Organization Part II - Decluttering the Wardrobe

A theme I notice recurring in my approach to life, thereby frequently appearing on this blog, is the idea to confront all areas of life with the greatest of intent.  I believe being intentional with conversations, food, possessions, and relationships helps to improve quality of life on so many levels.  Once this concept is embraced, we can begin to declutter and start living with a deeper sense of fulfillment and a greater confidence in our ability to determine what it is we truly want and need.

One of the most basic ways to be intentional with life is by determining which possessions we need and which are simply causing clutter and potentially prompting stress.  Last week I shared some basic suggestions about how to keep the home clutter-free and am delighted that many of you were inspired to begin working on your own decluttering efforts.  This week I’m going to get more specific and discuss a topic that some of you may be resistant to decluttering – the wardrobe. 

As most of us have heard, the average woman only utilizes a small percentage of her wardrobe and the rest will sit for years, untouched.  What a waste, both in terms of being a waste of space in the home and also a waste of resources!  I’d like to open your eyes to a different approach to the wardrobe, one that may seem unrealistic at first but upon more contemplation I hope you become encouraged to pare your closet down to a more manageable volume.

Disclaimer: I am not a fashionista, just someone who enjoys looking put together and prefers not to be bogged down by clutter.

My husband was my original inspiration for reducing the amount of clothing in my closet.  He would constantly ask why I kept this or that and suggested that by minimizing my wardrobe I might decrease some of the stress in my life.  I began to get rid of things, reluctantly at first, but once my clothing collection started to become smaller I felt oddly relieved.  However, I still felt a bit lost and confused as to what my end goal was supposed to be.  Was I just getting rid of stuff to get rid of it?  Could I add to my wardrobe?  If so, what would I add? 

THE CAPSULE WARDROBE

Through one of my favorite blogs, The DailyConnoisseur, I was introduced to the idea of “The 10 Item Wardrobe.”  It sounds extreme (and it is!) but I believe there’s a lot to be learned from this concept.  Most importantly, I’ve learned how to create a capsule wardrobe for my own lifestyle.  With no real direction I had been paring my closet down for over a year, but it wasn’t until coming to understand the concept of the capsule wardrobe that I began to take a more decidedly aggressive approach to eliminating my clothing clutter (it actually took quite some time for me to accept that my precious clothing could even be considered clutter!).  As you will notice in the photos below, my wardrobe happens to be much larger than ten items; however, the idea is not necessarily to achieve a certain number of pieces in the wardrobe, but instead to only keep or add items that are necessary, well-fitting, (mostly) timeless, loved by you, and of good quality.  These items, your capsule wardrobe, should make up the bulk of your day-to-day outfits.  Also, keep in mind that a typical capsule wardrobe is season-specific.  My wardrobe pictured below is for fall/winter, while I keep my spring/summer wardrobe in storage (a mere 15 pieces of clothing which fit nicely in a dresser drawer).  A capsule wardrobe will usually not contain nice tee-shirts, shoes, special occasion outfits (cocktail dresses/nice suits), workout/hiking clothing, blazers/jackets/coats, scarves/accessories, and undergarments/pajamas - these are extras.  However, if you embrace the concept of the capsule wardrobe, you will most likely begin to think differently about all of your clothing possessions. 

MY CLOSET

Over the past two years, I have eliminated close to 70% of my wardrobe, the majority of the purge occurring within the past 3 months.  To give you a point of reference, I have 52 inches of hanging space in my closet, 12 of which is for long hanging items (dresses, long skirts).  My clothing has plenty of breathing room and it’s much easier for me to decide what to wear – there aren’t a ton of options, but everything I own I love, is well-fitting and versatile.  I like to hang as much as I can so I can clearly see what my options are and it makes dressing in the morning so much easier!  There are a few items I keep folded in drawers, like a couple pairs of jeans and a few sweaters, but for the most part this is it.  Clearly, I wear a lot of tee-shirts and still have some paring down to do! 

TIPS TO ELIMINATE CLOTHING CLUTTER AND CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE:

1.       Evaluate your lifestyle and make a list of what you would like to include in your capsule wardrobe.  If you work from home and spend your free time hiking in the mountains, you clearly will have much different wardrobe needs than someone who works in a professional environment and enjoys fine dining and theater.  Perhaps you may even have two small capsule wardrobes if you split your time between two very different settings.  When making your list, focus on classic items that will get a lot of wear and could possibly even carry from one season to the next.  If you enjoy following trends, think carefully about where you would like to add trendy items into the wardrobe. It's also helpful to pick a color palette and stick to it. 

2.       Eliminate unnecessary items from your wardrobe.  It will be hard at first as you will be thinking about the money that was spent on the clothing or perhaps you may even have sentimental attachments to some pieces.  Look at the item objectively. Are you really attached to your 15-year-old high school sweatshirt?  Doubtful.  What about your great-grandmother’s favorite shawl?  Perhaps that holds some true sentimental value.  If you come across items that are ill-fitting or no longer suit your taste, or those which you simply don’t wear anymore, please consider getting them out of your closet!  If it becomes too difficult for you, emotionally, try putting all of the garments you’d like to get rid of in a separate closet or under the bed until you can come to terms with letting them go.  Sometimes the simple act of physically removing the clothing from daily eyesight can make it much easier to detach. 

3.       Begin to embrace the concept of quality over quantity.  As you start to build your capsule wardrobe, you may notice that you have all the pieces you want and need right there in your closet!  Lucky for you, but the majority of us won’t be that fortunate.  As you begin to consider adding items, remember to stick to the list you made in #1.  Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean that you need to purchase it.  Be picky!  Becoming more mindful of the quality of clothing items we purchase will cut down on “clothing waste” and help to build a more enduring wardrobe.  When I was first introduced to the idea of quality over quantity in the wardrobe I thought the idea was a tad pretentious, but now I understand why this works.  Whatever happens to be the best you can afford will be that which you take the best care of and from which you will find the most enjoyment.  Now, of course I’m not saying we should all be walking around in Gucci and Prada – that’s unrealistic.  What I am saying is perhaps we should try to think about things differently than most of us are accustomed to.  Here are some questions to ask yourself when shopping:

·         What is the best quality I can afford at the moment?

·         Do I need the item right now, or do I have time to save up for a month or two in order to purchase something of greater quality? 

·         Is this an item I’d like to make a staple in my wardrobe?

Consider the versatility of the item (both in color and style) and take into consideration how often you plan to wear it.  Keep in mind that better quality doesn’t necessarily mean designer labels or a huge price tag.  Look at things like materials used to construct the garment and quality of the stitching.  Also, do not forget about consignment stores or online marketplaces like Ebay.  There are wonderful deals to be had on great quality clothing items, usually at a fraction of the price of retailers.  I’ve also received a number of lovely pieces from friends as hand-me-downs.  Whatever you should decide to purchase, make sure it fits your criteria and is something you can proudly display for years to come.

Good luck with your decluttering efforts!  I’d love to hear about your progress!