The Benefits of Owning Fewer Clothes
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Two years ago, I found myself standing in front of an overflowing wardrobe, yet I felt like I had nothing to wear. Fast forward to today, and my minimalist wardrobe has completely changed my daily routine. Here’s what I learned along the way.
I used to own a wardrobe overflowing with clothes. After spending 13 years as a stay-at-home mum, I enjoyed buying proper clothes when I went back into the workforce. I shopped the sales and grabbed some great bargains—pretty much anything that was cheap that fit me. I didn’t put an awful lot of thought into it. Buying lots of cheap clothes seemed smart at the time.
Then I found myself with too many clothes and nothing to wear. I would wear clothes out of guilt because I hadn’t worn them for ages. Getting ready for work in the morning was time-consuming and stressful!
Then, one day, as you do, I was flipping through my Pinterest feed and stumbled across the idea of the 40-Hanger Closet. The simple concept is this: Only have forty hangers in your closet. Carefully curate 40 pieces that mix and match, that fit you well and suit your lifestyle, and get rid of everything else.
This changed my life.
After doing a fair amount of research into capsule wardrobes and minimalism, I took the plunge and gave away 2/3 of my clothes.
This was a pretty drastic step at the time. I went out and purchased 40 good-quality timber coat hangers (I like these ones). I culled all duplicate clothing, so I only kept one pair of black pants, one white t-shirt etc. I planned it carefully, and then I was brutal.
That was two years ago.
Looking back from here, reducing my wardrobe was one of the best things I have ever done, and I will never go back to owning a lot of clothes. I found I love having minimal clothing.
Since that first cull, I have modified the original rules to a sustainable version that works for me.
I have around 50 hangers in my wardrobe, which includes both summer and winter clothes and a few special dresses for going out. It includes pretty much all of my clothes apart from a couple of pairs of shorts, workout clothes, pajamas, and underwear. They are folded KonMari style in 3 dresser drawers. I am still careful about owning duplicate clothes, but I do own more than one black dress and more than one white shirt.
HERE ARE SOME BENEFITS OF OWNING FEWER CLOTHES
I Look Good
Did I really just say that? Let me rephrase that... I feel good about the way I look. The clothes I own are good quality, all mix and match each other, are easy to look after and fit me well. I never wish I had more to choose from, and I go to work feeling put together each day.
Less Stress
One of the triggers that happen to me when I am stressed or under pressure is that it takes me ages to decide what to wear. I used to think it was just plain indecisiveness, but it mostly happens when I'm stressed.
Having fewer clothes to choose from really helps me cope when I'm facing those difficult days. I have since found out that there is such a thing as decision fatigue.
Easy to Care For
I find it easier to look after my clothes; I have less laundry than I used to, and my clothes are relatively easy to look after. I have a few pieces that take a little extra work to care for, but it's an intentional decision, and I don't mind taking care of nice things that I love, especially because there are just a few of them.
I Spend Less
I shop with a purpose. I rarely browse, and I rarely buy on impulse. I have been looking for a pair of black sandals to replace some that broke last Summer. I have kept an eye out for ages, looking for the right ones. I found a pair recently, and after trying them on, I wasn't 100% sure. So, I went home and thought about it.
After a week, I went back and bought the shoes. I know I am happy with my purchase, and I will get loads of wear out of them. My old glued-together sandals went in the bin today.
I haven’t always been good at this, but I am getting better.
Today I spent around half an hour and went through all of my clothes again. I have a bag to donate and a bag to throw away. Everything I own fits neatly in the space I have, and they are all clothes I love and enjoy wearing. I have more than enough!
I hope my experience may inspire you to have a go at living with less. Or, if you are already on the journey, I hope you can reflect and celebrate how far you’ve come. I love having a minimalist wardrobe, and I’ll never go back to having too many clothes.
Have you ever considered downsizing your wardrobe? What’s one piece you could let go of today?
