Minimalist Closet: Practice Minimalism with Your Wardrobe
September 14, 2022
Written by Sofia Medina
Minimalism is a way of life that helps you to focus on the most important things while eliminating excess clutter from your life that doesn’t serve you. When it comes to your wardrobe, having a minimalist closet can help you save space, time, and money on clothing you likely won’t wear very often. Practicing a minimalist lifestyle also helps to save the environment by reducing waste.
Your wardrobe should make you feel confident and stress-free every time you get dressed. The clothes you wear should also be functional, which allows you to get more out of every item you purchase. A study of 2,000 American adults found that 28% of the items in their closets go unworn, and most people wear 20% of their closets 80% of the time. Read on to learn more about how you can start a capsule wardrobe and have a minimalist closet to help you become more frugal and conscious of the things you consume.
Table of Contents
The benefits of a minimalist wardrobe
Maintaining your downsized wardrobe
The benefits of a minimalist wardrobe
There are many benefits to downsizing your closet and having a minimalist wardrobe. Some of these benefits include:
You’ll save space
Downsizing your closet to a simple capsule wardrobe can save you tons of space. You’ll no longer have to deal with all the clutter that comes with a closet stocked full of extra shoes, dresses, jeans, or sweaters. Having more room in your closet gives you room to breathe, and you’ll be able to enjoy using this space more. If you have a walk-in closet, keeping it minimal gives you room to get dressed, look in the mirror, and simply enjoy using your closet the way it was intended.
It improves self-care
Not only does having a minimalist closet improve your space, but it also improves your mental health and well-being. You’ll feel much better mentally by getting rid of the clothing items that don’t serve you. Take some time to go through your closet and get rid of items you no longer wear or things that no longer fit you. You’ll get a fresh start and a brand-new lease on life when you pick out items that you truly love and eliminate the things you don’t. It also helps you to feel more confident when you’re wearing items that fit you nicely and that look great when you wear them.
Minimalism saves money
Keeping a capsule wardrobe is great for those who live a frugal lifestyle. You won’t waste your hard-earned money buying fast fashion items that will likely fall apart after just a few washes. Buy only the pieces of clothing that you truly love and invest in higher quality items that will last longer. Choose clothes that are easy to mix and match with other pieces to get more wear from each piece. Over time, you’ll notice that you’re spending a lot less on clothes that will usually just get shoved to the back of your closet anyway.
It saves time
The less clothing you have to sort through, the less time you’ll spend getting dressed in the morning. Having just a few pieces of clothing to choose from makes it a lot easier to pick your outfits before you head out the door. This frees up your time to enjoy the mornings with a nice cup of coffee, reading the paper, or spending time with your family before you start the day.
Sustainability
Practicing minimalism is also good for the environment. You’ll avoid buying fast fashion items that have detrimental effects on our environment. Fast fashion companies consume massive amounts of water, create harmful toxins, and promote excessive consumption and waste. You can reduce your fashion environmental impact by buying secondhand or vintage items, renting your clothes, investing in pieces made from high-quality fabrics, and only buying new items from eco-friendly, sustainable brands.
Downsizing tips
Downsizing is the first step to starting your minimalist wardrobe. Determine which items you want to keep and what you want to toss by separating everything into three different piles.
Donate
Start by determining which items you want to donate to local charities or nonprofit organizations.
Pretend to shop your closet
Go through and “shop” your closet and think about whether or not you’d buy each item again. If the answer is no, then add it to the donate pile.
Items you haven’t worn in 6 months
A good rule of thumb is removing any items you haven’t worn in six months or more. It’s highly likely that you won’t wear these pieces again, so you might as well donate them to someone in need.
Clothes that don’t fit anymore
If you have clothing that doesn’t fit, donate it right away. Don’t keep pieces as something you’ll wear when you reach your goal weight or with the hopes that you’ll wear them again someday.
Duplicate items
Do you have two of the same white t-shirts? How about two pairs of brown boots? Donate any duplicate items and keep the ones that you like better or are in better shape.
Recycle
Certain clothing in bad shape can still be recycled. You can repair it, repurpose it into something new, or give it to local companies that will give your old clothing new life.
Clothes that are damaged or stained
Any clothing with rips, tears, or stains that won’t come out should be recycled. Likely, you won’t wear these items again since they’re visibly damaged, so you might as well put them to good use.
Clothing that’s too worn to donate
Shoes with loose soles or sweaters with excessive pilling are too worn out to donate. However, you can still recycle these items, so they have a second chance elsewhere rather than ending up in a landfill.
Keep
Your keep pile will be the items you’re leaving in your closet to wear. It’s important to be picky when choosing the pieces you plan to keep wearing in the future.
Items that fit your lifestyle
Perhaps you work in an office and have a nice business suit. Or maybe you enjoy hiking and have a quality pair of hiking boots. Look at the items you have that fit your current lifestyle and keep them in your closet.
Things you wear often
If you have a favorite pair of jeans or a versatile cardigan that you wear every fall, keep those items in your closet. The things you already wear often will likely continue to be some of your staple pieces.
Clothing that makes you feel comfortable and confident
Anything that’s extremely comfortable or that makes you feel confident when you wear it should stay. Keep pieces that are comfy and make you feel like your best self whenever you wear them.
Maintaining your downsized wardrobe
Once you’ve downsized your wardrobe, it’s important to continue to maintain it so that your closet stays as minimal as possible.
Be more intentional and thoughtful
When shopping for new clothing, think carefully about how you plan to wear items before you buy. Be intentional about your decisions to help you stay frugal and avoid buying items you might not wear later.
Re-evaluate frequently
Revisit and re-evaluate the items in your closet frequently. Only keep the things you actually wear and love and set aside a separate bin in your closet for donations.
Use the “one in, one out” rule
Follow the “one in, one out” rule to maintain a minimalist wardrobe. This means that every time you bring a new item into your closet, you must remove one, too. It’s a good way to prevent clutter and helps you focus on buying only quality items that will last.
Take proper care of your garments
Maintain your clothing by taking good care of it. Look at the laundry labels to ensure that you’re washing and drying each piece correctly. When you take good care of your garments, they will take good care of you.
Organization is key
Use these organization tips for your minimal closet:
Use a rail system to help with easy access and visibility.
Organize your clothing by category and use dividers to create separate “zones.”
If you use bins for accessories and smaller items, make sure you label them clearly.
Practice better folding techniques to give you more closet space.
Use the reverse hanger method, which helps you see which items of clothing you’re not wearing after a certain period of time.
Create a capsule wardrobe
A capsule wardrobe is a smart way to practice minimalism.
What is a capsule wardrobe, and what are the benefits?
A capsule wardrobe should consist of between 20 to 30 staple pieces of clothing you can mix and match. You’ll save space, time, and money when you use this method. It also helps you get inspired to try new combinations so that you’re getting the most use out of every single item of clothing you own.
Capsule wardrobe essentials
Add essentials to your capsule wardrobe, including a good pair of denim, some dress pants, a little black dress, a white and black t-shirt, solid-colored cardigans, and a good jacket. Look for versatile pieces in solid, neutral colors that are easy to mix and match and layer as the seasons change.
Remember these tips to help you create a minimalist closet and wardrobe. Not only will you become more frugal and save money, but you’ll also help to save valuable time as well as help the environment. Keeping your closet limited to a few key staple pieces is a great way to help you stay confident while also helping to keep your closet organized and clutter-free. It’s an important foundational part of living a truly minimalist lifestyle.
More:
Why We Are in Love with an Organized Closet
I gave a presentation a few years ago at a mom’s conference in Dallas. In my presentation, I gave the audience the choice of what areas they wanted me to speak about: playroom, panty, or closet. In my head, I thought for sure the playroom would be the clear winner and practiced it over and over.
Much to my surprise, the standing room only audience decided to talk about closets. So they got me thinking, I wonder why? Once I got to really thinking about the reason behind the why, it became crystal clear to me.
Mom’s are always doing for others. They take 15 minutes at the end of each day to tidy up the kitchen area and put all the toys away for the family. However, Moms will hardly ever take even 15 minutes for self care. They will dedicate an entire Saturday to driving kids around to every single sporting event in the city, leaving no time to dedicate to organizing and creating systems in their own closets.
Therefore, I wanted to spread some love this Valentine’s to all the mom’s out there who are struggling to find the black pants they swore were in the closet or the missing left wedge they can’t find anywhere.
Here are 3 simple tips, products we love to set up the closet so that it is as easy as grab, go every morning and the closet is a place you want to hang out, rather than open the door quickly and shut just as fast so nothing falls out.
1) Slim-line hangers are worth the hype! They not only add a uniformed look to the closet, but they also save space!
2) Bin Clips-it is really important to contain all the loose items in your closet, from accessories, purses, hats, etc. We are a huge fan of acrylic bins, but regardless of the bin, basket you choose a bin clip to label all items is a must have! This takes the thinking out of putting items away because all items have a clearly defined home.
3) Declutter-this sounds so basic, like declutter, blah blah blah. The best route to decluttering a closet is taking everything out of the closet and categorizing all items. The chances of you realizing you had something you totally forgot about are high to very high.
Do you truly need 10 pairs of work pants that range in size from 2-12? You may not even need work pants at all anymore as a lot of us are able to dress down a bit more now, especially if you can work from home. If that is the case, maybe you keep one pair and the rest you can donate to a charity that can truly use the item, rather than collecting dust. For the sizes, I would recommend trying on blindly and picking the pair that make you look and feel the best. No one knows what size you wear, and I don’t think they care, as long as you are comfortable and feel great! Another note in decluttering that will come as a shock to many…it is much easier to find an outfit to wear every morning!
So, let’s show ourselves some love this Valentine’s and dedicate time to organize the closet that is the first area you see every morning and can set the tone for the day.
Momming isn’t easy, we get it! We truly believe an organized closet makes a happy Mom.
To make it even easier for the mom in your life to get an organized space, let us do it for her. We have gift certificates to share the love!
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Cheers to 5 Years!
Well, this is a total pinch me moment…we are celebrating our 5-year anniversary at Lock and Key Home.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure this day would ever come. There have been a lot of high’s and of course a lot of low’s, which I now know is part of being a business owner. However, when I decided to start L+K Home Organization, LLC, now Lock and Key Home, I had zero clue what I was doing. Yes, I had a business degree in accounting and 14 years in the corporate world, but I essentially jumped into the deep end without my floaties.
I always grew up very organized and quickly figured out in a chaotic home that I needed peace and calm in my bedroom, which I made my sanctuary growing up. My CD’s, yes, I am aging myself, were by genre and in alphabetical order and my clothes were always color coded before that was ever a thing. Even as an adult, I remained very organized and had all my items in a designated home. Then I had twins…
To say they turned my world completely upside down would be an understatement. My nice, organized home quickly turned into a cluttered mess full of baby stuff, toys and multiplied by two. It was pure chaos. To add to the chaos, my husband took a new job where he was traveling to Florida for weeks at a time, me working full-time with a team, the kids being preemies with health issues, and oh wait, we decided to move. It was the move that sent me completely over the edge. (Hence when I say I know moving is stressful, I truly mean it)
As I sat around in our new home with boxes everywhere, I knew I needed help. I started to google places to please help me get unpacked and organized. This was before the Marie Kondo and The Home Edit craze, so it really wasn’t a common service offered in Louisville, KY.
So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I created a plan to dedicate an entire weekend to unpack and organize, with no distractions. This meant the kids were sent to their grandparents and Ryan gladly volunteered to head to a boy’s weekend. Before his car was out of the driveway, I had the music blasting and began to tackle box by box.
By Sunday evening, I was exhausted but also had such a sense or relief and calm as I looked around our new home that was no longer cluttered with boxes and everything, even the baby toys, were organized. I knew it then and there I was on to something as I was sure I was not the only Mom, busy professional out there feeling completely overwhelmed.
I went back to my corporate job Monday morning with all new pep into my step because the world had just given me an opportunity, I knew I had to take…helping others get organized. However, I was completely clueless as to how make that happen. So, I quietly started to float the idea with friends and also did as much research as I could. I then came across a company in New York. They are a mother, daughter team who did exactly what I had in my mind and not only did it, they killed it. I took a leap and reached out to them to learn as much as I could and maybe even be part of their team. However, being totally naïve I asked all the questions. It was then they said, why don’t you start your own business? They saw the drive and direction in me way before I ever saw it in myself. That is an idea that had never really crossed my mind as I never saw myself taking such a leap.
Around the same time, my daughter, Tori, had her first major surgery to close up her cleft palette. I took off work for one day for this surgery, thinking I could totally be back in the office by the next day. Boy, I could not have been more wrong. The surgery did not go as planned and I decided I had to take a leave of absence to focus on Tori. She wasn’t eating and was in pain, but she was so, so strong and kept sneaking me little smiles. I looked at this precious daughter of mine and thought if she is so insanely strong at 11 months, why was I being such a wimp as an adult. How can I serve as someone she could look up to if I was being so weak?
The next day, I wrote my business plan and dove into the deep end of owning a business.
Top 5 High’s:
1) YOU! My clients: Without Clients of course, there wouldn’t be a business. I am fortunate to have some of the best Clients possible. Many of these Clients have become friends. They have encouraged me to take risks, grow, and be a better person all around.
2) Team: I was doing all the in-home services by myself for the first two years and to be honest, I was exhausted. It wasn’t sustainable and I knew it, but how did I grow enough to be able to have a team? I started small and just kept building. Many of my team members have no been with me for years and I can’t imagine life without them.
3) Family and Friends: I went from a decent salary in corporate to not paying myself, for years. To say this was stressful would be an understatement. However, I was very fortunate to have family support me and even a strong mentor in my father-in-law who was also a business owner. My friends showed up to every event I had, even traveling with me as my squad when I spoke at a conference in Dallas. They always showed up and showed out.
4) Writing A Book, Being Published, and Becoming a speaker: I was always the girl who would gravitate to the corner as I never wanted to be the center of attention. Starting a business was one thing, speaking in front of others as an expert straight up made me want to vomit. I decided to put my big girl undies on and face my fears. In return, I was asked to write a book, The No- Nonsense Home Organization Plan, was asked to contribute to several articles, including The Today Show, and the icing on the cake was speaking to a standing room only at a Mom’s Conference in Dallas.
5) Not Giving Up: there were so many times when the odds were stacked against me and the easiest thing to do would have been to close up shop and head back into the corporate world. Some people even encouraged me to cut my losses and move on. However, either I am stubborn or naïve, but I knew in my heart I had to do this. Right before Covid, I had the difficult talk with Amy Rudy, who is now my business coach, about shutting it down. She had the numbers, the stats, and saw all the details of where I was. Her response, “that seems boring…is that what you want?” I immediately responded hell no, that isn’t what I wanted. And that was that. I took Covid to build and came out of the gate strong to get back at it. We have continued to build and grow from there.
I am beyond proud of our accomplishments at Lock and Key Home as we celebrate our five-year anniversary. With that said, I can say with a 100% certainty…you haven’t seen nothing yet! =) To celebrate and give thanks to everyone who has supported this journey, we will be doing 5 days of giveaways. Check out Instagram to see what goodies there will be daily.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone.
Cheers to the next 5!
Kim
5 Tips for Keeping What You Love When Downsizing Your Home
By: Evette Champion
Downsizing your home doesn't mean you have to get rid of everything – especially not the things you love. After a lifetime of accumulating a bunch of stuff, the thought of downsizing your home can feel downright overwhelming, yet liberating. Many people ask, "Where do I begin -- I love so many things!"
We often have Client’s tell us they feel paralyzed at the thought of downsizing.
We have five tips to help you declutter and whittle down the mess while keeping the things you love.
1. Positive Frame of Mind
When downsizing, your mindset is essential. You may very well be excited to declutter, get rid of things that never get used, and take up space in your home. Ask yourself what the reason you want to downsize is. Do you expect to feel calmer when you aren't surrounded by chaos?
Are you considering selling your current home and moving into a smaller home (or a retirement community if you're a senior)?
Whatever the reason, remember that the whole point of downsizing is to minimize the clutter and unnecessary items. The goal is to keep the necessities or the things that make you happy.
2. Start Sooner Rather Than Later
Before your move, you'll want to have a plan regarding the many different tasks that will need to be done. You could do this by dedicating a few days to each room. These days, you'll want to go through the items, clean as you go, and even make minor repairs or upgrades (fixing the doorknob, filling holes and painting, changing the lightbulbs, etc.).
Remember: the more you do now, the easier it will be when the big day comes.
3. Focus on Your Goal
Staying focused on your goals and the desired positive results can make the whole process less like a chore.
Even when you start to feel overwhelmed, remember that when you're done downsizing and decluttering, you will be able to focus more on doing the things and being with the people you love instead of being smothered by junk.
4. Relish in the Memories
As you sift through your stuff, cherish the memories they trigger and set aside the items that give you that warm fuzzy feeling. Granted, you might have a lot of things that have fond memories attached to them, and it'll be challenging to part ways with them.
In that regard, figure out a way to repurpose the particular items. For example, if you have a collection of band shirts, turn them into a quilt or wall art. If it's an antique piece of furniture your grandfather made, it doesn't look the best. You could always refinish it and find a special place in your future home -- or give it to a family member who'd love it as much as you did.
5. Decide Once and for All
As you go around your home, handle each thing once, then move on. If you're moving soon, pack and identify items you're retaining. Find a temporary storage space for the items you don't plan on keeping.
To make it easier, you can create different categories for the items:
Keeping: The things you love and want to keep.
Selling: The items are in good condition at a yard sale, consignment shop, or even an online reseller like Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, etc.
Giving: The items that may not sell, but you want to keep them. You can give them to family and friends or donate them to charity.
Downsizing isn't about clearing out your home and having nothing left. It's about getting rid of the clutter and the unused stuff that's taking up space, whether in your current home or a new one. You can (and should!) keep the items that have meaning and fill you with fond memories.
If I Can Learn Public Speaking: You Can Get Organized!
When I was in corporate, I flat out refused to participate in Public Speaking. If it was 1:1 with Client, I was fine but to share my knowledge after 14 years in the field at a conference, within the office, or a presentation to Clients was out of the question. I even said, multiple times, you can fire me if necessary.
Who does that? I made a decent salary, 401k benefits, and a flexible schedule that I was ready to just say bye to because of my fear of public speaking. Essentially, I found my own glass ceiling and realized it hurt to bump my head against it so I pulled back in fear.
A lot of times when I hear people say: I’m not an organized person, there is no way I will ever be organized, I have to shake my head. I was adamant in the same way about Public Speaking, there was no way you could convince me otherwise.
Speaking at NEW April 2022 event.
However, when I started Lock and Key Home I knew that I couldn’t stand in silence if I expected people to make changes…I likely needed to follow my own advice.
Of course, I didn’t start with a Ted Talk (think basements). I started with simple ways (think collect all drawer) to speak in front of others, whether it was networking meeting, FB live, Virtual Mom’s groups, etc. I also hired an expert Laurie Ann Murabito to guide me through the process of taking baby steps until I was ready to conquer my biggest fear and speak to a sold-out room in Dallas, TX at the WOW Summit Conference. I practiced nonstop, gave myself a lot of pep talks, but what I think what mattered most was the community of people who believed in me the entire way.
So yes, it is hard to change your mindset and routine. However, I truly believe if you want it to become reality it can.
My team and I will serve as your cheering section the entire way, along with providing resources and tools to walk your through the process making it manageable and doable.
This past week I was fortunate enough to speak with two of my Professional Organizer peers at for the NEW meeting at Dress for Success. When people complimented me after how natural I am in front of people I have to smile because trust me, five years ago I would have refused to even be in the room.
Don’t be scared, let’s face this together.
How to Organize the Craft Room of your Dreams
We all want it, a place of our own where we can retreat and let creative juices flow. Many times though, we have grand thoughts and yet our space is overrun by supplies and projects that have no home. Here are top tips to creating systems in your craft room so you can
Pens, Pencils, Markers, Crochet Needles, Etc.
Crafters love writing implements of all shapes and sizes. While it is easy to keep them in general area, it might be hard to find just what you are looking for without digging. Small pencil jars or drawers for each separate style will help you find everything perfectly each time.
If you don’t have shelves, try a 3-tiered rolling cart.
Extra credit: Put your containers on a turntable for optimal ease when looking for exactly what you need.
Glues and Tapes
How many different types of glues, tapes and dots do you have? Put them in clear bins with handles, like with like, to know where everything is.
Extra Credit: Label what’s inside those bins!
Our favorite products: Tall Inserts, Turntables, 3-Tiered Rolling Cart, Clear Bins with Handles
Peg Boards
Peg boards are a great way to have a variety of things right at your finger tips. Scissors and rulers for example can be easily seen and used right when they are needed.
Extra credit: Add small buckets to the bottom of the peg board for all your essential items such as your most used pens.
Scrap paper
If you have scrap paper of any kind in your space, go through all of it. Color coordinate and discard all paper that is smaller than an index card. From there, organize paper vertical by color. This allows you to flip through paper rather than going through a massive stack.
Extra credit: Separate solid and patterned paper into separate piles to create
Paper and Embellishment Storage
There are many ways to store all the little extras you need for crafts. You know what i’m talking about; embellishments, stickers, stamps, stamp pads, borders, I could do on and on. One way is to store them in these stackable see through bins. These have the same colored paper as their box so you can go right to what you are looking for.
Extra credit: label, label, label. I promise, it will change your life.
Hopefully, this will help you create a space that puts you at ease. If you need a little help, reach out to us and we would be more than happy to come bring you from chaos to peace.
My Secret to the Perfect Closet
So, lets talk closets…
Have you ever walked into your closet and feel overwhelmed? You know you have a million clothes, but you can’t find anything to wear, let alone finding shoes, accessories or anything else to put an outfit together.. Listen, we have all been there. Let me let you in on a little secret.
Slim line hangers, containers and labels.
That is right, those three things will help bring your closet back to life.
Slim line hangers help get rid of the bulk saving on space where your clothes are hung. They also make everything uniform giving your closet an instant cohesive look.
Containers keep everything together and in place. They also make your closet feel more put together, making you feel more relaxed and positive about getting ready for the day. I use clear ones for things like scarves and belts and decorative ones for things that may need to be more hidden.
Labels help you know exactly where things are. I love putting labels on bin clips for those containers I mentioned above, clothing dividers, and even drawers. This takes the guessing game out of where to put things or where to find them.
So, now that you know my secrets, what is stopping you from getting in there and getting started?
Here are some links to my favorites things to use in the closet:
Clear Storage Bins with Handles
I can’t wait to see how your closets turn out. Be sure to tag me on instagram!