Project 7: Clothing

As I continue with my own version of Project 7, I'm moving on to tackling clothing, in the spirit of acknowledging that I have far more than I need, have the bad habit of continually buying more because I somehow still think I "have nothing to wear," and place too much value on my appearance. I have a habit of regularly cleaning things out of my home and donating them (usually to Goodwill, although most recently to PRISM, a nonprofit that serves the needy population of people who live in the area). However, I find myself itching to get rid of more stuff again only a few months later. Clearly, something is wrong if I'm taking in so much stuff that I'm longing for some relief just a few short months after a clean-out.

In modifying this challenge from Jen Hatmaker's in her book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, I took a long time to decide what parameters to set for myself.

I like concept of a capsule wardrobe, but I also love playing around with clothes and feeling like I have variety in what I wear, so I'm not sure that's really the answer for me (even though that was part of Jen's challenge for herself, too). However, the idea behind the capsule wardrobe system is a good one, and it has inspired me to make changes in how I structure my wardrobe, even though I don't plan to embrace all the tenets of it.

As this challenge is coinciding with packing for a move, I am choosing to focus primarily on reducing the number of clothing items I own and mindfully investing in good-quality additions. As I pack, I will also pare down the number of pieces I have for a limited time, reminding myself that nobody but me cares if I wear the same things all the time.

My closet is full of items that I don't love, and I want to work toward building a wardrobe of pieces that will make me feel good, not only because they fit well but also because I know I will get enough use out of them. In reducing my clothing to what I really like, I will be wearing the same things more often, which will certainly be a challenge.

I plan to follow the basic structure given here, taking everything out of my closet, cleaning it, sorting things into piles, trying things on again, and not rushing myself in the process.

I'm sure I will have to keep reminding myself why I'm going through my clothes yet again, and why I'm trying to exercise restraint in buying new pieces impulsively if they're not quite what I'm looking for. I will set goals for myself: Reducing shopping. Keeping only what fits & is in good condition. Keeping what I love. Investing in quality over quantity. Saving for good, long-lasting pieces that won't go out of fashion with the next trend.

Do you find yourself with clothing you don't really love or get enough use out of? What do you do about it? How do you keep it from growing again after a cleanout?

For further reading:

Why Keeping Only the Clothes that "Spark Joy" Is Magical by Shifrah Combiths

How to Finally Clean out Your Closet for Good by Courtney Carver