Here we are again, on the precipice of a new season, and I open my closet doors each morning and immediately hate all my clothes.
It would be so much easier if I could just decide the night before what I was going to wear the next day, but for some reason, I never get around to it. That means often feeling completely defeated first thing in the morning.
Mornings are for coffee and playing happy music to get revved up for the day ahead. Mornings shouldnāt be about defeat.
It happens nearly every season. I spy a pair of work slacks, hanging from a hanger. I go to grab them, then stop because I remember they are fraying at the cuffs. My favorite sweater caught on a sharp hook hanging from a door jamb, and now thereās a stray yarn that hangs off my left elbow, despite my efforts to weave it back in. Besides, the sweater has fuzz and pills that betrays the fact that Iāve worn it for too many seasons. That white blouse has a stain on it. The stain wouldnāt show if I wore the sweater over it but..like I said. Fuzz and pills.
My closet is literally stuffed full with clothing, but most mornings, I canāt find any clothes to wear.
Itās so easy to get caught in the trap of saying, āMaybe I can still use it for something.ā A stained t-shirt āmight be good for camping,ā or those sweatpants with holes would be perfect for painting the deck.
Who am I kidding? I donāt feel good in a stained, stretched out t-shirt, even if Iām camping. And goodness knows Iām probably never going to get around to painting the deck.
There are so many methods and tools to use for a situation like this. Organizing icon Marie Kondo would suggest taking everything out of the closet, then holding each item to determine whether it āsparks joy.ā Author Courtney Carver came up with āProject 333,ā which challenges folks to narrow down their wardrobe to 33 items (including shoes and accessories) to wear for three months. A blogger I follow, Joshua Becker from Becoming Minimalist, wears basically the same thing every day: a V-neck t-shirt, pants, and black shoes.
Getting rid of items can be difficult, and the idea of greatly whittling down a category of your belongings to extremes sounds like suffering; a punishment of sorts.
Of course, even as we cling tightly to that old hoodie from the Grand Canyon 10 years ago that has taken a beating from beachfront campfires and gooey sāmores, we know having fewer things is better. Fewer items means more storage, less time searching for lost items, fewer choices, and, as a result, fewer moments that make us feel defeated. People we admire on TV and blogs tell us this all the time. Declutter. Get rid of the extra stuff. We listen intently. We hear them and vigorously shake our heads in agreement.
Actually deciding on the items to give away or throw away is a much harder process. We grow attached to certain items because memories are associated with them. Throwing the item away feels as though we are throwing the memory away with it.
We believe there will be a cost to discarding these items, but the cost is really in keeping them. When our closets are bursting with clothes that donāt fit, feel good, or look good, we are adding more clutter to our morning routine and our own well-being. There are certain colors I know donāt look good on me āā so why are they in my closet? Looking at that old pair of jeans that used to fit perfectly, but donāt any longer due to a few extra pounds around the waistline is not a happy thing to stare at and be reminded of each day, either.
Iām not sure Iām ready to go down to 33 items of clothing per season, but it might be a good thing to strive toward. Maybe establishing a āuniformā by wearing the same or similar items each day sounds extreme, or perhaps itās actually the kindest thing we can do to ourselves. I think Iāll start by identifying the clothing I own that really makes me feel good. (Sparking joy? Iāll settle for a warm flicker of self-restrained satisfaction āā I am from the Midwest, after all.) Keep the items that serve you best. Fling the rest.
9 Comments
Thank you for the reminder. I need to do a deep clean of my closet and keep only what I truly love. The overwhelming is real and can be so crippling to the start of my days.
I have decluttered my clothes but I do still have that sweater with pills and top I always mean to wear but never do. Thanks for the reminder that it’s time for them to go.
Hi there
I enjoyed reading your article. Iām a woman and I hold a minimalist wardrobe for a couple of years now, sticking to black most of the time because itās easy and elegant. Itās also a sort of uniform in the contemporary art circle where I workā¦ however, Iām so bored of black nowadays. In the Winter itās black, during the sunny season itās natural linen. I own the same suit four times in order to have enough for work. By know, I know which shoes and T-shirts to buy as well. But recently I feel so drawn to flowery fabrics, sprinkles of colors in my wardrobe. Maybe the best advice for anyone to start off with a minimalistic wardrobe is to shop timeless designs, same brands and choose a color palette that matches with each other. Maybe that helps. You can spice it up with a piece of jewelry or nail polishā¦
You perfectly described my closet and my morning! So many (too many) clothes, yet nothing feels right for that day. Or I’m reluctant to wear my favs because I’m only going to be home alone all day and I don’t want to damage them or have to wash them any more than necessary.
So all my fun stuff stays crammed in the closet (even though it would give me a lift to wear those bright colors or cool patterns) and I return to my old, torn-up, stained and stretched out pieces – and then hope nobody comes to the door or passes by as I walk to the mailbox, because I would be embarrassed to be seen in them.
I guess it’s like the story about using your good china every day because every day should be special. I think I need to adopt that idea regarding my clothing. Maybe it should be about how my outfit makes me feel JUST FOR ME, just for the way those pieces will lift my day, regardless of whether anyone else will see me.
I admire Ina Gartenās wardrobe. She wears basic pants, mostly black and a cotton/broadcloth tunic top. She always looks put together. I guess you could say itās her uniform. If I could just find my āuniform ā Iād donate what I have and never look back. Great article! Thanks so much.
Iāve been meaning to declutter my house, but often feel overwhelmed about where to start. After reading your article Iām going to start with my closet today!
Great article! I have realized a few things about myself that I am utilizing as I wean out things:
1) Cardigans are my best friend. They layer well over blouses, tee shirts, or dresses and can make an outfit look different. I have a dozen in different lengths and colors to mix and match with just about everything.
2) I tend to use bright colors and vibrant patterns in dresses to give my opportunities to have things that “pop” but don’t need to go with other things in my wardrobe.
3) A great tip I picked up to help weed out wardrobe items is to imagine your spouse or friend has planned a surprise weekend away and needs to gather up a few appropriate items for you to pack. If the item makes you feel anything but delighted they selected it, get rid of it.
I usually donāt comment but, Iāve been cleaning out my closet for two years. Iāve made progress but it takes a couple of years to get where you want to be. I wish I could help my husband with his clothes. He still has clothes from when we met 30 years ago. Still hoping!
I’m not very far down the minimalist road, but the one tiny thing I do is wear the same earrings almost every day. Even not having to make that small decision every day is freeing.