The decision on what to wear each day should be an easy task. But for me the routine likens itself to deciding what to eat for supper each night by looking in the fridge. So each morning I continually look in the closet for what looks good to wear.
Having too many choices is playing a huge part in the daily get-dressed-and-go-to-work dilemma. Maybe getting rid of some of the clutter will do the trick. But what should be kept, what should be recycled and what should simply be thrown away?
A previous co-worker of mine seemed to have an easy system with a limited wardrobe. I admit he was on to something.
He had a manageable number of shoes, shirts and pants and was quite comfortable with his daily choices, showing no what-to-wear anxiety. The clothes were all in earth-tone colors and he never seemed bored with his choices as he mixed and matched different shirts and pants.
Can a girl find the same happiness? Can minimizing my wardrobe end the frustration of too many choices?
I did search the Internet and found I am not alone in the clothing minimalizing rage. The website Project333 may be a solution.
Project333 is a three-month challenge to live with 33 items in your wardrobe. Those 33 items include clothing, accessories (scarves, jewelry, etc.), outerwear and shoes. The number doesn’t include underwear, pajamas, at-home loungewear or workout clothing.
The idea is to create a wardrobe that is interchangeable and can easily go from casual to dressy. The key is to think color coordination and easy pairings.
To get started, Project333 organizers suggested removing anything that is threadbare, has holes or stains or you just never wear, despite any best intensions to wear it for special occasions. Use the phrase, “If you don’t love it and look great in it, it goes,” when deciding what to keep or recycle.
The aim is 33 clothing items. Box up the rest, and wait until the end of three months and give the clothes away. That way you know that the chosen 33 items is a number you can live with.
I decided to give Project333 a chance. I used the first-timers’ tip and started by building the “I Love” pile of clothing. It was easier said than I thought.
That old voice crept into the selection process. I would look at an item and see some potential use, but in reality I would never wear it anyway.
One such blouse was definitely a 1980s holdover that buttoned up the back. I wore it in high school.
“The blouse is in perfect condition. Why would you want to get rid of it?”
I found a simple way to deal with the anxiety created in getting rid of an item. I place it in a plastic bag. Once the bag is full, it is delivered to one of those clothing recycling bins. If I can’t see it, it is easily forgotten and will not be missed.
While the website indicated I could have as many work clothes as I deemed necessary, I found one could have too many work jeans and shirts. I have been recycling these according to age. More than 10 years of wear, it is gone.
One item that has been unearthed from cleaning out the closet is a small canister with “Stayput” written on it. They are shoulder pads.
Even these shouldn’t be kept until they are popular again. Or should they?