Show us your minimalist closet

[tinybutterfly]

This has been such a fun, informative and encouraging thread to read! Thank you, ladies!

I pulled all of my clothes out of the just in case closet! I have sorted through most of them and have a huge pile to let go! I am not sure I am going to bother trying to sell the items worth selling. It might be better to simply donate the clothes to get them out of my house asap.

I have a smaller pile set aside that I still need to sort through. I hope to get that done tomorrow.

This is the first go round. That is enough for now. When summer ends, I may pull everything out again and do some more sorting and donating. It's a process.

One of my problems with trying to get control of my belongings has been that I cull through everything, get rid of things, then I keep shopping. I keep bringing items into my closet, into my home. I want to stop bringing so many more items into my home.

I had forgotten that I had participated in this thread at the beginning. I stopped reading and posting on it at some point, but I did keep trying to sort through my wardrobe! It has been one step forward, two steps back, two steps forward, one step back over the years!

Like I said, I do have a smallish SS wardrobe I have been wearing. I am going to try to get a FW smallish wardrobe in order. I am going to let go of most of my in case clothing and only keep a smaller amount of items in that closet/category. I can borrow from that closet for a bit more variety if I get bored with my curated wardrobe. I don't mind having some extra. I just don't need as much extra as I have now.

I have two handbags I am letting go. This is a big deal for me!

It has been a good two days.

We have friends who sold their big house and downsized to a two-bedroom condo. I envy them! Dh and I talk about downsizing now that we are older. I hope we actually do it.

Thanks again for this wonderful thread!

 

[doloresmia]

This has been such a fun, informative and encouraging thread to read! Thank you, ladies!

I pulled all of my clothes out of the just in case closet! I have sorted through most of them and have a huge pile to let go! I am not sure I am going to bother trying to sell the items worth selling. It might be better to simply donate the clothes to get them out of my house asap.

I have a smaller pile set aside that I still need to sort through. I hope to get that done tomorrow.

This is the first go round. That is enough for now. When summer ends, I may pull everything out again and do some more sorting and donating. It's a process.

One of my problems with trying to get control of my belongings has been that I cull through everything, get rid of things, then I keep shopping. I keep bringing items into my closet, into my home. I want to stop bringing so many more items into my home.

I had forgotten that I had participated in this thread at the beginning. I stopped reading and posting on it at some point, but I did keep trying to sort through my wardrobe! It has been one step forward, two steps back, two steps forward, one step back over the years!

Like I said, I do have a smallish SS wardrobe I have been wearing. I am going to try to get a FW smallish wardrobe in order. I am going to let go of most of my in case clothing and only keep a smaller amount of items in that closet/category. I can borrow from that closet for a bit more variety if I get bored with my curated wardrobe. I don't mind having some extra. I just don't need as much extra as I have now.

I have two handbags I am letting go. This is a big deal for me!

It has been a good two days.

We have friends who sold their big house and downsized to a two-bedroom condo. I envy them! Dh and I talk about downsizing now that we are older. I hope we actually do it.

Thanks again for this wonderful thread!

How awesome to see people posting here again! I think most of us are like you - can I tell you how many tank tops I bought this summer looking for one that doesn’t rub my skin and still is fitted and neat?

I too am trying to figure out my new wardrobe as I realize I am probably never going back into an office and even if I do, I have plenty of office appropriate clothes; I need to buy things for the body I have now and even allow myself to let go of things I can no longer wear after losing 25 pounds…. That part is hard as any of you who have roller coastered like me know.

Instead of thinking about a uniform I am now adopting the amy smilovic philosophy. I am adapting her ideas to how do I want my clothes to make me feel (I like quirky), are there textures I am missing (no, but very drawn to leather right now) and what can be dialed up or down and rolled into a suitcase no problem

Of course as it turns out this has led me to purchasing a lot of Tibi recently

 

[Antonia]

How awesome to see people posting here again! I think most of us are like you - can I tell you how many tank tops I bought this summer looking for one that doesn’t rub my skin and still is fitted and neat?

I too am trying to figure out my new wardrobe as I realize I am probably never going back into an office and even if I do, I have plenty of office appropriate clothes; I need to buy things for the body I have now and even allow myself to let go of things I can no longer wear after losing 25 pounds…. That part is hard as any of you who have roller coastered like me know.

Instead of thinking about a uniform I am now adopting the amy smilovic philosophy. I am adapting her ideas to how do I want my clothes to make me feel (I like quirky), are there textures I am missing (no, but very drawn to leather right now) and what can be dialed up or down and rolled into a suitcase no problem

Of course as it turns out this has led me to purchasing a lot of Tibi recently

Haha, me too! I love Amy-she is my style ocon!! I want everything Tibi -mostly, I try to find things pre-owned but the good stuff from the recent years sells rather quickly. Also, if anyone is interested at 2:00 EST today and every Wednesday on Insta there is a 'Tibi Style Class' if you follow Tibi. I also follow Amy Smilovic. She's coming out with a style book soon...cannot wait for that. If you miss it at 2:00, check it out on YouTube later today.

 

[doloresmia]

Haha, me too! I love Amy-she is my style ocon!! I want everything Tibi -mostly, I try to find things pre-owned but the good stuff from the recent years sells rather quickly. Also, if anyone is interested at 2:00 EST today and every Wednesday on Insta there is a 'Tibi Style Class' if you follow Tibi. I also follow Amy Smilovic. She's coming out with a style book soon...cannot wait for that. If you miss it at 2:00, check it out on YouTube later today.

Yes I feel you and I are Amy mega fans. Just love the care and details they put into more recent Covid era clothes.

 

[GoStanford]

I'm becoming a little more aware of how much I use online shopping as a stress reliever. I'm using the month of August as a time to step back if possible. I was on a couple of my favorites sites earlier today and had to think about what I would do with these new purchases if I completed them. Closet space and space in general is limited, and even the packaging and shipping materials are a chore to deal with, not to mention an environmental impact. I just have to keep telling myself that and see how I do!

P.S. @Antonia - I checked out your Instagram page and the consistency of your Outfit of the Day photos is remarkable! I really like how you've kept the photo location and angle the same so that the eye is drawn to the outfit and accessories.

 

[Antonia]

I'm becoming a little more aware of how much I use online shopping as a stress reliever. I'm using the month of August as a time to step back if possible. I was on a couple of my favorites sites earlier today and had to think about what I would do with these new purchases if I completed them. Closet space and space in general is limited, and even the packaging and shipping materials are a chore to deal with, not to mention an environmental impact. I just have to keep telling myself that and see how I do!

P.S. @Antonia - I checked out your Instagram page and the consistency of your Outfit of the Day photos is remarkable! I really like how you've kept the photo location and angle the same so that the eye is drawn to the outfit and accessories.

Oh, thank you so much!! A couple years ago a friend of mine suggested I start an Instagram page. When I first did it, I only posted 1 photo and I cut off my head because I didn't want anyone to see my face. Then afterwards I thought it would be fun to do different angles. Kind of like when you get dressed in the morning, you like to see how it looks from different angles, right? I don't just stand straight in the mirror, I look all over-lol! Same idea.

 

[purly]

I need to buy things for the body I have now and even allow myself to let go of things I can no longer wear after losing 25 pounds….

They will tell you that you can only tailor things a size or two down, but I have seen people rework size 2X shirts to fit a size 6 woman. It wasn't the same style anymore, but it came out pretty nice. Also, a word of warning: I lost several sizes worth of weight once and purged my closet of all the old clothing only to need a slightly larger pair of pants the next time I was bloated. Keeping around a pair or two of period pants is pretty smart.

 

[purly]

I like to ask myself the following set of questions when cleaning out and organizing my closet:
1) If buying this today, would I spend my money on it in the current state of wear it's in?
2) Is this a 'classic' style or a trend that won't come back?
3) Is this worth tailoring or is this something I could replace with a trip to the Gap?
4) Is this a high end designer item and if it is, is it even something I would say fits my personal style or is it something I bought because it was on sale, for work, seemed like what everyone was buying, etc.
5) Do I even have anything else that goes with this?

 

[doloresmia]

Or in my case a whole wardrobe!!!!

@purly I put myself on a ban of black sweaters this year. The ban will continue for at least 2 decades at which point I see myself wearing cardigans as I like my mother before me will be tired of raising my arms overhead to put clothes on

The sweater ban has worked well. Ought to but have not yet put myself on a black wide legged pants ban. And since most of my dressed life is zoom, it could be a pants ban period. #nomorebottoms

 

[tinybutterfly]

There are two big boxes full of clothing that will be out of my house tomorrow.

I have a few scarves and a couple of shirts left to try on, but will do that in the morning when I am fresh. Right now I've made enough decisions.

I still have too many clothes in that just in case closet. Shaking my head at myself. I'll pull it all back out in a month or so and do another round of culling. I need to be happy that I have done this first round and let that be enough. I can do the rest later. No rush.

I have that book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. I need to read it.

 

[purly]

I keep a Goodwill bag in the laundry room and toss things in it from time to time. It has helped cut down on the amount of dedicated closet organizing days I've had to do.

 

[FizzyWater]

There are two big boxes full of clothing that will be out of my house tomorrow.

I have a few scarves and a couple of shirts left to try on, but will do that in the morning when I am fresh. Right now I've made enough decisions.

I still have too many clothes in that just in case closet. Shaking my head at myself. I'll pull it all back out in a month or so and do another round of culling. I need to be happy that I have done this first round and let that be enough. I can do the rest later. No rush.

I have that book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. I need to read it.

Congratulations on your hard work!

I really recommend that book! It's short and to the point, and very inspiring.

My everyday closet is pretty minimal. My other closet, with gorgeous clothes that only get worn to special events, or clothes too small for me, or both, bugs me. I did a big purge last year but it's still overfull. One thing that works for me when I'm in the right mood, is to count the items, and then challenge myself to get rid of 10% of them. I can usually get to about 8 or 9 % with no regrets and then it starts getting difficult.

I'm also tracking items (all durable items, not just clothes) in and out. I've had an Evernote note tracking "A thing a day" out for years, and realized I needed to also track what's coming in. It's enlightening. All the things I'm buying are useful or beautiful, as the William Morris quote goes, but they're hindering my progress to the goal of an uncluttered, effortless space.

 

[GoStanford]

I have that book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. I need to read it.

Agree with @FizzyWater. It's a conversational, readable, practical book. It helped me to think in concrete terms about the fact that I can't take any of it with me, so I need to decide what's going to happen to my stuff, and how I want to surround myself with things in the future/in my later years.

I'm also tracking items (all durable items, not just clothes) in and out. I've had an Evernote note tracking "A thing a day" out for years, and realized I needed to also track what's coming in. It's enlightening. All the things I'm buying are useful or beautiful, as the William Morris quote goes, but they're hindering my progress to the goal of an uncluttered, effortless space.

I also use Evernote, but not as systematically as you do. It's a handy piece of software and sometimes I do go back through my clothing/accessories purchases to figure out patterns/what I kept and what I got rid off. I'm starting to think the uncluttered/streamlined/truly spacious look is a lot of work!

 

[FizzyWater]

Agree with @FizzyWater. It's a conversational, readable, practical book. It helped me to think in concrete terms about the fact that I can't take any of it with me, so I need to decide what's going to happen to my stuff, and how I want to surround myself with things in the future/in my later years.

I also use Evernote, but not as systematically as you do. It's a handy piece of software and sometimes I do go back through my clothing/accessories purchases to figure out patterns/what I kept and what I got rid off. I'm starting to think the uncluttered/streamlined/truly spacious look is a lot of work!

A lot of work, or a lot of money for big rooms and off-site storage!

(As my mother and I decided, reading decorating magazines: "Any style looks great with 14-foot ceilings.")

 

[GreySky]

How awesome to see people posting here again! I think most of us are like you - can I tell you how many tank tops I bought this summer looking for one that doesn’t rub my skin and still is fitted and neat?

I too am trying to figure out my new wardrobe as I realize I am probably never going back into an office and even if I do, I have plenty of office appropriate clothes; I need to buy things for the body I have now and even allow myself to let go of things I can no longer wear after losing 25 pounds…. That part is hard as any of you who have roller coastered like me know.

Instead of thinking about a uniform I am now adopting the amy smilovic philosophy. I am adapting her ideas to how do I want my clothes to make me feel (I like quirky), are there textures I am missing (no, but very drawn to leather right now) and what can be dialed up or down and rolled into a suitcase no problem

Of course as it turns out this has led me to purchasing a lot of Tibi recently

This is me! I’ve come back to the forum after a while to get ideas for dressing for my smaller size. But I was pleased that I didn’t donate some of my expensive things to charity because they fit me now…even though I hadn’t worn the, for 3/4 years