They say the first place to begin your quest living with less is your closet. One of the reasons is that they tend to have an abundance of unwanted and overly worn items that will be easy to part with. In today's consumerist society where you can buy clothes cheap, it's easy for things to get out of hand and pile up quickly.
It's also the reason why newer homes are being built with walk-in closets to house all of these items. If you've ever visited Paris, you will find armoires in place of closets. These standing wooden closets can only hold up to around 20 hangers. But you don't see Parisians complaining.
You may think that having more options will make it easier to get dressed in the morning, but the opposite is actually true. Have you ever gone to a restaurant that has a everything you can imagine on their menu only to find you spend forever flipping through the pages trying to decide on something? Too many clothes give you too many options and you spend more time weeding through piles to find things. Do you really need 5 gray t-shirts? Will you ever wear the shoes you bought to go with your bridesmaids dress? Maybe there's a reason there's still a tag on that shirt that hasn't been worn since you bought it 5 years ago.
Less is More
One of the benefits to having less clothing in your closet is being able to spend less time searching for what to wear. It also gives you more space to properly care and store your clothes so they are able to breathe and more likely to last longer. An organized closet will keep clothes off the floor and on hangers or in drawers where they belong.
Another benefit to having less clothing is being able to spend less on new clothing. A general rule to keeping your closet to the bare essentials once you've decluttered it is to make a promise to yourself that any item you purchase and bring into your space will mean you have to give up one item in it's place. This will force you to really think about how much you want or need an item before you make that choice. This can save you money in the end and keep you out of department stores that tempt you with sales.
Love It or Leave It
The best way to decide if an item stays or goes is to decide if it's worthy enough to share a space with you. Create three piles before you begin. One pile for things to "keep", one pile for things to "donate" and one pile for "trash". Some questions to ask yourself when considering which pile to put an item in are: How often do I wear this? Is it damaged? Does it still fit? Is it flattering? Can it be worn with anything else?
Love and Logic
Are you a Mom who gets spit-up on your clothes daily? Are you an art teacher painting with kids? Do you have pets that get fur on your black clothes? Then maybe you need to think about these things when you are sorting your wardrobe. Be sensible realistic about whether or not you need a formal gown if you never go to fancy parties, or if you need so many wool sweaters if you live in a warm climate.
Keep it Simple
A minimalist wardrobe does not need to be all neutral colors in order to be paired with other items to create new outfits. You will however need to have a few items that will complete an outfit like black flats and a white t-shirt. Patterned items will be harder to pair with other items, but it can be done. I will talk more about this in a future post.
Quality Over Quantity
We all know that we get what we pay for. If you pay $5 for a shirt, it probably isn't going to last. But not everyone can afford to buy the organic cotton version. Keep in mind there are other options than stores who sell cheap clothing made overseas. Thrift-stores can provide you with brand name items for the same price, and also keep clothing out of the landfill.
Handle with Care
If you want your wardrobe to last, you need to treat your items with respect. This can be done simply by purchasing nice wooden hangers instead of using the wire ones you get from dry cleaners. Or by folding or rolling your clothing that is stored in drawers instead of bunching it up and cramming the drawer shut. If clothes are pressed against each other on hangers then you need to remove more things to allow space.
Previous posts on downsizing and living simply:
A purposeful pantry
Living life without plastic
A journey to simplicity
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