Is your wardrobe overflowing? Do you feel like you’ve too much stuff and yet you do not use half of it? Having a closet or wardrobe which has no breathing space irritates you to no end. We develop a habit of buying things and then end up having too much stuff. Stuff goes on accumulating, our priorities change, seasons change and we no longer need the stuff we bought. So if you want to have a minimalist wardrobe then the first thing you need to do is change your mindset, which is the most difficult thing to do.
What Is Minimalism?
The key idea about minimalism lifestyle is to remove the non-essential things and get rid of everything that doesn’t enrich your life. There is actually no way to do it. You can sort and choose what aspect and to what extent you want to apply the minimalist living into your life. In fact, it is not about owning the things as little as possible but about owning the things that actually add value to your life.
If you want your wardrobe or your closet to become your ‘happy’ place then follow these simple steps that will give your closet an ultimate minimalist makeover.
Detox Your Closet
Take out a day or half from your schedule and reserve it to declutter your closet. Take out piece by piece and check whether they are often worn by you or are rarely worn by you. If they are rarely worn then make a note of the reason why you dislike the clothing and try to avoid purchasing such clothing in future.
This step is important because you don’t want to stuff your wardrobe with new things while you still have old things lying under the piles of other stuff. You need to get rid of the things that you might not even wear but are keeping it just for the sympathy sake. You feel guilty because you have spent money on it but deep down you also know that you won’t wear it anyway. So chuck out the clothes and accessories that no longer add any value to your closet or your life.
Go Selective With The Clothing You Buy
The idea of minimalism is actually tested when you are off to shopping and have to be selective of the clothing you choose. But training yourself to be selective about your closet is the most effective thing you need to do to upgrade your closet. If you go selective, it means you’ll buy less and if you buy less that means your closet will not overflow which in turn means you don’t have to worry so much about decluttering the closet.
Try to add the pieces that are exclusive to your closet, something that is new, refreshing and exciting for you to wear. Don’t stock your closet with basic clothing. Try some new silhouettes that fit your personal style and also give you the satisfaction. In a simple manner- Buy one dress that suits your personal style instead of buying two barely ‘good enough’, ill-fitting clothing. Don’t be tempted to add on more clothing in your closet but learn to accept that less is more.
Authenticity Is The Mantra
Style typologies have always defined a list of items that categorize you into conventional styles like ‘classic’ or ‘Bohemian’ style etc. Sure, style seekers follow these fads and make you feel satisfied. But that is not going to last long because these are one-size-fits-all kind of clothing that will change as soon as something new pops up. So what you actually need is to forget the conventional styles and concentrate on cultivating your own personal style that is actually your own exclusive style. No one will have the same style as yours. Yeah, people might like same colors, same cutting as yours but they may never have the same sense of perception you have and may not be able to combine the outfits like you. You have your own likes and dislikes and your personal experience about what suits you that you’ve picked from over the years.
Focus On Quality
Why focus much on quality when we can buy five t-shirts at the same time instead of one? The idea of blowing up money on one piece of clothing may seem rather absurd to you. But the thing is you might not even wear the clothes even once and you might want to throw away the clothes. The problem here is that if you are a chronic bargain-hunter or an impulse buyer you end up buying the stuff once you have a look at it without even thinking it through. You need to change your way of shopping. Shopping is a habit that can be changed as long as you know what your strategy is.
Once you learn to be a minimalist you’ll choose clothes that will last longer than few seasons, the clothes that will be sturdy, well fitting and satisfying. That’s when you will learn the concept of ‘quality over quantity’
Style Trumps Over Fashion
Fashion trends are something that takes over everyone as soon as they set out. We also follow them without thinking whether they suit us or not. If you notice the style icons of the century you’ll notice that they were the people who did not follow the trends at all instead they had their own unique look which they were known for. There is nothing to feel bad about following and wearing the trends but you shouldn’t feel bad about wearing something that is not in sync with something that’s trendy that season.
Going crazy over trends and getting excited about them that suits your own style is a good thing but it is better to skip those which doesn’t, in short, have a selective perception.
Invest Your Time And Work On It
The art of building the wardrobe you love and the one that suits your personal style takes an effort. It takes practice. Everything won’t settle in one go. You might have to experiment a lot with different styles and different approaches. On the way, you’ll soon realize what you feel comfortable in and what irks you.
You can also take inspiration from other people who follow minimalism and style icons that have unique styles. You need to realize that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Investing time and work in developing your style is really important.
Shopping is an addiction that is just doing you more harm. If you embrace minimalism you’ll stop buying things just to satisfy the need to have something new. Once you decide to live with less you’ll search activities to indulge in order to spend your time rather than thinking what to buy next.
