Week 16: Time to Change it Up

I'm back.

After a week off of decluttering due to some major road-tripping, I am back in the saddle.

This week brought some steady warm Spring weather, the most we've had yet, so I figured this would be as good a time as any to tackle my closet. I'll probably do another post like this in the Fall when I need to tackle the Summer clothes again.


A few years ago I came across this concept of a Capsule Wardrobe.  My dream is to have a wardrobe like that, but I just am not there yet.

Between work clothes, home clothes, work out clothes, and grungy work outside clothes, I really couldn't pare my closet down to 33 items.

BUT, a pare down was needed nonetheless.

I feel like I can get ready so much faster when I have less to choose from. And I actually feel like I have more options when most of my clothes can be switched around and coordinated with each other.

So, I go by a few rules to try to keep my wardrobe as minimal as possible:

1. Shy away from items that will only go with one thing.  Have the majority of your clothes be solids, a few stripes, and a few patterns.  That way most can be switched up and used multiple ways.

2.  Do not go to stores 'just to look around.' Unless you are going in there with no means of purchasing (i.e. your wallet is left at home, you have no cash or card) then you might as well not go in and look. Because there is always a sale and always something you didn't realize you needed.....until you saw it. #Target

3. At the end of each season, pull out clothes that you never wore.  Pass those on immediately.  Items that you put on and then took off because they didn't feel right, fit right, or go with anything - give those away, too.  Items that you wore just a couple times but think you may wear more next season - put those items in a separate bag/box.  When that season comes around again, don't open the bag unless you remember you have something in there that you really want. Chances are you will go the whole season without even missing what's in there.  At the end of the season - pass it on.

As I pulled all my winter clothes out I did #3. I tend to like my winter clothes a lot more than my summer ones, so I happen to have a bit more. I'm trying to whittle that down.

 Before: I've let it get a little over-run....

 After: ah, so much better....

With the end result, I felt like I could breathe again! This is the whole of my summer clothes, plus a couple cardigans and jeans because it can still be a little cool.

I know there are a lot more tips out there to keeping your closet under control - I'd love to hear them!

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