I have a 16 Piece Wardrobe

About a year ago, I shared with you my $100 minimalism wardrobe. At the time, my husband, dog, and myself were living in a 70 square foot home, so it just made sense for me. Since that post, my needs have changed, I learned more about myself, and my closet evolved to better represent that. I’ve gone clothes shopping a grand total of one time, and gave away about half of those items shown last year. Here are some thoughts and observations that I have to share with you about my small closet experience.

6 things I’ve learned since downsizing my closet

1. I had entirely too many clothes. Surprisingly enough, I never ever look at my closet in the morning and say “I have nothing to wear”. I also only need to do my laundry about once every 5-15 days, despite how few clothes I have. For some reason before starting this experiment of mine, I always assumed that people with minimal clothing had to do laundry every-darn-day. Nope. Shirts last me 1-3 days per wash, while jeans last me 3-5 days of use.
2. No one actually notices that I’m wearing the same outfit every day. I can literally count on one hand how many people noticed that I was wearing the same style on repeat.
3. Clothes don’t really show who I am as a person. I do. Yes, to an extent, clothes do represent us, and are part of first impressions when meeting one another. Beyond that though, so long as outfit choices aren’t too wild or out of place, they don’t matter.
4. I spent way too much time worrying over what to wear. I didn’t want to repeat an outfit, I was worried if my clothes matched well enough, and I kept wondering if they were appropriate for the day’s tasks. Now, my only worry is if I should grab a coat or not. That just a whole heaping pile of unnecessary stress, and I’m glad it’s gone.
5. I don’t feel restricted or like I’m missing out in the least. I’ve never been one who really cared for fashion, what’s “in”, or clothes shopping in general, so this has worked well for me. Truly, this has been a relief for me knowing that I don’t have to go buy more clothes until mine wear out.
6. My clothes, like a lot of the other little things in my life, don’t matter. This year of minimalism has taught me that even necessities aren’t so important. Really, nothing is important unless I want it to be, and that’s something that I had forgotten. I’m in control of my life. Not all these collective little items that I need on a day-to-day basis.

9 benefits to having only 16 pieces of clothes

1. I have more time in the morning, because getting dressed is a 3 minute process. 
2. Packing is so easy; all my clothes can fit into one carry on bag. Whenever I feel like traveling, I throw my entire closet into a bag and I just take off. It’s. That. Freakin’. Easy.
3. I never have to fold clothes again! I cannot explain to you just how much I LOATHED folding laundry. Before minimalism, I would wash and dry my clothes, then throw them on my bed for a 2 or 3 day nap (you know the kind, where at night you have to throw them on a chair at night, let them take up half the bed, or even sleep under the pile) before finally folding them up and putting them away. Every time I finished folding them I would spitefully tell myself “great, only 7345 more loads left before you die” morbid right? But because I now have so few pieces to round up and care for, my need for a dresser has been abolished. My shirts, jeans, coats, dresses, and bras hang in the closet, while my panties and socks sit in two little 6″x6″x12″ boxes on the top shelf in my closet. I don’t fold my underwear, and all my socks are the same, so there’s no need to ever pair them up. Nifty!
4. I have less choice overwhelm. I have enough problems that need solutions throughout the day, something as petty as “what should I wear” should not be one of them. I know it sounds pretty silly to say that a uniform has significantly helped my mental health, but I really believe that it has.
5. I’m saving lots of money! The average american woman spent about $3,400 annually on clothing in 2010. My entire wardrobe probably costs $500 to replace, and I spent $48 in clothes in 2017. Looking for discounts, coupon clipping, sales, and thrift shopping can only save so much. The absolutely best way to save money on clothes is to buy them less.
6. No more “does this make my butt look big?“. I know how my clothes look on me, and I don’t have to fret over how I look. I know that my current outfit is the best fit for my body, and I won’t be straying from that anytime soon.
7. My closet is super neat and clean. Less stuff = less clutter. Plus my bedroom overall feels cleaner which makes me feel much happier and organized.
8. I’m being more environmentally friendly. My clothes are fully used, and aren’t being wasted. I’m also shopping very little, and very infrequently, which is good for the Earth. Plus, because I need to buy so few clothes, I can afford to invest in more American Made items, more often.
9. I feel like less of a slob. I’d never wear a pair of pajamas into town, but yoga pants, leggings and short shorts were a different story.  Before I narrowed down my clothing, I used to wear those items in public- justifying that my comfort made my lazy look worthwhile. Now I have two choices- blue jeans or pajamas- so I now obviously always choose jeans.

Exactly what I own

• 5 black tee shirts. Very plain, short-sleeved, v-neck shirts.
• 2 pairs of jeans. I typically keep 3 pairs, but I just had one finally earn so many rips it just was not worth mending. I suppose buying a pair of wranglers is in order for my 2018.
• 2 dresses. One is long and black & beige for funerals, formal events, and wintertime. The other is short, red, and festive.
• 1 hoodie. So cozy!
• 1 black coat. This one looks good for social events, going into town, or even wearing over my black dress.
• 1 brown coat (not in the photo). This one is very heavy, water resistant, and a great defense against the cold. It’s big enough that I can wear a hoodie under it. I mostly use this when in Montana during the winter, or in Indiana winters when I have to work outside.
• 1 pair of warm, flannel pajamas (not in the photo). For winter.
• 1 black nightgown (not in the photo). For summer.
• 1 pair of joggers (not in the photo).
• 1 pair of boots (not in the photo).

Underwear:

• 3 bras.
• 1 6″x6″x12″ box of socks
• 1 6″x6″x12″ box of panties

Let’s Talk!

⁃ So what are your thoughts on this process of mine so far?

⁃ What does your ideal day look like?

⁃ Are you liking my new post setup? A “Money Money”, “Whatever Wednesday”, and “Flashback Friday” (you’ll get it if you follow any of my social channels, which you should!).

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