How many items of clothing do you have?
Beautifully organised, but she's got a lot more than 33 items in there!In my ongoing quest to declutter our house and my life (and therefore my mind and my time) I came across the Clutterfat challenge and its closet equivalent, the 333 Project. Basically, it's a challenge to own only 33 items of clothing.
I'm not sure whether the number 33 was plucked out of thin air or not, but limiting clothes to any specific number is an interesting concept. It reminds me of what my dad used to say when I was a teenager: "Great - now that you have two new shirts for your birthday, which two are you going to get rid of?" I was always very annoyed at this. Didn't he realise that quantity of clothing was extremely important for me?
Back then, having lots of clothes equated to a certain amount of status. If you have heaps of outfits when you're 15, you're cool, especially if you're at boarding school and everyone can see your bulging cupboards and drawers. Now, having heaps of outfits equates to a lot of work - mental and physical - and of course, storage space.
The author of the 333 Project writes this:
Minimalism isn’t really about possessions. It’s about who we are and what we do and how our possessions both shape and reflect that. Through looking carefully at how I spend my time and money on clothing, Project 333 has been a great vehicle for me to look carefully at how I spend my time and energy on everything.
I’ve learned that I want to spend those things—which, really, are my life–the way I am beginning to spend my money on clothing: carefully, purposefully, and with a clear focus. So, when it came time to do this year’s back-to-school shopping, I resolved to create a wardrobe that works for my whole life. I wanted to be as comfortable at work as I am at home.
I regularly go through my clothes and get rid of things that aren't working or that I haven't worn for a year or more, but I may just do it again and count as I go.
What about you? How many items of clothing do you have?