To create a minimalist closet, start by removing clothes that are stained, ripped, or faded beyond recognition. Remove seasonal items, get rid of clothes that don’t fit once and for all, reduce your need for additional accessories, consider the idea of one, reassess current trend purchases, physically handle every item, and if all else fails, pick a number.
The “Keep” pile will consist of what you want to keep for your closet, “Donate/Sell” are items too good to throw away that can be reused by someone, and the “Throw Away” pile is for anything faded, outdated, or worn out.
To create a minimal closet, start by doing a closet clean out. Remove all the clothing from the closet, sort the clothing into piles or hang back into your closet. This practical guide will walk you step-by-step through a closet clean out, but here are some quick closet clean out tips if you are ready to dive in.
Step 1: Commit to the process. Traub explains that the first step to any closet cleanout is always making the definitive pledge to do it. “Commit to decluttering and cleaning out your closet”.
To organize and declutter for a minimal wardrobe, start with a HUGE declutter. Sort your clothing into four piles and try anything on that you are unsure about. Get rid of unwanted clothing, figure out what you need, empty and clean wardrobe, sort clothing by type, put away clothing, and look after your expensive items.
To clean out your closet, schedule time for the cleanout, empty your closet into one giant pile, give your closet a good scrub, sort clothes into Keep, Donate/Sell piles, and finally, take everything out. Determine how often you wear the piece and question its wearability.
In summary, to create a minimalist closet, start by starting easy by removing stained, ripped, or faded clothes, removing seasonal items, reducing accessories, and considering the wearability of each item. By following these tips, you can achieve a freeing and happy wardrobe.
📹 How to Get Rid of Clothes (and Decide What to Keep) | A Simple Closet Clean Out Method
Most people have a closet full of clothes they never wear. Say you own 100 total pieces of clothing. You might actually wear 20 of …
What is the 3 3 3 rule for wardrobe?
The author participated in Project 333, a program that aims to reduce wardrobe clutter by wearing only 33 items of clothing for three months. Clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards the number, with exceptions for wedding rings, underwear, sleepwear, loungewear, and workout clothing. Clothing that no longer fits or becomes in poor condition can be replaced. The author found the project challenging, reasonable, and encouraging, and found it helpful in reducing clutter in their closet.
What is the 33 closet rule?
Project 333 is a minimalist challenge that involves selecting 33 items of clothing (excluding essentials) and wearing only those items for a period of three months. The aim of the challenge is to assess clothing needs, identify underutilized pieces, and learn the art of creating outfits with a limited selection.
What is the 333 declutter method?
The Project 333 Challenge is a simple and effective way to simplify your wardrobe and personal life. By choosing 33 items (or less) including clothes, shoes, jewelry, and accessories, you can pack up and hide everything else for the next three months. Underwear, sleepwear, workout clothes, and loungewear that doesn’t leave the house are not counted as long as they are working out. This simple approach allows you to sample simplicity and decide what you truly need in your closet and life. By focusing on your favorite items, you can simplify your wardrobe and make more choices.
What is the 5 outfit rule?
In accordance with the Five Outfit Rule, as postulated by Barber, the purchase of a new item should be in alignment with the existing collection of five items. In the event that an item does not align with the aforementioned criteria, it is advisable to discard it. The phenomenon of overconsumption represents a significant global issue with implications for mental health.
What is 5 4 3 2 1 travel wardrobe?
The 5-4-3-2-1 packing method is a simple packing method that involves packing five tops, four bottoms, three shoes, two dresses, and an accessory set. The layout can be adjusted based on the occasion and destination, such as a swimsuit for summer vacations or two jackets for cooler destinations. The basic principle remains the same, ensuring a well-organized and comfortable packing experience.
What is the 333 wardrobe rule?
The 333 styling method is a minimalist fashion challenge that encourages individuals to wear only 33 items for three months, including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes. Created by Courtney Carver, it aims to simplify wardrobe choices and promote sustainable fashion habits. The method encourages mindful consumption and can lead to significant savings by reducing decision fatigue, decluttering space, and discovering what clothing items you truly love and use. It also encourages people to find contentment with less and promotes sustainable fashion habits.
What is the 54321 method capsule wardrobe?
The 54321 packing method involves packing five tops, four bottoms, three shoes or dresses, two bags, and one destination-specific item. However, you can customize the packing to your liking. Include 2-3 essential items. The 54321 travel capsule wardrobe can be divided into various variants, such as four tops, one jacket, three bottoms, one dress, three versatile accessories, two bags (one carry-on and one day bag), and one pair of shoes.
What is the 90 90 rule for decluttering?
The 90/90 rule, as devised by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists, represents a systematic approach to decluttering. It entails posing two questions about each object: first, whether it has been utilized within the past 90 days; and second, whether it is likely to be utilized within the next 90 days. This rule is particularly useful in instances where JavaScript is disabled or blocked by an extension.
What is the 70 30 wardrobe rule?
The author follows Vivienne Westwood’s motto, “Buy less, but choose well”, and treats shopping as a treasure hunt for the ultimate wardrobe. They create a shopping list, size up options, and follow the 70/30 rule, which suggests that 70% should be classic pieces like a white top and black handbag, and 30% should be trendy, fun pieces like orange skinny jeans. This balance helps them find better clothes for their body, personality, and budget, building a wardrobe they love wearing every day and can afford. The author encourages others to shop on a budget while still buying nice clothes and having fun.
What is the 12 12 12 method of decluttering?
Joshua Becker’s 12-12-12 decluttering method is a simple yet effective approach to decluttering. The method involves finding 12 items to throw away, donate, and put away where they belong. Becker suggests starting with the first five items, such as trash and broken items, and gradually increasing the number of items to reach 12. This approach helps maintain focus and provides a concrete goal, which can help prevent feeling overwhelmed.
If you surpass 12 in any category, it’s good, but keeping it as a benchmark can provide motivation when struggling. The method can be applied at home, with Becker’s explanation being concise and easy to adapt to individual needs. The goal is to eliminate clutter and create a clutter-free space.
What is the 333 rule for packing?
The ‘333 Method’ is a packing rule that involves choosing three tops, three bottoms, and three pairs of shoes to create over a dozen outfit looks that fit easily into a carry-on. Influencer Rachel Spencer has exploded on social media, showcasing over 20 different outfits using her nine items. However, hats, belts, and jewelry are not included in the base wardrobe and can be packed as extras. The 333 Method aims to eliminate anxiety when packing while ensuring lightness and style while traveling light. It also leaves room for holiday purchases or special items like fancy dresses or linen dresses for summer travel.
📹 Backward Decluttering: THE FASTEST AND EASIEST WAY TO DECLUTTER YOUR CLOSET
Decluttering our closets is different than decluttering literally anything else. Very different roadblocks and emotions go into the …
I’ve been cleansing and rebuilding my wardrobe to have less excess and more quality essentials. I needed to hear that it takes time to rebuild. I’ve been rushing in my head, “I need this piece for this season and when this season comes around I have to buy that.” It takes time (and money!) so thanks for that reminder.
I have a good way of ensuring I never have too many clothes, I own a very small closet! It’s 6ft high, 2ft deep and 2 feet wide. It has two shelves with shoes on top of the shelf and on the floor of the closet and underwear and socks on the second shelf. I have colder weather clothes and warmer weather clothes and depending upon the weather I generally swap over in early May. I place the seasons clothes I’m not using in a vacuum sealed plastic bag and away they go under my bed for the rest of the season they are not for. I also wear my clothes till the wear out. I just went to C&A in Vienna yesterday to get two new Polo shirts and two new TShirts. Good quality and made from organic cotton they were on sale so I spent well under €30 and from my previous experience they will last a good four years. Like you I go for solid colours with no brand names and timeless design so they never look old fashioned.
I do a closet clean out evert 6 months to coincide with the change from fall-winter to spring -summer. However, I will have to confess that it takes two or three clean out cycles to finally admit on some articles of clothing or shoes that the chances of wearing the item are zero and it needs to go…
I love this article. The best way I found to improve my wardrobe was to donate almost all of my clothes to charity. Then follow Brock’s advice on refining a smart conservative minimalist fashion sense concentrating on the classics and fit. While I enjoyed the method advice, asking the “does it bring me joy question?” really isn’t where it’s at. More like do I like the way this looks, is it my style, and does it fit. These aren’t metaphysical choices. Brock makes fashion a lot easier and practical. I really appreciate that.
I’ve slowly been trying to refine my closet. I am in the same exact boat however about my size and weight. I’m 5″5 and around 115lbs. On the one hand it makes shopping for new clothes really difficult, on the other, my closet isn’t filled with many clothes because I never really buy anything if it doesn’t fit well. Right now I am just trying to save up for key pieces from Peter Manning, and Ash and Erie. 👌🏻
I’ve been into fashion and tailoring my clothes for about a year now and I’m going back and realizing that half my jeans are way too tight are tailored way to short for what I’m into now. It sucks but its better to give them away or sell them and I’ve gained a great amount of experience in what my style is and how to alter things to my needs.
by your logic i should throw away like 90% of my clothes. almost nothing fits me well and its all awful minus the newer purchases i consciously made EDIT: just threw away 9 pieces (of trash) and made a distinction between my summer and warmer clothing and now i see how little i actually have for summer. very much agree with this article.
Thank you for this insightful article! I’ve seen several other female bloggers’ content, but often found them focusing too much on personal anecdotes and challenges, which I couldn’t quite relate to. Your article, however, provides valuable suggestions and practical tools, including a useful list of questions. I must admit, I have an abundance of clothes, with some still sporting their tags after years of neglect. Surprisingly, I only end up wearing about 20% of my wardrobe. This issue extends to my shoes as well, where I barely utilize 10% of my collection.
Would be cool to see what your clothing collection has gotten to over the years. I know every year, people grow and such, and find out what is the most versatile and what some things you need are, such as ties or coats, but how many of them you need for how often you use them. Some people don’t use a lot of them, but may want a few quality pieces for the one occasion they actually do need them. I have pretty much my whole wardrobe sorted out, but trying to close it off with some gaps in my shoe collection and my accessories, such as ties, hats, etc. Keep up the great work Brock!
I’m working on this right now, after a recent move and working from home, I really don’t need much. It’s also been a mindset shift, I’ve noticed that women’s fashion has so many choices and I get overwhelmed when I have too many options. I look best when I wear simple and classic pieces, so all the extra fluff will be donated ASAP.
Yeah the problem I have is a lot of my clothes have been bought for me and half of them I just don’t like the way the fit/look on me and I feel like I’m never going to wear them and they don’t make me happy. I took out all my clothes I know I won’t wear and now my wardrobe has many gaps as you mentioned, I’m in two minds though because now I feel I don’t have enough clothes when in reality I do, I just don’t like them, its an awful feeling especially knowing how much money was wasted.
I have a very big problem as I am pretty young in the context of my family, so I have TONS of gifted tshirts from places. So I have tshirts from the trips of my sisters to rome, of my dad to london, of some uncle yo some other place… I’m pretty sure at least 60% of my wardrobe is composed of my very high quality school clothes and these gifted around the world t shirts.
Good article. Only exception (and there’s always one!😂) would be “specific event wear” I have a black dinner jacket (Tux to our American friends) that I have worn maybe 2 or 3 times in the last 5-6 years. Simply because I don’t do Black Tie all that often. (though I should perhaps get some patent leather shoes for such events now I think about it) So it falls foul of the flow chart. I’m sure some will have suits they only wear for Weddings/Funerals as they don’t wear a suit for work.
In my culture, it is customary to donate clothes during this particular annual festival. So ever since my twenties, I’ve been systematically donating thousands of clothes i had during my teens, which i never wore, and rebuilding it very very slowly. I’ve a long way to go, cause my fashion sense is a mess, but I’m trying !
Love this mate, I have built up a great wardrobe over the past year however when I open the doors nothing really inspires me and I tend to go for the staples: 1.White, pink, sky or navy blue Oxford shirt 2.White,grey or black slim fitted Tshirt 3.Navy, grey, tan, green or black chinos 4.Grey, black blue washed out jeans 5.Black, grey, burgundy track suit 6.Grey, black or navy sweater 7.RM Williams Chelsea in black 8.Thursday Captains in brown 9.Artisan Lab white, black or tan Italian leather trainers 10.Nike Air Max 270 black Some great combos right there but like I say I have other items that I want but don’t wear 😂
I’ve been decluttering but there are items I’ve only worn once or twice that I feel great in and love wearing but the issue is, they’re not work clothes, and I only ever leave the house to go to work, they’re also not lounge clothes so I only wear them when going out. I leave the house so little I’ve only worn some once. But I don’t want to get rid of them because the second I leave the house for anything other than work I go straight for them
This is great advice for women too! There are three side categories you need to add: 1. I haven’t worn this in over a year because of life change, AND I expect to change back. I’m not going to get rid of all my office clothing just because I’ve worked at home for 2 years. But I can move it to the back of my closet or box it up. 2. I no longer wear an item, I will never wear it again, but it has too much meaning to get rid of. I have one Memory Box” for things like this. Only one box, and if it fills up, I get rid of some of the things in it. 3. Things that I need to replace because they’re almost worn out. I keep them, but add replacements to my shopping list, and when I buy the replacement, I get rid of the old item.
Hey,I like your articles. I’m a thin guy too at 5 foot 11 inches. I have my style pretty well locked down with the exception being shorts. I have been searching for a slim fit just above the knee. I’m a mail carrier and I am over wearing pants all summer because of my skinny legs. Do you have any suggestions. Something good for work. Slim or skinny with a good tapered look. Thanks. keep up the good work.
As a note, one “maybe” item that is 100% worth keeping: something appropriate for a funeral. It really sucks to have to scramble to get something when you’re grieving. I got a black wrap dress because it has/will fit me at all my potential sizes (including while pregnant once), and it can be used for other occasions.
I love how your articles are like a research paper/presentation. You introduce a topic and give an opinion or fact, you research and share your findings, then wrap everything together in a conclusion. Very well thought of. I always appreciate the time and effort you put in these articles . Thanks a bunch .
00:00 🧥 Start by identifying the items you absolutely love and need in your wardrobe, rather than focusing on what to get rid of. 01:36 👗 Create a capsule wardrobe from your existing favorite pieces, focusing on versatility and classic items that don’t go out of style. 03:28 🛍 If you’re missing key items, consider shopping intentionally for them rather than buying items on impulse. 04:53 🩳 Evaluate if you have too much of something in a specific category and decide if some items need to go to achieve a more streamlined wardrobe. 06:02 📦 Store the “maybe” items away from your everyday wardrobe to remove the pressure of making immediate decisions about them. 07:26 🔄 Revisit the stored items in four to six months and evaluate if you actually needed them; this helps in making more informed decisions about what to keep or let go.
I find it helpful to do a closet declutter at the end of a few hectic weeks where you didn’t really do much laundry. Things that are still hanging there unworn at the point, that you didn’t pick up even under dire circumstances where all your go-to items are dirty—you’re never going to wear them. Ever.
Fact about me: (Apart from event clothes -black pants and blouses) I wear EVERY one of my 80+ tops, shorts, pants on rotation. I pick pieces from one side of my closest, wear it that day and then put it back in a different side of my closet after it is washed.. Repeat daily until nothing is left on that one side of the closet and the start all over again…. In this process, i find things that don’t quite fit right anymore and put those pieces in a donation bag that i keep in my closet.
My Mom passed away. She had some really nice clothes that I can wear. I am having trouble getting rid of them. I have not worn a dress in 10 or more years. I go out twice a week. I don’t work. I wear jeans and t-shirts. I don’t need these clothes. They are just in case. Just putting this down here and reading it may be helping already. I have a whole closet full of her stuff. It’s been two years and I wore 1 of her shirts at Christmas. I know what I need to do.😢💜. I need to donate her stuff so it can be worn and enjoyed by others.—Thank you!!🌸
This is how I cleaned out my bookshelf when I moved and had to pare down. I picked my favorites, and the reference books I accessed all the time. The rest got boxed up and put in storage. (I divided them up by category and used small storage totes, so I could easily find anything I needed.) 5 years later, I’ve cultivated a library that I truly love, not just shelves full of books for the sake of having books. 📚
That’s how I declutter first. Once I have my absolutely love pile, I move on to the useful and nice ones. Everything else goes.But, most important to note, there is a pile that appreciates over time. So, even if I don’t wear them now, I know they will age wonderfully and increase in value. I have now clothes I bought over 20 years ago that are gems now. No way to replace in quality or style, and if you do, it would cost a fortune. So, learn to spot these pieces and preserve them really well. You’ll thank yourself, me and your kids will also be very grateful later. P.S. if you wear something all the time and you have several of it, then keep a couple to wear and the rest keep for when you wear them out. Only do this with items that are your core style that you know you will just go buy more in the future.
I needed this! I’m planning to declutter my closet next week and was going to just remove the items I no longer want, but that always leaves me with a bunch of maybes that I try to wear because I feel guilty, otherwise. Instead, I’m going to follow your method and pick out the favs, packing away the maybes.
Thanks for your great articles! I could never do 333; I’d be so bored wearing the same clothes all the time that I’d go on a shopping binge. I like the idea of moving seasonal items out of my closet and am going to do that now! If I have one complaint about older age it’s that I’m not able to wear stiletto heels anymore 🙁 so enjoy them while you are young 🤣.
After putting off my wardrobe declutter for many months and after failing at it at previous attempts, this seems like the perfect solution for me. My wardrobe is 70% filled with clothes i wear less of but cant throw away and i cant find clothes to wear easily. Also with this i can organise my wardrobe better and actually maintain it. Thanks a ton ❤
This is a genius idea. Essentially it bypasses the hardest part of the decluttering experience as you are making easy positive choices right at the outset. Your favourite jeans, that top you love, that dress you just bought etc then the slightly harder decisions don’t get thrown away, a major emotional wrench, they’re just put on the back burner for just in case. And finally, those items that you bypass every time anyway, it’s easier to get rid of them!
Love this take on this! I’ve heard this idea described so many ways but this is really clicking for me. I’ve been working on getting my kid’s clothes under control and since she’s 9 she doesn’t want to let go of much, even though it doesn’t fit anymore. I’m gonna try this with her leggings bc omg grandma won’t stop and they don’t go with ANYTHING ELSE! Lol 😂 PS Idk why nobody’s told you yet but pare is pronounced like pair, not par. It comes from old French ‘parer’ meaning adorn, prepare, peel, or trim, which itself traces back to the Latin word ‘parare’ meaning prepare. Etymology nerd, sorry not sorry. 😂 Love ya!
Great article! I did a big closet declutter a couple years ago so am down to my favorites though I’m guilty of having a large number of favorites. Storing out of season clothes in the guest room closet, and in a cedar chest in the master closet, has made it much more reasonable. That said, I think I need to migrate from the concept of two seasons (warm weather versus cold weather) to four seasons and store away the other three seasons of clothing. I am in Connecticut too. If I had a massive closet I’d keep everything accessible year round, but this method should reduce the crammed hanger situation. I also have a small collection of pants that are one size larger, kept separately, but this reminds me I haven’t needed that since shedding my Covid 15, and hopefully won’t ever need it again. -Jen
How did you know! This week is TOSS OLD CLOTHING week in our house! I know I am going to use your declutter backwards method. We know what we are wearing now, so leave that on the hangers. Time saved already! Helicopter Mom can put up her feet and enjoy another coffee break while the kids and Pop ponder what they truly want to keep or donate. Result: Happy family, neat closets with space for a few spring/summer things that will surely come along. Very timely article, Thanks!
This was a great approach to such an overwhelming task-I fluctuate from size 10-14 in a state that has 4 seasons, so I have a LOT of clothes. I have been putting off the Closet Project for months.Occasionally I will donate a couple bags of clothes here and there, but will stop for months before getting the courage to get back in the trenches! NO MORE. This weekend Im going to deal with it once and for all. When finished, I am going to have built ins installed, the closet wallpapered and a new chandelier installed. Thank you for giving me the inspiration to tackle it once and for all 🙂
I have to try this approach and am very excited about it! have been chipping away at decluttering my wardrobe and entire house for a few years now with many “just in case” items finally getting rotated out. It is so satisfying to let things go especially during seasonal changes. Everyday day life is indeed better on so many counts not being weighed down with so much unused “stuff.” Thank you!
You’re so right on about this. This seems to be the best technique is to pull out what you must have other wise you get stuck and don’t get rid of much. I find that if I stick clothes in a bag right away once I’ve set them aside, then if I don’t think of anything in that bag, those items stay there and I give them away. Out of sight, out of mind.
Hmmm… I keep things in a bin for as long as I want. Most of the time stuff comes back into style (or I gain/lose weight) and go back to my bins and viola! No need to shop! I have a few things that I’ve packed away for 3-4 years at a time and still pull them out when it’s “trending again”. If something is an ill fit altogether or cannot be mended/cleaned of stains then yes I get rid of it but otherwise I feel like I’m winning because clothes were made much better years ago than what they are now.
I like your idea of grabbing your favorites first. Right now, I am working towards losing 60 pounds, so my surgeon can remove my colostomy bag from colon cancer. So, my wardrobe will change A LOT over the next year or so. I also had my septic tank back up into my bathroom where my closet is, so I had to take everything out when they replaced the floor. I have scheduled my calendar for next week to sort clothing from non-clothing, then sort clothing. When I have what I love, then filled in the blanks spaces, it will be beautiful.
I wear dresses in the summer. In cooler weather, I wear tops and sweaters with yoga pants (home), jeans (casual) or black pants (work). I have a few dresses, 2 of each of the bottoms and a variety of tops and cardigans. Done. My point is that having a type of uniform that works for you simplifies everything tremendously.
I’ve done a similar thing and used 1 yr to decide those just in case items. That way I went through all the seasons, holidays and events that “might” have come up and still didn’t use the items. I really like the idea of creating a capsule wardrobe by shopping your own clothes. I’ve had some weight issues so I think that’s going to work wonderful for me. Thanks for sharing!
This is how I’ve sorted my wardrobe for a couple years now. I do it twice a year, one aimed for summer, one aimed for winter. I keep out only the clothes I’m most comfortable in, and everything else gets tucked away into a bin. I don’t pressure myself to get rid of stuff in that moment unless it really hits me. I find it’s a lot easier to get rid of clothes when they’ve been out of sight and mind for several months, and you realize you were never actually going to wear them. If I’m going to add a new piece to my wardrobe, I think first if it’s something I’ll feel comfortable in, then make sure I choose a color that will pair well with the existing items in my wardrobe. So far this method has worked very well.
The backwards approach is great for just about anything! Instead of going for what you don’t need, like, or want… first set aside the things you love, use, and need. Then proceed the same way, separating what to toss, donate, or stick in a bin to “wait and see” if you ever go back for it. Success breeds success; and when you start out immediately knowing you get to keep what you love, you’ve already gained traction in the task which motivates you to complete it. Closets, drawers, cabinets–it all works great the backwards way.
Such great concepts! I became familiar with keeping items that bring me joy from Marie Condo a few years ago. I found that this process served me so much better. I love your idea of corralling the roadblock pieces and keeping them out of sight for a spell to see if they’re worth keeping. I’m definitely going to give this a try. Thanks Kallie! 🤩
This is such a wonderful and useful strategy, thank you for putting it out there! I get so overwhelmed sometimes going through my closet, but I’ve gotten better at pairing down and being realistic about pieces that I don’t love or won’t wear. I love the idea of building the capsule wardrobe first, almost along the lines of packing for a trip. We always bring our most favorite versatile pieces. Then the remaining two other parts are more tolerable. When see how much we have that we already do love in the capsule wardrobe, it’s easier to let go of the pieces that don’t service us any longer.
Darn it. Mine is split into stuff I wear for messy things where it’ll probably be ruined, regular day to day clothes that is nice, and depression clothes (which I’ve tossed out before but rebought because it’s comfy and uncomfortable clothes during these times makes me feel even worse). My closet wouldn’t even be that cluttered if my weight wasn’t really weird. I’ll fit into some jeans one day and the next time they’re either falling down or not closing. 😂
I really like this idea–it does cut down on the trauma of trying to Marie Kondo everything, LOL. I’ve battled my weight for most of my life, so I have “incentive clothing” (that’s never been worn–some going back to the early 80s!), as well as stuff I wore when I was thinner, and then all the way up the size range to where I am now, which no, I’m not saying, haha. My kids are grown and mostly out of the house, so that allowed me to take over two of their three closets. I keep what I typically wear in my own closet, then in my oldest daughter’s I keep all of our cosplay stuff–we go to a lot of comicons, ren faires, etc., as a family, so we have a lot of costume type stuff. In my middle daughter’s closet, though… that’s where I keep everything that doesn’t fit. And her closet was CRAMMED. Plus I had two giant U-Haul wardrobe boxes in her room, as well, which I absolutely hated, because her room is so pretty when it’s not overflowing with all my stuff. Well, we were very fortunate to be gifted new flooring in our home, which is AMAZING, but also meant we literally had to move absolutely everything in the house multiple times, going from room to room as the work was being done, because we couldn’t afford to completely move out for two weeks. That was the impetus I needed to finally truly purge my clothes. I’ve tried to do it for years, but that emotional attachment is a real thing. I’ve sworn for actual decades to fit back into those 80s pieces and all the rest. This time around, I decided I’d have to get really tough with myself, so I made myself put my hands on every single piece and ask, “Even if I could fit into this today, would I actually wear it now?
I have RA/lupus n thyroid disease so I have to keep abt three sizes of clothes so unfortunately for me I have so much but my meds make me go up and down in sizes and if my RA is active n I’m sleeping a lot more n eating more I’ll gain weight a lot of it fluid but still it’s very hard for ppl like me to declutter clothes sadly bc even if u haven’t worn something in six months then all of a sudden here comes the next month n ur needing a diff size. It’s very very frustrating. There’s no right answers for us but don’t let it make u feel to bad if yr like me and can’t downsize much. One way I have tht doesn’t effect size wise is anything thts ragedy😂 things w holes or worn out colors or shape all outta proportion and shoes tht u haven’t worn ever or if yr at a diff stage in yr life n haven’t worn”hooker heels”😂 in a few years u either don’t go out or whtever u can downsize yr shoe lot. Hope this helped a lil. U can always keep what u love wo feeling guilty🫶
Aloha, all of your articles have been and are a great help. I’m narrowing everything in my home (Apt.) down and it really makes a huge difference. I feel so much freer and in charge. It’s definitely a work in progress and it’s getting easier and easier all the time. Thank you for sharing your brilliant knowledge and wisdom with us❤️.
I used to do the hard yes or hard no method of decluttering but I found that the empty space would refill within the next few months which defeated the purpose so I switched to a version of this method which is working much better. I still have one tote of items that have been in storage for just over a year that I need to work through but it can wait until Spring once I declutter my worn out cold weather clothing.
I hear you… and agree-ish. But I do have some just in case pieces that I do like, did cost some real money, and I do expect to wear them again. I am thinking specifically of a few blazers that I used to wear to work. I am not needing to wear them to work right now. But I can definitely foresee wearing them again and will not want to have to repurchase them. They are not stressing me out having them in my closet. They aren’t making it harder for me to get dressed in the morning. I keep them towards one end of the closet and I feel perfectly fine having them in there. But I totally agree about the clothes that don’t really fit us or don’t look good on us. We may be reluctant to get rid of that, but in many cases it would be safe to do so. Once gone we will likely never think about them again.
Great advice. I’ve been doing project 333 for several years now and it’s an amazing way to declutter gently just like you describe. I did declutter before but those previous efforts were painful difficult and not nearly as effective as 2 years worth of following project333 which was easier and way more fun. My clothing costs are way down because when something wears out or I spot a “hole” where I need something particular I shop for exactly that instead of mindlessly searching the sale racks. I’m wearing all my favourite combinations of clothes I love and fit me and MY life.
Love the article, but it’s still much easier for me to take out the ” haven’t worn, doesn’t fit, not-even-me-now” stuff first. I do not have the strength to take out all the clothes and to put what’s left away again, at least for starters. But believe me, I can cull my closet twice a year like nobody’s business. I dress in comfy clothes, because that’s what I need at this point. I take care of my clothes, but I can’t control what donations centers do with them. Mostly cotton, so I hope it does breakdown if put in landfills. As for the funeral comment, I agree, however the last dress I bought fr a funeral was my father’s funeral. Not worth keeping.
This is great advice for normal people, but every time I try to build a capsule wardrobe with the usual staples like plain t-shirt, jeans, black pants, etc. I always just end up choosing to wear a colorful print dress with tights or leggings. So I’m more of a “uniform” person than a capsule mix and matcher, I guess?
If I put my just in case pieces somewhere I don’t see them I’d forget what I have. Otherwise, I’d just go out and buy somerhing else. I have found slipping a piece of paper on the hanger with the date I’m decluttering I can then tell what I’ve worn in a 12month cycle. That gives me a really good idea about keeping it or not.
My biggest problem with decluttering my wardrobe is getting rid of the clothes. Literally. Where do they go? I don’t want to add to the landfills, it’s too much to actually sell each and every item individually, there are no local flea markets and donating them to shady companies doesn’t feel like a valid option either. I have huge piles of perfectly fine, barely worn clothes I want to get rid of, but instead they’re sitting in my bedroom for almost half a year now.
I am so excited to start decluttering my closet after perusal this, thank you!! I was actually to the point where I was going to buy more hangers, but the thought left me so stressed out, I’m so grateful I found this instead. I am wondering if you have any suggestions for people that live in states where we have summer and winter wardrobes?
A tip I learned by trial and error was how to get rid of those sentimental pieces… and that is to put them on! If you a shirt that is sentimental but you haven’t worn in years, put it on right then and there. I found out that once it’s on, I ‘feel’ like I did back then, and had this epiphany that I am no longer that person. And it was a super positive feeling! It def helped me to let go of some things
hi there. great article! to be honest, i do such declutter at all my spaces. i keep the items i think, i will not miss in a box for weeks, months and than give them away. the same was with kitchen stuff, clothes, decor,… and i DO NOT need those things, its such a great way to start, because you know, you have the stuff in case of need, but lets face it – you will not in 95%
😂I just decluttered a BUNCH of clothes as may be moving in several months. Retiring and no longer need all the office clothes I’ve collected over the years. I was really proud of how large my amount to donation ! But,,, NOW I’m going to go through what’s left using this technique because I now see I could easily get rid of MORE 😂. THANK YOU !😊
As a kid / Teenie I really didn’t had a lot of stuff, I couldn’t go out and buy things with my friends or anything, I had to lend me some clothes from my friends and yea as soon as I started having money I’ve developed an shopping addiction, my whole upper house is full of bags and clothing, it sucks and stresses me out. I’ve been declutting my wardrobe and after this article I’ve even more the desire to do it again. I will do it cause I have to much clothes that don’t even fit me just in case I loose weight .
If you have a professional job, you will look like a loser wearing the same clothes over and over. You do need a serious wardrobe for presentations and business trips and work in general. I have gotten rid if expensive suits I loved, but I wore them for presentations a few times and would be embarrassed to keep wearing them. Daughter says I was crazy and she wanted them, she wants all my suits and expensive work dresses. But, she still lives with us!
I usually don’t comment on articles. But today while perusal your article I was comfy in my blanket, but i had a strange compulsion to declutter my wardrobe immediately(it was 10:30pm). I had a feeling that what you shared will work and help me get past the roadblock i always encounter- what to do about the ‘maybes’. For the first time ever i have successfully reduced my wardrobe size and that too in 1/3 amount of time i would usually take. Thank you so much for your practical tips!
I have decluttered and I still have a lot of clothes. I think I might have to try the box idea. Right now I am storing some winter clothes away. But I had not thought of storing away maybe items. Maybe I’ll try that. What is tying me up right now is it being summer and not knowing what I’ll wear in winter. It may be that I can get rid of some stuff after winter. Or at least put away some stuff until things wear out and I need a replacement to save me buying one.
I’m really trying to declutter, but i’m struggling still at the part of letting go for free. In the community we are trying to second hand but it’s still not working 100%. Sooooo what i’m trying right now is wearing the favs until they are not wearable and then taking another set. A loooong way to go
Every season, I “pack for 2 weeks” in 2 large suitcases. It automatically emphasizes stuff that fits, goes together that I like, and is in good repair. I plan for day, evening, activewear, outerwear, shoes, etc. after filling the suitcases, I take away everything else for that season. Then put 2 weeks worth back.
while I think that’s a great method, if you don’t have enough favorites to meet certain functions, I’d rather keep my “good enough” items, than scramble to buy something that I probably don’t love in a rush. since I only have to fly to meet a client or into my out-of-state office a few times a year at most to every few years, I’ve had to grab things for my size or the weather when I couldn’t find what I actually wanted. now that I have them, not wasting any more time, money, or energy for something I know I need but doesn’t need to fit into my life other than that.
We had a house fire back in January 2022 & even though it started in the upstairs bathroom (fart fan, make sure you change the motor when it going bad!) the fire mostly was only in the attic but my 16 year old sons room was torn down to put it out & the water & smoke damage made it so we had to throw away most things in the house. (About 3,000 sq foot home) the salvageable items were boxed up & cleaned but we didn’t get them back until we got back into our house 6 months later & so funny because we ended up donating or throwing away most items we received back because we realized after six months we didn’t actually need it! This house fire a year ago has set me on a de clutter mode of thinking & only purchasing things I really love. It has made me feel so much better with this less is more approach 😊 Don’t get me wrong, my girls ages 9 & 7 still have plenty of toys but it’s their favorite things in their toy room & not a bunch of junky random stuff. My 14 year old only keeps essentially what he needs now and maybe a few sentimental items but not much! My now 17 year old could still use some help in de cluttering but one step at a time😂 The fire was a huge trial for us but has taught us how to live more organized & how when we’re feeling stressed we just go around the house & see what we can get rid of first that might be making us feel overwhelmed. 😂😢😅 🔥 🏡
Thank you for a great article. 🥰 To be a little opposed, I have the hardest time following advice like this. It’s simply because I wear work uniforms, so that’s what I wear 90%>. Then pajamas ( immediately upon arrival home I switch), and on the infrequent days out for normal clothing I tend to wear a few outfits depending on season. So the really nice outfit I inherited from my Mom, I want to keep but I rarely get to wear. I don’t use a purse. I use my pockets of my pants (work), and I use leggings as a layer beneath for warmth. I have a collection of my local football shirts( wear them during season at work), holiday specific tops( work allowed). But I guess I will try this method and see if I reduce my wardrobe.
There is a part of population with “out of sight – out of mind” problem so for them trick with puting away does not actually work good. Speaking from experience 😅 Not long ago I ran out of clean jeans and suddenly found out I have a lot of nice skirts, dresses and even trousers that are actually quite suitable for my work 😅
Great ideas! Since I am in the actual process of losing weight (under a doctor’s care) I’m curious about where (and when) I will land at a healthy weight! I’ve lost about 20 lbs but can get into things, like pants or coats, but can’t quite button or zip up jackets 😂 We are lucky this year that our “winter” hasn’t really landed in our part of NewEngland! I have a necessary work wardrobe and the first new LLBEAN pants I bought when started working now almost fall down from the weight of my cellphone in pocket! I still wear them but have a couple of others I rotate! Hope this makes you smile 😊 Can’t wait to try your backwards method 👍
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I have been trying to declutter my huge closet without much success. My genius idea is to lose another fifty pounds and then i can donate everything and get a small thoughtfully chosen wardrobe of pieces that I really love and are classic enough to last for many years. I do like your method of packing up everything that doesn’t immediately make the cut. No pressure. Thank you for the inspiration!
Generally when I’m getting ready I wear the same outfits over and over again. I recently spent the whole day going thru my closet putting outfits together, that is clothes, shoes, jewelry. I came up with alot of new outfit ideas. I came across some clothes that have outlived their usefulness which were donated or trashed. Made a stack of things needing repair, a button, hemming etc. I didn’t actually do too much decluttering but I am going to get alot more usefulness from my existing wardrobe. I wish I had taken pictures on my cell phone as a record of the outfits.❤️
Thanks for this – it is a very liberating new approach that I may actually use. I have a lot of items that I’m emotionally attached to and a lot that I keep just in case. Putting all that in some boxes and creating a capsule wardrobe (didn’t know this name till your article) instead sounds actually fun. 😅
One thing I do at the beginning of the year is to turn all the hangers in my closet backwards. Than as I wear an item I put it back in the closet forward. The next year I can than look at anything left hanging backwards and decide what I may need/want for another time. I’ve been doing this for several years and my closet has been very organized. Now if only I can do this with my craft supplies I’d be set.
I think that how much clothing we own and actually use is directly correlated to our income. I live in a condo with an in unit washer dryer and do laundry every couple days. That means that I only need a small wardrobe. There’s no point in keeping anything but my capsule wardrobe. But at one point I had to do my laundry in a laundromat, and I hated it. I had a massive wardrobe because I would wear everything I owned before I broke down and did laundry. I don’t think we talk enough about decluttering and minimalism as a luxury.
Also, does anyone have any tips on preventing shirt and pant seams from twisting to one side? I’m guessing it’s from me somehow leaning more to one side when I’m driving and the way I lean one leg to the side but I’m not 100% certain that that’s what’s causing it. So, quite a few of my tops and pants look asymmetrical when they are laid out flat . I’m wondering if I’m the only one who has this problem .
Love your article❤ my method is those items that you constantly are wearing are always in the laundry, you wash and wear them all the time they don’t even get a chance to live in your closet or dresser (they are your go to pieces as people say)… then we have “special clothes” (thanks to Covid-19’s we learned we could actually live without them) with that being said we also wear items that we don’t like and these items also end up in the laundry you wear them but don’t care for them (most people place them back into their wardrobe) with those clothes l do one load, that we wash, dry and donate asap…these pieces are out the door…the last items are either repaired or trash, (rags in the garage) Hope this is helpful for your viewers
I try on everything each season and only add back into my closet what fits. I discovered I lost a size last autumn. I added back into my closet a basic capsule wardrobe plus favorites and scarves. Those items that no longer suit my needs go to a local consignment shop to sell. I’ll repeat each season and sell/upgrade as needed.
hi ! I have done exactly what you’re talking about in this article. Before I watch this article!! But for many it might come as the most interesting thing to do to get rid of stuff we really do not need. I think this is the best way to declutter without hesitating too much on keeping or not different pieces of our wardrobe. I am not a minimalist but I know I tend to wear the same thing so why should I have 15 t-shirts ??
I am getting ready to move out soon my father is very against it but im doing it little by little until the day comes and i have gotten rid of all the things i held as memories or gifts i never used becaude i dont use them and thwyre just there cluttering up my closet, so far im going on three bags already full of clothes
LOVE this idea but everyone needs something formal to wear to a wedding, a funeral, an interview etc so as long as you have items for that fine but don’t give up a great cocktail dress or formal wear because you haven’t worn them in a year or found an occasion (side note, get dressed up for no reason and go out it’s pretty fun!). You don’t see men just tossing out their suits because they don’t wear them regularly 👌 sincerely a woman who is never getting rid of my collection of sequins and suits 🫶😜
Since I started perusal you I have cut my closet in half, in half again and then some! I have a much more manageable closet but even now I can see pieces that I obviously do not reach for or what to wear. I think I’m getting very close to getting close to 30-40 pieces. Its defiantly been something I have visited multiple times. Totally a constant work in progress (not a one shot thing) but its getting easier. I’m also much less likely to shop for clothing (except hoodies but I try to purge one for one)
I’ve been using a similar system for a few years. I fill my small closet with select pieces for the season. I have 3 under-bed bags for off season clothes and 1 for items I could wear next year. I rotate twice a year. Each time I purge worn pieces. I can then fill in the next season with the pieces I saved.
I am going to do this in my kitchen. I have such a difficult time decluttering the kitchen because I might just need THAT reamer some day. If I go into the kitchen with the mindset of “pull out everything I use at least once a week”, I’ll bet very little else is necessary to keep. And I have so much everything else.
I have trouble getting rid of “sentimental” items, particularly ones I can’t replace anymore (like concert shirts, shirts from college, shirts from old fandoms). I’ve actually narrowed all my t-shirts down to these sentimental pieces… and they still fill up an entire drawer on their own. I tried getting rid of some and to this day, I still have some shirts I deeply regret getting rid of.
this is exactly what I started doing yesterday. I’m a painter and I have a TON of collage fodder that I want to remove from the studio. Decluttering is challenging at best and I fail to meet the challenge regularly which means organizing becomes a Tetris game I will never win…So when I opened a folder rather than comparing two pieces of paper for their relative merit I simply dug through for the pieces I HAD to keep. Very happy with the results. I’m perusal this article to reinforce what I learned yesterday. Thanks!!!!!
I’m excited to try this out and get rid of some of the things I’ll never wear again. I will say that with clothes that don’t fit me, I learned the hard way in the past about getting rid of them and then my weight changes again. I have some of my favourites in vacuum seal bags in my garage where they aren’t in the way at all, but it means if I do change weight again, I don’t miss the things that I spent lots of money on and really liked.
I so needed to hear this right now!! Literally trying to declutter my clothing right now and it’s so overwhelming. Love this idea of keeping the faves, but also not yet committing to tossing the rest. I feel like I’ll be able to go through everything much faster knowing that it’s not permanent yet. Time will tell what to keep/donate later. Thank youuuu Oh one question, for 4 seasons, do you just tackle one season of clothing at a time with this method?
Thank you so much, Kallie! I really need to declutter my closet & have been putting it off. I tend to lean to the “just in case” clothing items. It is hard for me to let go of these items. I am working on another decluttering area of my home, but will be tackling closets & drawers next. Thanks again for all you do for your viewers!