Are you ready for a clothes challenge to simplify your life? You’ve probably attempted to declutter your wardrobe or declutter your closet before with mixed reviews. A clothes challenge could be just what you are looking for right now.
Whether you declutter your closet and wardrobe seasonally or every few years, you may have noticed that clothes build up over time. It’s interesting that no matter how many items of clothing we own, most of us wear the same few things over and over again. We like wearing our favorite things. There’s no secret formula that is perfect for everyone when it comes to our wardrobes. This capsule wardrobe formula comes close but we are all different. We require different clothing for our different lifestyles, bodies and preferences.
Wardrobe and other clothes challenges can work for just about everyone. When I created minimalist fashion challenge Project 333, I heard from lots of different people. It worked for teachers, moms, travelers and people of all ages all over the world. It was especially rewarding to hear that it was helpful for people dealing with chronic illness, anxiety, depression and/or ADHD. While their experiences were different, they agreed that a simple closet simplified their lives.
3 Clothes Challenges to Help You Declutter Your Wardrobe
A clothes challenge may offer more benefits than just decluttering your closet. Decluttering your closet can help you reduce your clothing choices and a good amount of stress. I highly recommend it! A clothes challenge can help further. With a good wardrobe challenge, you can …
- save money.
- sample simplicity.
- remove decision fatigue.
- figure out what you really want and need in your closet.
- change your relationship with stuff and shopping.
- develop more confidence.
- reduce stress.
- have fun.
I created the Project 333 challenge and I’ll include more details about it in the list of clothing challenges below with other good options. If you want to reduce stress in your life and consider how simplifying your life would actually benefit you, choose a clothing challenge and see what happens!
1. No-buy clothes challenge
There are many no-buy challenges out there and you can create your own all around clothes. You decide how long to do it. 90 days? A full year no-buy clothes challenge? What would happen if you didn’t buy any new clothing or wardrobe related items for a full year? You’d definitely find out what you like and don’t like about your current wardrobe. You’d likely save time, money and energy not giving any attention to sales or clothing trends. Check out Harriet’s no-buy clothes challenge.
2. The Minimalist Game (for your closet only)
This clothes challenge is a mini-version of The Minimalists’ Mins Game. They suggest getting rid of one thing on the first day of the month, two things on the second, three things on the third and onward. This will be a gradual letting go at first and then when you get to days 10 plus, it may feel more intense (and interesting).
Obviously your home contains more items than your closet but this could still be really fun as a clothes challenge or wardrobe experiment. I’d recommend including everything connected to your wardrobe (shoes, jewelry, coats and other outerwear, pajamas, underwear, workout gear and the clothing you wear on a day-to-day basis). See how many days of the Mins Game challenge you can do.
I’d include this rule in the clothes challenge too (from the Mins Game): “Whether you donate, sell, or trash your excess, every material possession must be out of your house—and out of your life—by midnight each day.” Then you can avoid that bag of clothes riding around in the back of your car forever.
3. The 5-Wear Rule Challenge
If you want a clothes challenge that is more data driven and could even involve a spreadsheet, try the 5-Wear Rule Challenge. This challenge invites you to work with what you have, tracking what you actually wear. By the end of this clothes challenge, you’ll likely be more intentional about what you wear and buy in the future.
Even though this clothes challenge isn’t about decluttering, the creator says, “I noticed how financial gurus always mention that you should track your finances. Fitness gurus say the same about the food you eat. Knowledge is power. You can’t change what you don’t understand. So I decided to make an algorithm for myself, something foolproof that I could follow without acquiring too much new stuff, but also without the feeling of being restricted.”
4. Project 333 Challenge
Here it is! This is the clothes challenge I created for myself way back in 2010. My closet was a mess. My shopping habits were excessive and I never felt like I had anything to wear. When I started Project 333, I committed to myself (and the internet) that I would dress with 33 items or less for three months (October – December). I included clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories like scarves, bags and sunglasses. I did not include sleepwear, underwear or workout wear (things I only wore to workout in).
I didn’t donate the rest of my clothing. I got it all out of sight for three months and I didn’t buy anything new. It was both closet-changing and life-changing so after three months, I kept going. Today, more than 16 years later, I still dress with 33 items or less.
You can try the Project 333 Challenge and use my rules or break my rules. There is still so much to learn and experience if you don’t count your shoes for instance, or your number is 42 instead of 33. With any of these clothes challenges, don’t limit yourself because one small part doesn’t work for you. Modify the rules so they are more approachable. As long as you are open and curious, there will be something to learn about what you want and need in your closet and your life.
