How I Simplified My Wardrobe in 5 Steps
I’ve been wanting to do a major wardrobe overhaul for some time now. I’ve had a few instances where I went through my closet and got rid of a lot of items, but never really with much of a plan or strategy. My goal is to create a wardrobe that I’m proud of, feel great in and can be worn again and again. I want to LOVE every piece.
So, I DID IT!! And I’m sharing how. But first, lets start with the “why”.
I definitely had a point in my life when I thought more was more with clothing! If I didn’t have a new outfit for a night out, it didn’t feel exciting or special. Well, I have totally changed this mindset! By having a wardrobe full of items you truly love and feel good in, you should feel great every time you wear it. That’s not to say to never buy new clothes! That’s fun and necessary, but I try to be much more mindful about it. (I’ll talk more about that later in the post.) Here’s some key reasons:
less stress/easier to pick out outfits. If you have a wardrobe full of pieces you love and that mostly work together, it will be much easier putting together an outfit.
less waste. When we spontaneously purchase clothing, we tend to wear them less and toss them sooner.
more organized and simplified closet. It’s easier to see what pieces you have when your closet isn’t overstuffed.
stops the vicious cycle of needing more; very freeing.
saves money!
Okay, here’s how I did it and how you can do it, too!
Define your style.
I didn’t put a name to my style per say, but I created a specific Pinterest board for the style that I want to emulate and feel most comfortable and confident in.
Bring your style board into your closet as a reference.
I started to go through my clothing, referencing that design board. If the clothing didn’t fit the style, I tossed it in the “rid” pile. All the others stayed in the “keep” pile. I found it helpful to really sit with some items and think “would I wear this right now”, and if the answer was “no” I’d throw it in the rid pile.
NO maybe pile!
Having a maybe pile is something I have done in the past and I’ve realized that it prevents you from dealing with your entire wardrobe. It allows procrastination and in the end keeping more clothing than you should. Be a little hard on yourself and keep it “yes” or “no”. This served me better in the end!
Rake through your “keep” pile.
Toss anything that has holes, tears, stains, is stretched out or doesn’t fit you right/comfortably.
Mindful shopping.
Now is the fun part! You may need to restock a few things, but do it super mindfully so you don’t get yourself into the same “so many clothes but nothing to wear” situation again. Make a list of all the things you absolutely need. My list had things like a cardigan, undershirts and another jumpsuit on it. Then, research stores that really match your style and are good quality and/or fair trade pieces that you would be proud to wear. Then go shopping and stick to your plan!
Note: Include your activewear and pajamas, too, or do those separately if you wish!
In total I got rid of around 50 pieces of clothing, plus 3 pairs of shoes and a purse. I did a jewelry overhaul about a month ago, so that’s done, too!