How A Minimalist Closet Saves Your Mind And Money
With the minimalist trend gaining speed, it's easy to join by throwing out broken trinkets, stacked-up junk mail, and stagnant books; but when it comes to your wardrobe, many are hesitant to bring the minimalist mindset to their closet. The hesitation is warranted, as your clothing can essentially be an extension of who you are and the message you want to send about yourself. Since different occasions necessitate different self-messages, many want a large variety of clothing available for every "what if..." situation they can think of. But entertain the following three reasons as to why a minimalist closet can bring peace to your mind and money to your wallet:
The Rule of 80/20: Finding Your Confidence and Comfort
Using the rule of 80/20, which is promoted on the popular site Becoming Minimalist, you can trim down your wardrobe and find the clothes that make you confident and comfortable. The rule of 80/20 essentially states that you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time. So what are you wearing the remaining 20% of your time? The other 80% of your clothes that you're really not comfortable in--that's what! So why not get rid of those clothes that you endure wearing rather than enjoy wearing?
Because it's terrifying.
But this is where minimalism will liberate you the most. As the New York Times reported, the goal of minimalism is to only keep the stuff that serves a purpose and brings you joy. This meter can be applied to your clothing.
Think of it this way: paring down your wardrobe to the 20% you actually wear is giving yourself permission to finally accept your style. Yes, that peplum top was trendy and looked good on others, but you were uncomfortable in it and felt self-conscious all day every time you wore it. So get rid of it! You are your best self when you wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable--the ones that bring you joy.
You naturally gravitate towards those 20% of clothes that give you that feeling-- so trust that instinct! Let go of the clothes that you thought would do this but didn't and the ones that used to do this but no longer do. You don't need them cluttering your confidence and comfort.
If you're hesitant to get rid of that many clothes at once, put the rejected 80% in storage bags and keep them under your bed, in your storage unit, or in the garage. Keep them for three months as your "safety net." In three months, when you realize you not only survived but thrived with less clothes, take the garbage bags and donate them to your local thrift store. You are now free to be the confident, comfortable you.
You're Going to Save Money--Even If You Love Shopping!
The minimalist closet is not an attack on those who love shopping. Rather, it gives you a reason to go shopping--but with intention! As said before, paring down your closet gives you a strong sense of what styles make you comfortable and confident. Knowing your style will keep you safeguarded from being pressured into the "it" color or design of the season, because you'll know right off the bat if that color or style fits your minimalist closet. If it doesn't, pass on it securely knowing that it's somebody else's confident style, but not yours. If it does, take the money you saved by not experimenting on other styles and invest in a high-quality piece that will last several seasons.
Rest assured, shopping is alive and well in a minimalist closet. The goal has just changed to intentionally buying new and exciting pieces you already know you'll wear and love.
Rotating Your Closet--Keep it Fresh and Exciting
An important aspect of a minimalist closet is rotating your clothes for the season to keep things fresh and exciting. Once you're down to 20% of your clothes, it's tempting to keep them all in your now-uncluttered closet. But don't! Only keep the seasonal clothing in sight, and put the rest under the bed or in storage. Guaranteed, if you leave those clothes hanging in your closet, you'll feel like you've been wearing them the whole season, even when you haven't. So get them out of sight and into storage. Once a new season comes you can pull them out and feel like you're getting a whole new wardrobe. Every season becomes fresh and exciting!
A minimalist closet is a leap of faith and likely outside your comfort zone. But those big leaps are the ones that bring you the most peace and comfort in realizing who you are, and being unashamed of being that person 100% of the time. So give it a try, and be on your way to a minimalist lifestyle that saves your mind and money.
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