Do Less (4 page)

Here's another fear that holds people back from having a minimalist wardrobe: What if people notice you are wearing the same outfit you wore last week? If you reduce your work wardrobe to five outfits that you mix and match and accessorize to create ten different ensembles, no one will ever notice that you wore the same outfit the previous week. They'll instead notice the way you carry yourself in clothes that fit well and compliment your shape. When you let go of the idea that you might someday use some of that unwanted clothing, also let go of the thought that people might notice your small wardrobe. They won't. Most people are far too concerned with their own appearances and lives to keep track of what a colleague wore last week.

One of the biggest culprits for wardrobe clutter is buying clothing that doesn't suit your personal style. Be it sale signs or fantasies of a different life, many people buy clothing that never makes it out of the closet and still has the tags on it when the owner finally decides to let the item go. It's easy to fall in love with a beautiful silk skirt and impulsively buy it because it's on sale. It's harder to wear that item when it doesn't match anything else in your closet, requires frequent dry cleaning, and is so lightweight that it is only suitable to wear a few months of the year. Clothing isn't meant to be admired on the hanger in your closet; clothing is meant to be worn. So if you have lots of beautiful things that you never wear, either start wearing them or donate them and let someone else show off your good taste.

Before you start dramatically cutting your wardrobe, take some time to think about your personal style. Most people have a “uniform” in their closet, a combination of clothing and colors that they feel their best in and that they keep coming back to. Look through your closet and consider what you feel good in and are complimented on often. Is it a combination of separates, a color, or one piece of clothing that you always grab when you decide what to wear for the day? This will be the cornerstone of your personal style and help you cull your wardrobe to just what you need.

A minimalist wardrobe doesn't mean dressing all in black or wearing the same clothes for days on end. It does mean cultivating a small closet of flattering outfits that suit your lifestyle. Building a wardrobe of variations on a signature outfit is timeless and fashionable and, most importantly, helps you feel great in your clothes. If your work look is tailored trousers, a medium-height heel, a blouse or styled top, and a light cardigan, stick with it. If you're a button-down-shirt-with-jeans guy, enjoy how simple it is for you to get dressed in the morning and don't feel pressure to vary your look. Trust that you already know what you feel comfortable in and what looks good on you.

There are many ways to cull your closet of the unnecessary. Choose one of these three strategies based on what will work for your timeline and habits.

1. Remove anything you haven't worn in a year. This is a quick and effective method for reducing your clothing to just what you really wear. If you have special occasion clothing but haven't had an occasion to wear it recently, keep one outfit for spring and summer and one outfit for winter and fall.
   
2. Face all your hangers the same way. Every time you wear something turn that hanger the other way. In a few weeks, it will be very clear what items are regularly worn and what items are merely taking up space.
   
3. Style five or six of your best outfits and get rid of the rest. You should be able to mix and match or accessorize to create a dozen or more variations from your core looks. Keep one set of casual or lounging clothing.
   

Evening clothes, particularly shoes, should be comfortable enough to wear for up to five hours and to walk short distances. If you trade your heels for flip-flops or bare feet an hour into a party, give those shoes away. There is nothing fashionable or sexy about walking with a limp.

The “capsule wardrobe” is a term coined in the 1970s and it refers to a small wardrobe built on interchangeable pieces. All of the items in the wardrobe work as separates and can be transitioned from casualwear to more formalwear with accessories. An example would be a shift dress that works for daytime with a light cardigan and sandals and transitions to evening attire with heels, a chunky necklace, and a Pashmina shoulder wrap. For men, a capsule wardrobe could be office clothing that can mix with more casual pieces outside of work. Think button-down shirts that work with jeans and pullovers that can be worn over a collared shirt to work or over a T-shirt on the weekend. The capsule wardrobe relies on knowing your personal style and owning foundation pieces in neutral colors.

Things to remember when building a capsule wardrobe:

• Choose classic shapes and patterns for your base elements.
  Of-the-moment patterns, colors, and cuts quickly become dated. The crux of the capsule wardrobe is classic fashion pieces in neutral colors. Example: Choose a chambray button-down shirt instead of a bold-patterned or striped shirt. You can bring eye-catching and fun details into your style with accessories.
  
• Pick a color scheme.
  One or two base colors will make separates interchangeable. Accent colors should be used for accessories and T-shirts or camisoles. Example: A black blazer can be worn with jeans, a black pencil skirt, or a black dress. A camisole, T-shirt, or scarf in a bold color will add variety to the outfits.
  
• Own high-quality clothing.
  The base of your wardrobe should be timeless and won't need to be replaced as fashions change. Invest in well-made pieces that can be tailored if you gain or lose weight and that will stand up to frequent use. Example: Trousers should be made of a year-round weight of wool and have seams that allow for hemming, taking in, and letting out by a tailor.
  
• Dress for your body shape and complexion.
  All elements of the capsule wardrobe should flatter your shape, size, and skin tone. Example: Wear an A-line skirt to compliment a small waist and pear shape. If you have a cool complexion, choose accessories in accent colors like silver, royal blue, and navy.
  

You probably won't need to go out and buy a whole new set of clothes to create a capsule wardrobe. When you downsize your wardrobe, keep those classic, easy-to-wear pieces and build off of them. Make a list of the essentials that you are missing and add them as your budget allows.

The following lists of basics will help you build a capsule wardrobe. Add accessories with splashes of color and pattern to change the look from day to day.

• One pair of jeans: straight-leg style
  
• One white button-down shirt
  
• Six to eight T-shirts and tank tops
  
• One dress in a neutral color that can transition from work to an evening out
  
• One cashmere sweater
  
• One pencil skirt
  
• One pair of tailored trousers
  
• One black blazer
  
• One black cocktail dress in a formal style for weddings and events
  
• One sundress
  
• One trench coat
  
• One pair of flat shoes
  
• One pair of fashion boots
  
• One pair of high heels
  
• Silk scarf
  
• One over-the-shoulder handbag
  
• One clutch
  

• One pair of jeans
  
• Six to eight T-shirts
  
• Four to six button-down shirts
  
• One pair of trousers
  
• Pea coat
  
• Blazer
  
• Suit
  
• One pair of sneakers
  
• Watch
  
• One pair of dress shoes
  
• One pair of casual shoes
  

Adjust these core pieces to suit your lifestyle. If you don't regularly wear a little black dress to work or for an evening out, substitute a piece that you will wear regularly like an extra pair of jeans or a casual dress. If cashmere requires too much upkeep for you, purchase a classically styled sweater that can be machine-washed. With a few such adjustments, you can create a capsule wardrobe that will suit your everyday needs and make you feel more fashionable than a wardrobe four times the size.

The living room is meant for relaxing and socializing. It is a space to put up your feet and rest after a day's work. Often, it is also a space to entertain guests. Think of the room's purpose in your life as you decide what should stay and what should go. Do you frequently play the dozen board games you have stored in your massive entertainment unit? Do children play in your living room and are their toys stored there? If you removed everything except what you use 90 percent of the time, could you also remove 50 percent of the furniture? Think critically about how you use your living room space and what those activities require.

If you've sold a home before, you've probably had a real estate agent advise you to remove as much as you can from each room. Simplicity and space are appealing aesthetics for homebuyers. As you pare down your living room to the essentials, think of it as an exercise in selling your home to yourself. Prospective homebuyers want to be able to imagine themselves in a home, and to imagine that their life in that home will be as clutter-free as they see it now. The truth is that no one wants to live in clutter, but most of us do.

A great strategy for going minimalist with your living room is to take everything out and then add pieces back in. If your space allows, empty the room of bookshelves, storage ottomans, wicker baskets full of magazines you haven't had time to read, and whatever else you keep in your living room. Then slowly add pieces back in, first something to sit on, then something to rest a drink on, and finally smaller pieces. What appeals to your eye? What feels relaxing? If you enjoy finally being able to see painted walls, instead of stacked bookcases bursting with paperbacks and old college textbooks that you never really read the first time around, leave it at that. A piece or two of framed art or a small cluster of family photos, and decorating is done.

Delighted with your new beautiful living room, your next question will be, what do I do with all this stuff? All that furniture you bought to hold things that cluttered up the room could be sold or given away. (And the stuff it was holding? That can go too.)

Every medicine cabinet tells a story and every bathroom drawer reveals the inhabitants' truths. The makeup collector with dozens of untouched eye shadows because she mostly wears a bare face. The family prepared for any ailment with four half-filled bottles of the same cough syrup and one empty bottle of ibuprofen. The expired prescription bottles.

The minimalist bathroom should contain only what you need for everyday life. You can get a once-a-year dramatic makeup look at the makeup counter, and any over-the-counter medicine you don't use regularly from a late-night drugstore when necessary. You don't have to be prepared for every scenario that might eventually happen, but you should be prepared for the ones that often do. People get headaches or indigestion, floss regularly, and wear the same mascara, eye shadow, and blush daily. All those one-offs and extras and might-use items can be bought when or if you actually need them.

Here's how to attack the bathroom: Empty the drawers and cupboards in your bathroom. (Onto the floor is fine because this is going to be a quick job.) First, remove anything that is expired, including old cosmetics, and anything that you no longer use, like those teeth-whitening strips that you tried but didn't like. From your whittled-down collection, reduce even further to just:

• Everyday makeup
  
• Over-the-counter medicine you use regularly
  
• Up to one month's supply of all other toiletries
  
• One container of anything seasonal, like sunscreen
  

The other piece of clutter in bathrooms: towels. First, remember that you most likely don't live in a hotel or a bed and breakfast. This means two things: You can't leave your wet towel on the floor for housekeeping, and you don't need to impress guests with wicker baskets full of fluffy bath towels. Your bathroom can be beautiful and still contain what you need for a relaxing bath and to get ready for the day.

In a minimalist household, everyone should have just one bath towel and a washcloth, and every bathroom should have one set of hand towels. Bathroom towels may come packaged in sets of three sizes, but most of us rarely use all of them with the same frequency. If you have a guest room or have people stay over regularly, have one or two extra sets of towels.

Within those guidelines, you can even pare down further. For example, if no one in your family uses face-size washcloths, get rid of them. If you have sets of towels but don't use each piece of the matching set, get rid of what you never use. Bath towels are large and take up a lot of space. They use a lot of energy when you dry them in a dryer. If you frequently visit the beach or pool, and you can't bear to bring your good towels from home, designate beach towels that can double as guest towels.

How will you get by with just one bath towel per person? You'll hang your towel to dry after every use and wash it once or twice a week. Enforce this towel rule on everyone else in your household too. This is another trick from the Europeans. Though it feels luxurious to have a freshly laundered towel after each shower, it is neither necessary nor does it make your life easier. More towels also mean more storage needed, and more laundry. And all those towels also mean more work: picking up more towels off the floor, adjusting jammed linen closets, and so on.

Beyond the serene bathroom and less laundry, hanging your towel to dry saves time and money: You're doing less laundry, using less laundry detergent, and decreasing your electricity use. It's also better for your back—you'll have fewer big and heavy baskets of wet towels to carry around the house. So the next time you're about to pitch a damp towel into the laundry hamper, consider if you could get one more use out of it if you hung it up to dry.