• Been thinking about you a lot this summer. We are on the road…7 weeks now and counting. We packed light. We have about 3 weeks until we return, so all in all I would consider what’s in my backpack my summer wardrobe. 17 pieces, including undergarments, swimsuit, two pairs of socks I share with my husband and the two pairs of shoes and jacket. The children are just as light in their luggage, and I am so happy to be unburdened by loads of laundry, what to wear, where to find it, and so much more! I have torn a few things or realized I wasn’t wearing them, so I gave them away. I replaced a couple items from the thift stores, and haven’t missed the rest. Living out of our backpack hasn’t created a yearning for anything other than a kitchen to cook in. Thanks for continuing to affirm, I am not the only one! Of course it’s not about the numbers. It is certainly about being happy with what I have and having what I need .

• I wonder what your magic number would be for a working women who has to dress up for work? I’m am a mid-level attorney and I attend many evening networking dinners that require cocktail dresses (where I often see the same people) . For work, how many weeks of (mostly) unique suits/work dresses should I aim for? 4 weeks? 8 weeks? For evening events, how many cocktail dresses is acceptable before I repeat? I probably attend an evening event once or twice a month. On top of all that, of course I have my not-at-work clothes, which is a sad mish-mash of mom jeans, T-shirts and cardigans.

  • 7-10 unique outfits and 2-4 cocktail dresses. With the idea that you can mix and match and accessorize the outfits to create a few different looks.

    Now I write this from the perspective of someone that has really turned a corner on owning less stuff. When I think back to working in a corporate office, where I also had evening events, I see that all people cared about or noticed is that I looked nice and presentable. Clothes are clean, hair is tidy and the look is polished (an interesting necklace, a brooch or scarf to finish off the look). People really couldn’t care less, or don’t even notice, if you’re wearing the same seven suits on repeat.

    My other tip is keep the cocktail dresses on the plain side. Not dowdy but try not to pick something with a really memorable pattern or colour. Instead, have a unique shrug or belt that finishes it off.

• Hey!
  Can you tell me how you have found your Tieks? would you recommend them (price and comfort and durability)? Like you, I also have large feet, size 10.5 or 11 and up until now I’ve purchased a lot of cheep footwear (cheap but lots) that I often just pass up for my flip-flops anyways. I’ve recently been inspired (mostly through your blog and the fact that we are moving) to minimalize my life which includes tossing all the cheap footwear I never wear for a few quality staples!

• Though it sounds a little OCD, I hang my clothes sorted first by type (pants, shirt, skirt), then by colour. The visual reminder that I have 3 pairs of black pants or 4 blue blouses helps me resist buying clothes I don’t need when I am out shopping.

• We’ve been following the TT racing coverage and was it Sunday or Monday – the weather looked great on IOM, then the next not so great – very wet! What you’ve been told about UK weather is correct, the seasons seem to kind of merge into one across much of the country (from my experience). Then we have freaky weather – so last week it was 30 degrees, now it’s dropped down as low as 8? Bizarre!
  I’ve just commented over at faith’s blog about packing for a UK hol. I just take all of my wardrobe pretty much. there’s not a lot there to choose from. I really need to do an inventory, or just a count, it’d take 10 mins if that!
  (Here’s to some sun! – I’m currently deciding between flip-flops or wellies for my next summer footwear purchase!)

• I certainly have more than 25 or 30 items, but I feel like my wardrobe is one of my less-cluttered areas thanks to a tip a friend gave me years go. Every year on my birthday I turn my hangers around so they are hanging from the back of the rod. As I wear things, they return to hang the “usual” way. This allows me to quickly identify what I haven’t worn and determine why. If I find myself wrinkling my nose at one of the garments on a “backward” hanges, it goes. If I am waiting for a special occasion or the loss of 10 pounds, I have a finite amount of time for that to happen. If I get to my next birthday and it is still backwards, it goes..

  I choose to do this on my birthday because I can remember it. It could also occur on New Year’s day, first day of summer, quarterly… Whatever works for you.

  • I really like this idea- I think I’m going to try this (and I just had my birthday so its perfect timing 🙂

• A month ago I started the process of minimalizing my possesions, starting with my wardrobe. I ended up with 40 items and promised to go back in a month and purge again. That month is up and there is so much I haven’t worn and want to get rid of but I’m struggling to do so since when I was buying buying buying, I didn’t care so much about quality as I did quantity so I bought clothes from stores like Forever21 were I could more cheaply but they fall apart quickly. So now, I don’t have the best quality clothing left and I hate the feeling that I want to BUY in order to replace. Isn’t that a bit anti minimalist? Or is it necessary to have a quality wardrobe that doesn’t need replacing? Any suggestions?

  • If I may jump in, Courtney. I think the most important thing is to only keep the clothes you use. It does not matter if they are from Forever21 or from Ralph Lauren. 🙂 However, once a piece of clothing needs to be replaced, then aim to buy as good of a quality of clothing as you can afford.

• Love your blog. 🙂
  I made a “minimalist wardrobe” board on pinterest a few weeks ago. I see we have similar taste in clothing. I love being accountable for what I buy. If I purchase something, it’s going to have to be added. It makes me think twice.
  I also have started a “minimalist home” pinterest board too. It’s a great way to inventory everything in my home.

• This is so timely for me. I just, moments ago, got down my skinny clothes from the attic and they fit! I already purged my biggest wardrobe and will now be purging out my transitional sizes. My mom and I each lost 33 pounds together and I’m splitting my super high-quality size 4/6 wardrobe with her.

• I don’t have an inventory, but I try to go through everything at least twice a year. I have found that it is worth it to keep black tie type dresses even though I don’t wear them often. I really love spacebags for my sweaters! I thought they would never work, but they are great!

• Wow! 25 items is an admirably small number. I’ve currently got an overstuffed closet, and am in the middle of a major weeding mission. I probably have 25 pairs of shoes alone. What an inspiration!

  I love the idea above of having a limited, set number of hangers. That’s a new one for me.

• Nice blog, I love to read it.
  I use “project 333” .(33 clothes for 3 months)

• I thought that my wardrobe was fairly pared down, but I counted up and I have 150 plus items (that does include sports clothes and so on)

  I think there is sill some dead wood in there- I find myself wearing the same things over and over again and ignoring others!

• I don’t keep an inventory of my wardrobe, but I think Pinterest is a great way to do it. I’ve begun “the big purge” of my closet…so far 3 garbage bags full of things I don’t wear, don’t look good in, and don’t need. Once I’m finished, I think an inventory is in order.

• I love your blog! thanks for posting this helps with trying to pair down my wardrobe 🙂

• I have a coat hanger for each garment and when they are full that’s it – 30 in total. Although i do have a few winter/summer clothes most are either/or and layers are always good.

  • I love the 30-coat hanger idea. Simple and effective.

• Love that you have it on pinterest! Still working on getting my wardrobe to where I want it to be–thanks for the encouragement every day–love reading about your life 🙂

• I don’t keep an inventory of my clothing. I have been updating a few items though. Bought a new pair of shorts to replace some that were falling apart. I also started buying better fitting t-shirts. I went through a bit of a baggy shirt phase. They were comfortable, but they didn’t look very good on me. I bought a few that fit better and donated the big ones.

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