#playingbymyownrules

For most of my life I have lived with a 5.5m3 walk-in-wardrobe - to the envy of my sisters and friends. For most of my life it has been full - of clothes, accessories, art supplies, keep sakes and really just a whole lot of shit that I never even use. In a week I’ll be saying goodbye to “my wardrobe" {again} and hello to “our wardrobe” as I move in with my partner.

Past experience and horror stories have taught me that it’s not always an easy transition when it comes to the battle of wardrobe real estate... but it can be! It’s the perfect opportunity for a good old fashioned purge, to declutter your wardrobe and cultivate you personal style, not to mention, saying no to letting trivial things get in the way of an otherwise exciting time.

In the 3 weeks leading up to this move, I’ve been house sitting with a trial capsule wardrobe inspired by Project 333*. I was using it as a transitional period and had never actually counted my items until I started writing this post, but I’ve been crushing it with only 31!

* For those unfamiliar, Project 333 is the minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months. 

For my on-going capsule wardrobe I'll be using Project 333 as a starting point, but I like to play by my own rules to create a more fluid process. I feel that too many restrictions can make you feel backed into a corner with no escape, but not enough can leave you lost in an open field without a sense of direction. It’s important to remember that everyone is different and in the end, you need to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed in what you set out to achieve. For me, it's to create a solid capsule wardrobe so I can spend more time doing the things that I love, without sacrificing the sense of self that I get from fashion. So here is how I’m planning to tackle my biggest wardrobe purge yet…


My Rules 

What will be included in my 33 items:

clothing, accessories, costume jewellery {all my excess jewellery and watches will be packed away for my first 3 months as trial separation}, outerwear and shoes.

What won’t be included in my 33 items:

jewellery I never take off, my everyday handbag {as I wouldn't be able to function without it} underwear, sleepwear, lounge wear, active wear, work uniform and my sunglasses and glasses {due to medical reasons}.


My Purge 

1  |  EMPTY  |  Empty everything out! The wardrobe and any other place accumulating clothes or accessories... 

To gain some perspective on how big my wardrobe currently is, I’ll be counting every last thing in an itemised list. Even the things that aren’t included in the 33 items, as I’m still planning on dramatically purging that portion of my wardrobe as well. 

2  |   SORT  |  Sort everything into 5 piles… 

• Love = items I cannot live without
• Maybe = items I don't hate, but don't love either
• Purge + Sell = items that could result in quick cash {3 weeks life line before they are donated}
• Purge + Donate = items of no value to me, but may have value to someone else
• Purge + Trash = items that have reached the end of the road

3  |  QUESTION  |  Question every item in the maybe pile...

• Have I worn this item in the last 6 months, or am I planning on wearing it in the next 6? No = Purge, Yes = Continue
• Is it in an acceptable and wearable condition? No = Purge + Trash, Yes = Continue
• Would I buy this item now if I saw it in the shops? No = Purge, Yes = It's time to try it on!
• Is this item comfortable to wear? No = Purge, Yes = Continue
• Does this item look good on me? Does it compliment my shape and complexion? No = Purge, Yes = Continue
• Does this item honestly reflect my personal style? No = Purge, Yes = This item is safe from the purge!

4  |  BUILD  |  Build a shortlist from both the love and maybe piles. If it doesn't make this short list, it's packed up for 3 months...

• Is this something I would happily wear every day? OR is this something for a special occasion? {It seems like cheating, but when you have a casual style, having a couple of go to outfits will stop yourself from having to buy a new outfit every time a formal event comes up - we'll see how this goes after 3 months!} Everyday = Shortlist, Occasionally = Pack
• Is this a sessional item? Summer = Shortlist, Winter = Pack

5  |  EDIT  |  Look at what items are on the shortlist and how well they co-ordinate with others... 

• Is each item able to be co-ordinated with at least 3 other items on the shortlist? Yes = Final Project 333 pile, No = Pack

6  |  COMPLETE  |  How many items are in the Project 333 pile?

• Below 33 = Purge and Pack completed! {Having less than 33 items will leave room for me to fill in any gaps in my wardrobe that might become obvious during the 3 months}
• Above 33 = Would I miss any of these items if they weren't in my life? No = Pack, Yes = Project 333 Pile {If I'm still not able to get down to 33 items, I'll include everything to start and re-evaluate 3 weeks in - I think it's important to not get too hung up on the number instead of what it is you are trying to achieve!}

7  |  REPEAT  |  Apply the same process to items not included in the 33 to further minimise my wardrobe food print... Once finished I'll complete another itemised count to see just how successful the purge has been.


All that's left now is to let the purging begin!!!

✌