How to Dress with Less and the Joy of a Zen Closet

The benefits of dressing with less surprised me. When I started reducing stress in my life, I had no idea that my closet would be such a big part of my transformation. Dressing with less is a great first step to simplifying your life.

There used to be a time when I thought an overflowing closet and a mountain of debt was just part of being an adult. Everyone around me wanted more, so I wanted more too. After reading books like Your Money or Your Life, I learned that usually the answer for better health and happiness is not more. It is less.

How I started living and dressing with less

I started simplifying my life in 2006 when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I wanted to reduce the stress in my life so I could be healthier and feel better. It took time but after taking the following steps life got a lot simpler and more enjoyable.

1. We paid off all of our debt.

I went into debt in college and just kept going. There always seemed to be too much month at the end of my money. Always owing people money was stressful. I knew the #1 way that I could simplify my life was to pay off my debt. We became debt-free years ago. It took us about three year to pay off our car loans, student loans and other debt. We pulled back on excessive spending and focused all of our financial efforts on getting rid of our debt.

2. I stopped buying things I didn’t need.

I used to shop when I was bored, or feeling down, I shopped to celebrate, and I shopped just because. Often times I would go out for two or three grocery items, and come home with new dish towels or a dress, or something that I never intended to buy. That auto-pilot behavior used to be normal for me. After my first three months of the Project 333 challenge and a self imposed shopping ban, I changed my relationship with stuff and shopping. That simplified so much.

3. Selling and donating things I didn’t need reduced stress.

Getting rid of stuff that I didn’t use or love opened up the time and space for me to figure out what was really important. In the early decluttering days, we got rid of so much stuff. We sold anything that was $50 or more and put the earnings toward our debt. We gave everything else away. So much stuff went out the door that we had empty rooms in our home and downsized to a space that was less than half our living space.

4. Starting a blog connected me to like-hearted people.

Simplifying my life and dressing with less dramatically improved my health and my life. I decided to share my story and simplicity experiments by starting this blog and it grew into a beautiful business. I wrote a few books, started a membership program and continue to support people as they simplify their lives in other ways. It has been great to connect with people around the world who want to live with less too.

5. I created a fashion challenge.

My closet was a mess. Over the years I kept adding items to my closet and held on to all of it. I knew my slow and steady approach to simplifying wouldn’t work when it came to my overflowing closet. I created an experiment and promised myself and the internet that I’d dress with only 33 items, including clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories for three months. Thousands of people joined me! The Project 333 challenge made such a difference in my life that today (15 years later) I still create 33-item capsule wardrobes every three months. This is what I’ve learned by dressing with less.

The Benefits and Joy of a Zen Closet

A zen closet results in a zen morning. With my entire wardrobe, I usually have 22-24 pieces of clothing hanging in my closet. There is more space than clothing in my closet and that projects a very calm, zen feeling. I experience the joy of a zen closet when instead of opening my closet doors to chaos and rushing around trying to decide what to wear, getting dressed is a breeze. It sets the mood for my day.
Dressing with less helped me identify my personal style. Now that I carefully select 33 items for 3 months, they all fit me well and most can be worn interchangeably. By choosing from a small selection of clothing that fits my lifestyle, I’ve developed a simple, personal style.
More time for what matters. Since, I don’t spend time and money shopping for clothes, and my mornings aren’t consumed with which scarf to wear, or shoes to slip on, I can turn my time and attention to the things that really matter.

If you want to start dressing with less…

Start with your closet and you will build momentum and inspiration for decluttering the rest of your home. Simplicity is contagious! Here is the process I recommend to declutter your closet.

Start making piles of clothes and sort ruthlessly

Pile One: I love these items. They fit me well and I wear them frequently: keep
Pile Two: I want to keep this but I don’t know why: set aside
Pile Three: These items don’t fit me or my style: donate
Pile Four: These items aren’t in good condition: trash

Next, take care of the piles

Take Pile Four to the trash.
Box up Pile Three and put in your car before you have time to re-think.
Put the items from Pile One back in your closet.
Box up all items from Pile Two and put the box in the back of your closet or in another space (out of sight) for 30 days.
If you didn’t miss the box after 30 days, DO NOT OPEN IT, donate it.

Get started with the Project 333 Challenge

This minimalist fashion challenge didn’t just change my closet, it changed my life. You can remove a significant amount of stress simply by removing items from your closet. Read more about getting started and building a capsule wardrobe and see if dressing with less is right for you. This is not an extreme way of life, or a project in suffering. Many participants keep going after the initial three months, with a goal of developing a tiny wardrobe for each season.

How to dress with less: step by step

Take an inventory of what you own. I recommend getting all wardrobe items together in one space so you can see what you’ve got.
Clean out your closet. Here’s a practical guide.
Get started with this approach or this one.
Hide everything you aren’t donating or wearing. Get it out of sight.
Dress with your 33 items (clothes, accessories, jewelry, shoes) for 3 months. During that time, ignore all sales and shopping.
At the end of 3 months, check in. How did it go? What’s next?
Let me know how it goes! Share your OOTDs and wardrobe images with #project333 on Instagram.

Resources to help you with your minimalist fashion challenge or capsule wardrobe:

The Project 333 book – A chapter by chapter guide to creating freedom in your closet and your life.
Project 333 rules and information – Everything you need to know to start the challenge. Here’s a quick overview: Choose 33 items or less to wear for three months. Include clothing, accessories, jewelry and shoes. Don’t include underwear, socks, sleepwear or workout gear.

If you’d like to experience the joy of a zen closet, more clarity and calmer mornings, consider living with less and dressing with less. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what your new found time and space will reveal about what really matters to you.