If you want a look inside my closet, watch the Project 333 minimalist closet tour below. But first, learn how this fashion challenge goes far beyond fashion.
When I started Project 333, I didn’t know what to expect. I only knew that something had to change.
Something had to change because I was spending too much time, money and attention on what I was wearing. Even though I donated things from time to time, my closet was always (no pun intended) bursting at the seams.
My closet contributed to stressful mornings, lots of debt, and worse, a constant feeling of discontent. I’m not proud to admit this but even though I had way too much, I never felt like I had enough. I always seemed to need “one more thing” which always led to wanting more.
When it came to my closet, or what I thought other people would think about what I was wearing, or how I felt in my clothes, it was never enough.
Once I made my first list of 33 items for 3 months including clothing, accessories, jewelry and shoes, boxed up the extras and hung my items in the closet, I realized that this was going to be a big change. My closet looked empty and I felt nervous. Was this going to work? Were people I worked with going to notice? Would I have enough?
Spoiler alert: Yes. No. Yes.
While Project 333 dramatically changed my mornings, my wardrobe and how I thought about my clothes, it changed so much more.
Minimalist Fashion Challenge Project 333 affects so much more than your closet.
In the planning stages, it was all about the closet and clothes, but I started noticing benefits outside of the closet almost immediately. Some took more time, but dressing with less continues to surprise me even nine years later.
Here are a few ways that Project 333 has changed so much more than my closet:
Confidence. I realized those feelings of “not enough” about my clothes were really about being comfortable in my skin, not in my clothes. By removing the pressure to prove who I was by what I was wearing, I felt more confident and comfortable. Additionally, when I noticed that no one noticed I was dressing differently, I realized I didn’t need to care so much about what other people thought … about my clothes or anything else.
Money. I was underestimating how much I was spending on clothes, shoes and accessories. Even though none of my items were very expensive, my spending added up. When I stopped shopping completely for three months, I was shocked by what I had saved.
Fear. My relationship with fear changed. I had fears about what would happen if I dressed with less. Not running from a tiger fear, but tiny fears about what people would think, or what I’d do about laundry or weather or other things that were never a problem. I realized that most of the fear I experience is about anticipating what could happen and not what actually does happen. It’s given me a lot of freedom for what I like to call “fear and …” meaning that I can feel fear and still move forward. Earlier this month, I went paragliding for the first time. Seriously! Here I am flying through the air. I felt all the fear and ran off of a cliff. I can’t wait to do it again.
Flexibility. Now that my wardrobe is smaller, I naturally travel with fewer items and can get ready for anything more quickly. Navigating the world (when traveling or just day-to-day) carrying less allows me to be more flexible and open to change and opportunity.
Attention. Because I’m not giving as much attention to what I wear and how I look, I have more attention for what really interests me.
Here are a few other perks of a minimalist wardrobe.
Try Project 333 and create your own minimalist wardrobe.
Based on my own experience and by hearing from others taking on the challenge over the last nine years, I’ve realized that this fashion challenge has very little to do with clothes or fashion.
We start a brand new season of Project 333 on July 1st. Summer is the easiest season of all because in most (not all) locations, you don’t need a hat, gloves, winter coat or extra things to keep you warm.
If you want to see exactly what’s in my summer Project 333 capsule collection, watch the minimalist closet tour below and take a look inside my closet. I share the challenge rules, more benefits, when Project 333 (the new book) is coming out, why I include a sweater and warm scarf in my summer collection and answers to lots of great questions.
Minimalist Closet Tour on YouTube
Minimalist Closet Tour on Instagram
Minimalist Closet Tour on Facebook
You can find the Project Rules and other information here.
P.S. If fear is holding you back from Project 333 or any other challenge or change you are considering, please remember that you can do both. Fear and …
Fear and Project 333. Fear and challenge. Fear and change. You’ve got this!