The Art of Mastering a Minimalist Wardrobe
Are you feeling overwhelmed by a cluttered, disorganized closet? Do you have seemingly endless articles of clothing stuffed away in your dresser drawers and hanging on a rack, yet you still can’t seem to find anything you like or any outfit to put together? It may be time to work toward a minimalist wardrobe. Doing this will not only help you declutter your closet but your mental clarity too! In this post, we will take a look at a few steps you can take to achieve a minimalist wardrobe.
Remove Everything From Your Wardrobe
The first step in mastering the art of minimalism is to take every article of clothing, every pair of shoes, and every accessory you own and lay it all out on a flat surface, like your bed or the floor. This will allow you to look at everything. If you have a lot to go through, break it up into stages. Once you have everything laid out, you’ll be ready to take on step two.
Address the Low-Hanging Fruit First
Once you have all your clothing laid out in front of you, there will be things you’ll see that you know you can get rid of immediately. It might be a pair of pants you haven’t put on in a decade or a pair of shoes run down to the soles or a clunky necklace that just isn’t your style. Without hesitation, get rid of anything you don’t like or that is completely worn out but has still been sitting in your closet for far too long. Depending on the quality of the clothing, you may be able to donate or sell your old items, otherwise, anything that’s worn out can go in the trash.
Don’t Get Too Attached
The third step is arguably going to be more difficult than step two. As we mentioned, there will be items in your closet that will be easy for you to part ways with, but there will also be certain items you’ll have a hard time tossing. You know what we’re talking about. That one dress you’ve had for years but you’ve only worn once or a pair of super cute shoes you have avoided wearing because they pinch your toes and leave your feet covered in blisters. If you are really serious about minimalism, you may also want to get rid of big pieces you are sentimental about. Maybe it’s a prom dress or a bridesmaid’s dress you know you will never wear again, but it’s taking up a huge amount of space in your closet. Keep photos of yourself in those dresses, but take the next step and get rid of anything you won’t ever wear again. If it helps, go the Marie Kondo route and thank your clothes for their service to you.
Audit Your Collection of Beautiful Pieces
There are likely going to be a few high-quality, beautiful clothing items in your wardrobe that are undoubtedly fabulous. But if you never wear them or the fabric is great but the fit is unflattering, you may be better off without them. Sad as it may be, it’s better to get rid of high-end pieces you never wear and make room for beautiful new pieces. If the items are still in good shape, you could sell them, donate them, or gift them to a friend or family member you know will get more use out of them.
Repeat the Process
A fundamental part of maintaining a minimalist wardrobe that many people forget about is repeating the process. If you only clean out your wardrobe once in your lifetime, your wardrobe won’t stay a minimalist wardrobe for long. The key is to repeat those steps every six months to ensure there won’t be any buildup of clutter or unnecessary, unworn clothing items.
What Should You Have in a Minimalist Wardrobe?
Everyone’s idea of a minimalist wardrobe will be different and everyone will have their own unique pieces and staples. If you are looking to totally redo your wardrobe, start by sitting down and making a list of essential items. For pants, have one or two high-quality, well-fitting women’s jeans that are comfortable to wear and in any style and has a fit that is flattering to you. Next, focus on loungewear pants. This could be anything from leggings to joggers to sweatpants to wide-leg linen pants. Have one to three go-to loungewear pants. For tops, start with women’s sweaters (three is a good number to have). With women’s sweaters, you can have various styles like tunics or turtlenecks. Next, get one to three special occasion dresses and one to three casual dresses. Finally, finish with outerwear: a go-to jacket and one winter coat. All of these items can work as your base for you to build from there.
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