. I’m so happy now to be left with my “nice” things which I thought were too good to wear everyday. I love showing up as the best version of myself now 🙂
You’re the first person that has in a way just combine different types of I guess “fashion related disposal” methods. the way you explained it, it makes so much more sense than just can’t getting rid of it because ‘oh this isn’t bring me happiness to bring me joy or I haven’t worn those in three years and I really want to keep it but the rule is I have to get rid of it because I haven’t worn it’ so I really like your take on this subject.
Thanks to your content (especially your idea of the “fantasy self” we buy clothes for) I reduced my entire wardrobe down to only what I love. My entire wardrobe consists of colors that match, clothes that fit well, so the idea of a capsule ended up not being needed! I have enough room in my closet to see what I have immediately and store what I don’t need for the season. And i definitely have way more clothes left than you. I think finding the right amount of clothes is based on how you feel when you look at your closet- inspired or overwhelmed?
Getting ready every day became such an issue that for Christmas my boyfriend gave me 500$ to completely redo my entire closet. I purged out a lot that I outgrew. It’s like I turned 27 & completely realized how much I didn’t want to wear the same clothes I was wearing when I was 19-25. Now I just need to figure out my style. I feel lost
This is the best capsule wardrobe article I’ve seen. Though if I put all my clothes on the bed, the bed would break and I still wouldn’t be able to see things. 🙂 I’ve solved this by doing one category at a time. I’ve done my skirts and trousers – I need to do dresses and jackets. Doing just your skirts or whatever works really well if you have a silly mountain of clothes. As long as you do the other categories at some point too!
I really loved your approach. I inherited my mom’s clothes (she passed away in 2022) and the mere thought of getting rid of them breaks my heart, so I really appreciate the “storage box” tip. I actually really like about 95% of my mom’s clothes, but I’m not sure how to incorporate many of the pieces into my own wardrobe. She also gravitated towards warm and bright colors, whereas I tend to wear cool and dark colors. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t have many clothes before, so now with all the sudden income of clothing it doesn’t feel as overwhelming, even though sometimes it kind of is.
I did this. The Purge was literally my favourite part. I tried on eeeeeeeverything. And said, “Is this me? Am I comfortable? Would I put this on and walk out the door?” And everything that wasn’t, I got rid of. Looking at what was left a theme became really apparent, both in style, cut, and colour. I kept a few pieces that were sentimental or valuable, or which bridged a now-easily-seen gap in my wardrobe, but overall I dropped about 70% of my clothes and gained so much peace of mind, not to mention wardrobe space. It’s a lot of dresses, blouses, blues, greens, creams, and coppers. I’m so much happier getting dressed.
LOVE this! Going to attempt with my 5 year old before back to school! I try to make her wear everything in her closet before she grows out of it, but really she is allowed to have her own personal style and NOT wear certain pieces she’s uncomfortable in just because they were a gift or mommy thinks it’s cute.
Thank you for including “clothes you hope to fit into one day” in your decluttering system! I’m actively trying to lose weight (4lbs down so far!), and have so many outfits that I hope to fit into one day but can’t currently wear 😭 Now I can better visualize what I CAN wear right this moment, without losing those outfits I want to hang onto!
Thank you for this article it came at just the right time. I just walked into my closet and felt so overwhelmed, but instead of decluttering I bought more. I have this idea that I’m trying to create the perfect wardrobe. I keep buying what I think I should have because of the influencers then when I get it it doesn’t suit me. In the last six months I have spent a ridiculous amount of money on things that I do not like and don’t use. I also end up in this position because I’m trying to spend the least amount on the pieces and end up buying things that are not exactly what I want but I figure I could make work. I have looked at so many articles about clothes decluttering and finding your perfect wardrobe but none have come close to giving me a clear direction like this article. Thank you so much I finally have a plan and clear direction and I am excited. Can’t do anything about the money spent but I can do something about what I spend or don’t spend in the future.
I would add that since ladies often experience changes in weight, it’s also good to pull out the clothes that don’t fit and store them elsewhere so you aren’t swimming in stuff that is too large/small. Everything that is hanging up for use should be stuff that fits you right now. The stuff you are keeping “just in case” can go in a box on a shelf somewhere.
I feel so validated perusal this article! On my to do list for years now, I’ve had a “figure out your personal style” check box and I’ve personally decided to bite the bullet. But being a broke, soon-to-be-college student, shopping in an economy like this is a very hard decision. A few weeks ago, I decided i would “vibe check” my closet in the sense of keeping what I like, putting away what I don’t like and trying to give a chance to pieces I wasn’t so sure about. Finding this article tells me I was on the right track.
This article made me realize my challenge is that my aesthetic preferences and my comfort preferences are really different.. so my “hell yes” pile is full of contradictory pieces… I like to wear flowy dresses and skirts because I hate the feeling of fabric close to my skin.. but for the same reason I have no tight shirts to go with those flowy skirts… at the same time, I feel my best when I am wearing androgynous or masculine clothing – my most favourite pieces are oversized men’s button down shirts made of natural materials like silk and linen, and I typically like the way I look in these when I have pants on.. but of course I never reach for pants because I have a hard time wearing them for more than an hour or two…. uhg.
These tips and steps are actually practical how to‘s that anyone can start doing today. Thank you so much for sharing! I have been in the stage of styling my may be pieces the last couple of weeks. I wore an outfit just a couple of days ago that caused me to discover I do not like The more corporate style looks. I am also discovering that I do not like following outfit formulas I see here and everywhere on myself. I definitely need a more bold and unique twist to my outfits. I have also found that I am not wearing black. I’m also not wearing stark white but more creams and tans, browns, lighter navy, and some burnt brick red colors. I am more drumed to midtone warm colors so I’m going with it! I don’t think black and white are going to be part of my base colors that it seems most people follow for their wardrobes. I am also more drawn to having interesting shoes so I’m currently on the hunt for something unique. I struggle with dressing appropriately for my climate while also dressing for my personal style and preferences. I really like thin, light layers of clothing rather than chunky silhouettes. So that causes me to look more for 100% wool, cashmere, and lighter cotton and linen. I also really love silk and I’ve been looking for more raw and noil silk pieces in silhouettes that I like. I am really learning to find my personal style outside of shopping; it’s really such a small part of our personal style and I had it completely backwards for the last two years! I was trying to find my personal style through shopping and buying a bunch of different things and that just does not work… But I do have to say that I did find several “hell yes” pieces through this process!
These articles often fail to address different financial situations. Some people have a lot of trouble “purging” anything and they keep tons of clothes that don’t fit them or suit their style because they know that if they get rid of something good they would not be able to afford to replace it. These items are often handed down or received through charity. Additionally, they may not be the size they are working towards and so they will keep all of the clothes in 1 or 2 sizes down so that when they reach their goal weight they can try them on and decide how they look when they actually fit and hang properly. The risky emotions and feelings of guilt when getting rid of something, when it is the only option, can tie people up in knots and lead them into a paralysis.
This has to be my favorite “find your style” article I’ve seen. Your method dismantles the “ideal self” we all find by selecting photos we like. And, as you’ve mentioned in other articles, the ideal self can really lead to wardrobe (and life!) dissatisfaction. This method also reveals how many “just because” pieces are in a wardrobe. For me, at one point in my life, I had a lot of pieces “just because” they were free in college, or “just because” I used to work out more, or “just because” it fit or was comfortable….but I hated the color. I think if I would have done a “hell yes” pile at that time, there would have been very few in that pile. That said, a small “hell yes” pile can still inform me of my personal style. And maybe my personal style isn’t practical for a short time in my life (just having a baby), but I can maybe be okay with that. I don’t have to go online to find my style; it’s still there – it’s just buried for a short while during a life-altering event, and I can go to those few items when I need a pick-me-up. When I transition into a new phase of life (as I’ve done recently), I can determine how to slowly build my hell yes pile, and gladly declutter my “just because” pile.
I have become good at culling and organizing my wardrobe after perusal articles by several of my favourite YouTubers. I retired so my clothing needs have changed, but I still like to look stylish and smart. I am not a minimalist but I like to be organized and know what I have. I have stopped buying things on impulse but have enjoyed the search for key pieces. I do love to shop but am not tempted to buy things I don’t think I really need. I like shopping my closet and have found many treasures. I do love your blue shoes! Glad to see you are working on your debt. When I retired, I was debt free. It has made life easier. I inherited some money so I was able to renovate my house without borrowing. Enjoy your articles.
This is the best closet de clutter article I’ve seen. I especially love the tips for “maybes”. I live where we have seasonal wardrobes, so I move clothes to a cedar closet twice a year, which is a good time for purge. I love jackets and blazers, and kept hanging on to them even though I never wore them. Why? Because I can’t stand bunched up layered sleeves and my blazer would end up on the back of my chair. My desire to wear them led me to shop in my closet and I realized that all I needed to do was wear a sleeveless shell under the blazer, rather than a shirt. Suddenly I had all these really cute options and almost a whole new seasonally appropriate wardrobe of things I already owned in combinations no one had seen before. I also kind of like the idea of turning hangers outward and reversing them the first time you wear a garment. At the end of the season, you can see the things you haven’t worn and ask yourself why. Do you not like it? Do you love it but just didn’t have an appropriate event to wear it? Does it need repair or alteration, or just some thought about how to style it? Is it nice, but you know you would always choose something else and maybe someone else would benefit from owning it? Shopping your closet, creating new looks is almost as much fun as shopping the mall and certainly cheaper.
I love your blazer style! I’ve been a blazer girl all my life with dresses or pants. But I avoid black (yes, I said that! Ha) My dark thinning color is navy. I want desperately to be the white t-Shirt kind, but I have a bad habit of wearing whatever I eat. 🍕 Plus they make white T’s so thin and see through these days – It’s hard to find a thick good one. My biggest closet struggle at my age – I am at constant battle with my weight. As always- love your articles!
This is the best YouTube article about building a capsule wardrobe I’ve ever seen – and believe me, I’ve seen them all!😄 Now I finally know what I have to do! I’ve been putting a lot of thought into what my ideal capsule would look like so that it’ll be perfect and I can live with it forever. But I never found the right concept so I didn’t change anything because I didn’t wanna do anything wrong. Just watched this article and will head to my closet right now and get started! Thank you!💕
Girl… I think that is safe to say that you created a new and better method of decluttering and finding your personal style!! I’ve tried countless times to adhere to capsule wardrobe method but Always saw myself stuck at a certain step and then quit the whole process, this is so true to reality when I myself struggle to find only 3 or 5 main colors, or even an specific genre that I like! I think I can say that I’m a chameleon 😭 I’ll start doing this today!!
I have fifteen pairs of jeans and I wear them all. Dressy jeans, paint spattered, torn work jeans, hoochie mama jeans. I have a few dresses and two sweaters (hoodies). I have thirty one blouses short, half, and long sleeves. I wear all of them. I have no tee shirts cause I don’t like knits or anything I have to pull over my head. Everything fits in a tiny closet with hanging bar and two shelves (basket for socks etc.). No dresser required. Lots of clothes but still a capsule wardrobe because I wear them all.
So this comes at a great time. After years of tentatively going through clothes one at a time, I’ve always had too many clothes. I WEAR them all. But they barely fit in my tiny space, my childhood bedroom I STILL have. I finally just took EVERYTHING out of my closet, drawers, and floor (because they literally don’t all fit) and I have over 10 trash bags of clothes. This is gonna be a process, but I believe in myself.
My main reasons for keeping too many clothes even though they’re not quite right, is because everything I have, I bought super cheap at thrift stores, so the idea of getting rid of a $60 piece I bought for $5 is hard, because I know it’s irreplaceable. Also, as a woman, and a mother, who is technically still in my childbearing season, my size is quite fluctuating, so I may not be ready to give away either my favorite sz. 6 jeans OR my best sz. 12’s. They’re both irreplaceable and possibly will be needed again. Hard.
I did it by putting a purge box in the closet. As I would try clothes, if they made me any kind of negative I put them in the box. What I’m left with is a lot of what you describe. Adding is hard when I try ‘on trend’ or contemporary styles. I don’t like them on me. Adding the missing pieces is much harder than subtracting the random ‘bought at gunpoint’ clothes that make a closet full of nothing to wear.
This is a great approach to discerning one’s style, and using what we have and love! I really appreciate the tips on integrating the maybes back in! I’m doing this as I prep to move into Grannie Flat – and went through my closet a few months ago with my grown daughter’s help! I’ve been wearing more of those ‘forgot I had this’ pieces and enjoying them.
Super advice. You have been super helpful. I struggle with buying ” one off ” pieces that my eyes fix onto- but often they do relate to my fantasy self or occasional use and I have nothing to go with said item and it’s not that practical. So each item I see I will ask myself do I already have something similar, will I wear it often, etc. I am trying to just buy things that enhance the clothes I love to wear frequently. Still a work in progress but I’m getting there. X
Love this so much. I’ve always told myself I would NEVER, EVER have a capsule wardrobe. I like lots of color, crop tops, bomber jackets, skinny jeans, athletic wear, graphic tees, etc. Most of those annoyingly over-organized minimalist influencers try to portray clothing and wardrobes as something that needs to be incredibly boring and limited. That just doesn’t work for me. I care a lot about fashion, and I use clothes to express myself. I like have outrageous pieces that I can only wear maybe once every few months, or only twice a year. It gives me variety and more ways to express myself. So seeing this article is really, incredibly helpful, because it makes me realize that wardrobes and clothing can be looked at in a way of having a combination of pieces that work well together–REGARDLESS of individual style or taste (my basics would look like graphic tees and crop tops, not basic white or black tees)–and maybe some pieces that “spark joy,” even if they don’t fit into your everyday style (for me, that would be fancy mesh blouses, elaborate heels, or heavily printed or leather jackets).
This was so helpful! My “style” has changed so much over the years because I don’t really dress for me, I dress for my occupation. I was a preschool teacher, then elementary school teacher, then nanny, and now I’m back in school and have the freedom to choose what I want to wear because I like it and not because it will serve a function. I don’t really throw out clothes so I have a lot to go through, but I’m definitely going to try this method… even if I might need the whole floor and not just my bed to see all the piles 😅
I’ve been using the capsule wardrobe system for a few years now, but my taste continues to change, so the clothes that sit wardrobe have changed a lot over time. I do feel like my style now has come to a place where I feel content, but when I add in new pieces, I personally enjoy having a cohesive color palette so that I’m not just buying things that don’t work with the rest of what I have. With all of this said though, this guide is very much simplistic and easy to follow. 😊
This is so interesting, thank you so much for this article! I’ve never thought about doing this method to figure out what my personal style is, or what clothes I seem to keep gravitating to! I think my style has definitely changed and yet I’m holding onto clothes from more than a decade ago. I’m gonna start doing this tomorrow, thank you again! 😊
To me it’s very confusing how can I fit different aesthetics and styles into one wardrobe. For example, I love vintagey elegant clothes, but I don’t wear them every day, and my other favorite style is something „streetwear comfy sporty geeky teenager”. I found that it’s easier to mix those up when I particularly choose the 70s style for the „vintage” half, but still. And then also there are clothes specifically for parties or fancy dates, and they seem like a whole another style as well. And I would say all those three aesthetics are me, but when they’re together in my closet it starts to confuse my brain
Great tips! I’m somewhere between the jeans and tshirt repeater and someone who wants to be more expressive and it’s helped me to look back after each season or even during and write a sort of “I love you” to certain items in my closet, the pieces I wear a lot and feel grateful for and especially why and it’s really informed my style! – I’ve also recently been finding a ton of inspiration on Laura McKinney’s YouTube website – just wanted to drop that one if there’s other people here who need some colour and pattern capsule wardrobe inspo 🙂 it helped me lots!
I find this really tricky because my style changes with my mood and I go through days of really wanting to wear different colours. It’s hard with work as we’ll because I have a professional job but office wear is all so boring and I’m tall so it’s hard to find things to actually fit and you end up with a pile of stuff that isn’t interchangeable but you acquired it just because it fits but don’t actually like most of it 🙈
This was so helpful! As a person who loves wearing bold pieces, I’m always such a snob for capsule wardrobe or closet decluttering articles bc of the thought I have to have beige/black/white/navy all the time. This makes me feel more comfortable and less intimidated to start the task of purging! Thank you so much!
90% of what I own is in the Hell No category. I bought a lot of stuff when I gained weight. I hate it, but it’s the clothing I own that sort of fits. My Hell Yes mostly doesn’t fit. And between all my closet purges, I’m basically already at a (poorly formed) capsule wardrobe of hate. Even hired a professional to help me with my closet, and that expensive hour didn’t help. Guess she didn’t get how much I hate what I’m wearing now. I don’t like lose and baggy, but that’s what I went out and bought when people started commenting on my weight. So what do I do now? How do I start getting clothes I like when I basically need everything? I do know my style: Elegant. Solid colors. Black, earth brown, forest green, and all the colors that match well. Unique sleeves and collars. Asymmetrical designs.
I think that the “maybe” pile can give the most information of where we go wrong. Is it a fantasy item that keeps cropping up but isn’t the real you? Is there something about the fabric, size, cut, collar, weight? I’ve found that I can’t bear anything containing wool, I look better in v neck, I love a long, slouchy fit, LOVE cardigans, etc. I have a curated wardrobe I adore and is perfect for my season of life and style, but I learned most of my info from examining the “maybes”
I’ve been trying to do this and I found out that my style is a mess. Like, my hell yes pieces are things that I do love but they don’t look good together and they’re hard to combine, that’s why I always end up wearing basic things I didn’t feel good on and ended up not using most of my favorite pieces. Well, at least I have identified the problem and where the gaps are.
What a lot of other youtubers/influencers don’t mention is that decluttering and shaping your capsule wardrobe TAKES TIME (not including time taken to shop for the perfect pieces). Amongst the three piles, the “maybe” pile is likely the biggest. It takes time and effort to plan how those pieces can be incorporated into your weekly outfits. For me, who’s not too creative/artsy, it can be mentally draining to deal with the maybes everyday and I end up putting it off for days. I’m already 3years into decluttering but still working on my wardrobe. When it comes to the “hell no” pile, if you’re not keen on buy-and-throw, it also takes time to find sincere organizations/shops/people who are keen to take over those pieces and give them a second life. So big big big thank you for pointing out that we can store things away!
I like skirts probably best of anything. I also like dresses. It got so that I barely wore pants. But I decided to thrift some more pants and now my “hell yes” pile includes orange jeans. I still feel like I lean towards skirts but I enjoy having options. I leaned into a capsule wardrobe by fully eliminating most colors of clothes so that it was easier to mix and match. I’ve decided to reintroduce a handful of additional colors and I am loving them. It’s helping to re-evaluate and streamline my closet into things that I enjoy vs just bare colors that make it easier to create outfits.
love this vid, its indeed not as black and white as most capsule wardrobe FAQ ones but still gives that loving kick on the butt I need to tackle my closet once more. And right on with the beige. I love beige as an idea but when I wear it its the same color as my skin and just completely fades me out haha.. I’ve discovered that hues between beige and taupe are mucht better for me! thanks so much! youve got me enthousiastic enough to have a little clean out again! xoxo
I am turning 30 in a few months and I finally seem to have my personal style figured out after spending my entire 20s in different “fantasy self” iterations. Your articles are extremely helpful in helping me navigate how to push away all the mess in my head and be ok with dressing minimally. What I once found fun I now see as chaotic and disruptive to my mental health. Your wisdom and tips are much appreciated and very helpful! 🖤
There’s just one problem…everything I have dosent fit right, I only wear it cause if I didn’t I’d be leaving the house naked. Just had a baby 6moths ago. Everything is either for my old size 8 body or my old size 14 pregnant body. I feel so bad spending money on new clothes, especially when I want to lose weight, but I am also struggling to lose it. I also don’t feel confident in anything I try on in the stores and just end up leaving feeling bad about myself. It’s a major struggle.
I love how you’re not telling people what to do – you’re showing us HOW to do what WE want. Also, how did the algorithm know that this is exactly when I needed this article?! 🤯 I’m about halfway through a pretty significant weight loss (currently down 7 kg. / 15-ish pounds) AND my new closet will be delivered next week. The coming weekend IS The Wardrobe Purge and I feel a lot better dressed for it 😉 now
A capsule wardrobe is always all the pieces that we love and wear over and over again, what upsets me is when I spend money on something I don’t cherish, I actually have a ” rule “, if it is full price or expensive I get it in black or neutral but if it is inexpensive I might experience with something more fun! This might be your best article ever,so happy for you and your journey, best wishes
About weight change clothes: I only kept about 5-10 quality, absolute faves from when I was thin. So I got a nice treat when I finally lost the weight (keto & I.F. did the trick!). I chucked a bunch of excellent quality pants (and some blouses-large blouses can be tucked in). I had loved that were too large because I don’t want the least temptation to get off keto. (The weight comes back on super fast as you start retaining Gallons of water when you eat carbs. Gallons. They all pour out once you’re in ketosis.)
So THATʻs what I was actually doing this weekend! I filled the back end of my car with clothes and shoes from my closet and tried not to add up all the money I wasted…took it all to the Goodwill…came back home and noticed something in my bathroom cupboard SPILLED, so I went through and tossed a whole bunch of stuff I gathered and moved here in 2014 and didnʻt remember even owning. Gone. Next came makeup; a whole bunch of that is in the trash now. Made a quick trip to the local drugstore to buy a new mascara…and drop off a few other items at the Goodwill. Looking at my closet and cupboards and drawers now, wow…it feels so much more free.
Great article. Very refreshing to find a helpful article instead of the usual consumer articles. Perhaps YouTube directs to consumerism articles for monetary purposes but when I found myself on a article advising me to buy a Hermes Birkin for one of my “10 must haves” for my wardrobe, I knew I was deep into the rabbit 🐰 hole. 😉
When I was 18 or 19, I fell down a YT rabbit hole and watched a bunch of Justine Leconte’s articles about what clothes look good on you based on your skin tone, body shape, etc. I went to the thrift store for my birthday and bought a bunch of clothes—some of them were great and some were not. I didn’t succeed in making a capsule wardrobe in that first attempt, but I learned a lot more about what I like and what looks good on me. When someone stole most of my laundry on my 23rd birthday and my friend gave me a bunch of money to replace it with, I knew my style. Now I have a capsule wardrobe and it is very colorful. It’s also comfortable, fun, and I get compliments all the time. It’s such a blessing.
An easy way for me to see what I wear is by having a system with my washed clothes. Newly folded clothes always go on the left side of my drawer/hangers, and everything else shifts to the right. By the time I get to my organization days, I can see all the stuff on the right that I haven’t been wearing. That’s the point when I decide to keep it around or not.
Personally, I found that I had too many clothes to easily find something to wear in the morning. If you have to browse twenty sweaters every morning only to reach for the same four every time, it takes time and makes it stressful. I found that I already had a style, but I couldn’t see it in my closet, since there was SO MUCH STUFF… I only kept mostly my “Hell Yes” pieces and have a full functioning wardobe that I love.
I was 8 or 9 years old and started to wear black, they all said it would be just a phase, now 47 and still wear mostly blacks. I love my gothic style! Have too much clothes, but as long as it fits in my closet its fine, otherwise I will sell some. I make a lot of my clothes myself but usually all comes down to long skirts, high heels and if going out with a corset. Have to admit, since I have a kid I do try to fit in a bit more, buy more colors and have some easier style clothes (but has to be clean, classy and stylish/alternative). Funny thing is, my kid is 8 years and his fav color is black 🙂 So proud of him! I hardly buy stuff I don’t wear but if I come across something I really really love I might get a second one and store it away for later. And since I really hate yeans (the texture and fabrics) and normal t-shirts, I just wont buy them. But I do have a ton of dresses and skirts. If I haven’t worn them in over a year I will store them or reuse them into something else, or just sell them or give them to a friend if I am sure I will never wear it again. I have to say, I love quirky clothes that are slightly different then standard, why all wear the same style of pants or sweater, dare a bit different and you will me amazed how good it can look! A bit asymmetrical, high low, splits on a different place without revealing too much. The green jacket looks so nice on you! I would try that with a high waist (slimming) black pants and high heel, you look smashing with that!
Great way to do it for most people! 🙂 However, for me, I should probably just light a match and start from scratch. I can’t though, because I do have to have something to cover my body, lol. I have not bought new clothes for YEARS – because I have not been able to find anything that looks good on me. The fashion have been geared towards a style and a shape that makes me look like a man, or a sack of potatoes. The items I do like, always end up being see-though, which I am not personally into. And now, most of the stuff I wear would actually belong in the ‘hell no!’ pile – but I wear them just because I literally have to wear something, or because it is starting to have holes everywhere. My approach is to look at the items I am drawn to. I find that I enjoy a certain shape – narrow/form fitting on top and around tighs and butt, but loose around knees down. If I had to create a ‘uniform’, it would be a black lace top, and my favourite levies bootcut jeans in light blue. A shoe with just a small heel, and some form of jacket that is fitted in the shoulders, though for me personally, not a blazer. Maybe layer two necklaces, and use some simple pieces of jewellery. I tend to look best in silver. This actually gives a pretty good template to work from, and create variations from. If I had to keep the jeans, but use a different type of top, I prefer off shoulder/boatneck, v-neck or a deep round-neck. (crew-nest doesn’t look good on me). If I had to swop out the jeans, I could go with certain lengths and types of skirts, maybe a skinny jean (though due to my proportions, they tend to look a bit strange on me).
I just found your website and subscribed. AWESOME article, and unlike all of the other articles about a capsule wardrobe this one makes sense to me. There is one thing that completely mystifies, and that’s color, the whole cool versus warm color wheel and what looks good on me and what doesn’t. If you could do a article about that it would be great. If you already have I’ll probably find it as I binge watch your website
I loved this article 🙂 Some maybies that are nicele shaped and fit us but we don’t like the color we can dye to a possible to achieve color we like more. (For example pink cotton frock to navy blue or purple or orange) 🙂 but it also needs some time and effort and we have to pick and buy good fabric dyes.
Any tips on organizing clothes by category? Most people have “work” clothes or “special occasion” but I also have like “manual labor garden/yardwork/shoveling/sweaty farm projects” as a big important category, for example. It includes thrift-store tank tops, rugged jeans, etc. and it’s frustrating getting those pieces mixed in with my regular “to be seen in public” clothing. 😂 Our place is quite small so I don’t have the luxury of space to easily have things handy/convenient but also organized. Open to any advice! I find this relevant to capsule wardrobe as I hang onto these clothes that are just “whatever” because I don’t like wearing the things I care about for frequent outdoor projects.
loved this! Mine is made up of pink, darkish blue, black and white with a little bit of Khaki sprinkled in. I used to always wear jeans, but doing this and then trying to fill the gaps helped me find a completely new style of pants that totally fits with my style! Also no patterns or prints for me, except on hoodies, as I found out after every single one of my printed t-Shirts went to the hell no pile, except for one sentimental piece which ended up on the maybe pile.
I did a huge declutter a couple of years ago, only to refill my closet. I am a shopaholic. I have no problem getting rid of stuff though, but I have a problem with refilling with other stuff. This weekend I created my first capsule wardrobe. My plan is to work with this wardrobe through the end of June. I think that limiting what I see in my closet might help me declutter more wisely later, and get a clearer idea of my preferred style this time. Maybe I should keep a journal on how this works out?
Pacific Northwest weather means almost nothing can be stored as ‘out of season’ and the need for layering is year round. Also needing more color in one’s outfit to counteract all of the gray. I’ve amassed a repertoire of sleeveless Ts and long sleeve Ts to combine with beloved blouses, cardigans, and jean jackets throughout the year. The ‘occasional’ and ‘fussy’ bits will be getting their eviction notice.
I think we can safely say that jeans with ripped holes are def out. Let’s end them. The style is so meaningless. Also I can’t live without color so I like to add into the basics of jeans, dark pants and white shirts my favorite colors to wear- burgundy, pale pink, pale blue, navy and caramel. Black, white and grey wardrobes are lifeless, safe and bleak to me. And do we all have to wear little gold chains and little gold earrings to be stylish?? What about lovely silver, pearls or colorful gemstones?
What I love that’s unique to my situation is I have divorced parents. One of my parents lives in a place where I have very little closet space so a lot of my clothes are left at my other parents house. Since my parents live states away I leave half my wardrobe for at least 3-5 months and when I come back its like Im either so excited to wear them again or I haven’t missed them and I know I can get rid of them.
One thing I did that might be helpful was rearrange my closet such that instead of having clothes sorted by type (a separate section for dresses, pants, shirts ect.) was just jumble it all together and as I wear clothes I put them at the front. Then I know what clothes I don’t really like wearing because they’re at the back. From there I can try styling outfits around clothes that are at the back, or get rid of them. I find that its a good way to remind me to wear things that I might like the look of but have a hard time incorporating into the rest of my wardrobe.
I really love how no shopping is needed to find your style! For a while I had thought that the best way to find my style is to go from store to store trying on one thing and another when, in reality, all that “information” was sitting at home right in my closet! It is just a process of analyzing your preferences and using that information to guide you into your style 🙂 Thank you for this great article! ❤️
I’m 35 and still have storage bins under my bed of tank tops and t-shirts from around high school. I never get rid of them because they’re basics I always think I’ll someday use. They’re in pristine condition because I never wore them then either! I know they should go, so why can’t I just donate them already?! Somebody tell me to just do it please!
I’m gonna add something I read in the comments of another article that kind of missed from this: You don’t have to fit into the box of just one aesthetic. Maybe, sometimes you like to look like a fairy living in an enchanted forest. And maybe, on other days, you like to look like a little boy. Or an oversized toddler. Or like a cottagecore-person.
Some women actually have very few pieces of clothes in their closet. Like me. I have one pair of jeans, 2 pairs of linen pants for summer, a pair of shorts, 1 cotton t-shirt that I can wear outside home.. 2 pair of old bras. And so on. I just cant find bras as my boobs are very small. Impossible to find clothes that I love and that’s why I have learned to hate shopping. Nothing looks good or nothing I find is appealing to me. And I have spent hours and hours searching my body type and trying to find out what would look good on me.
This is literally the best article I’ve seen so far about cleaning my closet. I have so many pieces that I get overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start. I’ve watched soo many articles trying to reduce the amount of clothing and finding out what works for my new style (and what’s from previous style that’s not working for me anymore). Thank you so much, I can’t wait to put this method for a test and make the everyday experience of choosing what to wear less stressful.
Ive noticed there’s a commonality with all of the folk that you mention that I also follow. The issue for me is that you all seem to have a very similar style which is blazers, jeans (non skinny) button up shirts, blazers and neutrals. This is the total antithesis of what’s in my wardrobe so I fine it really hard to think of how to style my maximal pieces and my wardrobe is full of colour and pattern so am I just “old fashioned” / “a relic from the 80s”??? Last weekend I went on a train journey to a very stylish colourful friend’s 60th I put together a “capsule” for going away with. Everything was beige, black, blue denim, white, navy and cream. Yes everything went together BUT, I felt invisible and not one person said I looked nice whereas everyone else was getting complimented on their outfits. Looking at the photos I did look OK and I really like all of the individual pieces but won’t ever go away again without an injection of colour! I did have one of my “hell yeah” blouses for the flight back and its the only time over the weekend I felt like me again 😢
Having a steps to follow is good approach to make creating a capsule less overwhelming, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be “complete” in a single day or sitting. Following Allison Bornstein’s closet editing system really helped (especially sub-dividing the “nevers” into nos, not-nows and hows?) Her TikTok has great tips if you’re not following already.
We are the opposite 😂I only wear dresses, skirts, and blouses, the frillier the better! As many colors as I can, lots of patterns, textures, and fabrics. Not a blazer or pair of pants or t shirt in sight And that’s the beauty of this. There is no right or wrong way to dress as long as you love it. Fashion is art that we get the opportunity to live in
If your goal is reducing the amount of stuff you own, coming back to things (the maybe pile) is such an important habit! It really does take time (weeks, months, years) for you to “let go” of some things. Try different approaches to this though. Sometimes it’s helpful to leave the ‘maybe’ in plain sight, so that it becomes clear how often you pass it over, other times it’s better not to see it for a while, so that when you rediscover it you can think ‘wow, I forgot I even had this… clearly I didn’t miss it!’
I’m 27 and have lost 50kgs over the last year-this is the first article that has helped. I have a hundred things that used to fit, don’t fit now, never will fit etc that for whatever reason I kept trying to build around. This has given me the motivation and information to actually sustainably solve my wardrobe dilemma vs trying to buy my way out of it.
You’re so great Christina, thank you! God all your articles remind me how similar all of us feel—for girls it’s not just about clothes, but the emotional weight of what clothes are to women. theres such an emotionality in our spending decisions, and the self judgement that comes with it— oscillating between spending for habit or comfort or to chase some dream version of “ourselves” that we’re always somehow abusing ourselves with. It’s nice to see someone get it and say it. Lots of love from Toronto
Here’s a huge tip: do this every season, every year & do it on laundry day – most of your ‘hell yes’ pile is already in the hamper. Also whenever you buy a new BLANK move 2 BLANKS into the sell/donate pile. Do this consistently & you will have a closet you ❤. I started when I was 30…I adore my closet @ 55
My 14 year old granddaughter has this down to an art form. Over the last 3 years, while she’s been growing and changing shape she has had several ‘capsule ‘ wardrobes. The first one was largely pink ( think Elle in Legally Blonde), then moved to black and white, then brown and cream. Last year was white, white, white with a bit of blue. This year she’s much the same size as last year, but I see the mix and match coming in….a black velvet jacket, a pink crop top, khaki trousers. A different outfit every time I see her, but the clothes themselves are the same ones, just reassembled with maybe a belt or scarf or something small added sometimes. She’s taught both her mother and myself how to slim down a wardrobe, and what new to buy.
Just found your website, great content! I’m 48 y, three children and I’m apparently having a major stylecrisis that arrived out of the blue… I actually had a “work-uniform” that served me well for about 12 years (I always bought the same model of skinny jeans and combined with a lot of grey, and great second hand:vintage items), now this particular jeans model has been discontinued so I feel helpless in the jeans jungle, and a lot of my daily items are too worn… I still have lot of “covid-clothes” that I can’t wear outside the house but somehow I hang on to these zombie-clothes…😬 I also have many good quality, but strange 🤣 items that I bought for weddings and parties, they look very dated or too young on me now… my colouring has also changed and I’m on a budget. This was very helpful, thank you! ❤️
❤❤❤ Christina Thank you so much for your look on Capsule wardrobe …So much more realistic … and manageble …I loved it I now follow to method which was changing Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏 Those other capsule wardrobes you on other Youtube websites are so UNREALISTIC😂😂….thank you so much …im like you …I like colour sticking to their basic colours would be so boring snd for me …White makes me look washed out and black im sick of black ….now i can find my clothes that i love Quicker .. I really love your maybe idea that was great i use that method too
I find I like classic cuts with a French/ European sort of look. I have a couple really basic navy cashmere sweaters that I got from a consignment shop, a tan Burberry coat, some Persol sunglasses, an old wide brimmed hat from Florence. I don’t like anything too intense, or logos that jump out. I think my style was influenced by various shows growing up…Gattaca, Blade Runner, even certain outfits Will Graham wears in Hannibal. I don’t have a ton of clothes but they all have a similar feel. Sort of timeless and neutrals but also some ambers and blues, especially indigo and navy.
I have to rant against decluttering because it is such an invite to make the same mistakes, or at least it has been for me. Half the people throw their used clothes right in the trash, most of which are perfectly usable. The rest donate them to thrift stores where they have about an 80% chance of becoming landfill in far away places. Please don’t toss your mending pile. Mend it. Please sell or rehome instead of donating. And only donate clean in season stylish clothes with no stains or rips. These are the ones your charity might be able to sell. Please find a way to integrate those mistakes you made and restyle the fast fashion junk. You bought it. Wear it. It’s time to repurpose the clutter. Think creatively. Make beauty out of it.
A consistent pattern i’ve found is that the styles i actually like the look of look terrible on me. My body is very weirdly proportioned and not at all feminine so very few items actually look “right” or “good” on me. At best things just look blah. So i dress for comfort (which is harder to do when nothing fits quite right). So if i had my way, my closet would consist solely of a few pairs of sweats and hoodies. But is that my “style”? Ngl, i do like some hoodie/baggy pants looks but there are so many clothes i love but can’t wear without looking ridiculous. And even with the hoodie look, there are essential elements in the outfits i like that i can’t pull off, defeating the whole purpose.
YES I STORE AWAY CLOTHES TOO! I always feel like i went on a shopping spree when i decide to rotate. That way my wardrobe isn’t cluttered and makes it easier to find the clothes i want to wear at the time. Once i feel my style shifting, the cycle repeats. Styling goes a long way! i love ur article, I will have to come back to it
I know I have to do this, but I think I needed to hear it… So thank you. Thank you to this article that randomly showed on my home page. You overall seem like a nice person and although I’ve never seen you before, you sound nice and you look like you know what you’re talking about too, you’re calm… I think I’m gonna watch more of your articles in the future… And who knows, maybe I’ll stay forever… ? But that’s too into the future… For now, let’s start with subscribing, to get something done…
I don’t know if it’s just me but I feel like my taste evolves a lot through years. It’s hard to have a durable wardrobe. Also I have realized that I often get quickly bored about some pieces. I need to analyze if these pieces were a real YES when I bought them or if they were juste cute things I wanted to buy at that time (that’s probably it). Another problem for me is weight changes. I gained a lot of weight but I kept pieces I loved when I was thinner, because I hope to be able to wear them again. And now I have to buy clothes but if I succeed in loosing weight I know now that I won’t be able to wear them again too. So more “lost” money… I have a few pieces I love so much I can’t wear them anymore bc they are ruined, I regret I haven’t bought several pieces (but I couldn’t have known). So many problems 😁 (btw I love your articles! They are simple, easy to watch, and of course I like your style and your advices to find our own and to have a durable wardrobe). (bye bye from France !)