A Minimalist Gal

Something has been bothering me about my life as of late, and I finally realized it’s clutter. We usually move every year or so, and without having to pack everything I own into a cardboard box and force-purge everything I own, I realize my possessions are starting to suffocate me.

The problem remains, however, to be that I in fact, love my stuff. I always wanted to be one of those minimalists I idolize on Instagram, with all the clean lines, and what seems like absolute simplicity in everything they own. But I came to realize last year that it simply is not me. Try as I might, some things, just will not go the way of the all-white apartment with six pieces of abstract art for furniture because in all practicality, I just cannot live like that. For one, I already co-own too many things with my husband and he knows me well enough to know that if I expunge everything I own on a whim, that most likely I’ll try to buy new versions of it in a few weeks.

So, instead, while in the resolution spirit, I’m going slowly and starting with the most daunting task of the minimalist lifestyle: my closet.

Uffda. This is going to be a big one. I need to weigh the pros against the cons of keeping all the things I own. And in the nature of my list-obsessed ways, I’ll simultaneously argue and defend myself (to myself) before I officially commit to getting rid of things.

For #1: A lot of the clothes I own are things I purchased on sale, which means I got a smoking hot deals on 90% of it because I know what margins are on food, and can only imagine they’re worse on clothes, so I don’t believe in buying things at full price*.

*This probably tips a market somewhere that inevitably makes me work against my own goals of not paying for things at face value but until I get a lengthy lecture on this,  I’ll likely continue this habit (unless the capsule wardrobe works out in which case my shopping will be reduced. See Against #2 for an example of this issue.)

Against keeping vs For keeping

Against #1: They’ve served their purpose and earned their worth. No need to hold on to cheap (yes, cheap ya rat!) clothes. Whoa… harsh.

For #2: What if I need something to wear for work?

Against #2: You always end up buying something new or wearing one of your classics. Who ya trying to kid, kid?

For #3: It’s nice to have a variety of things to wear whenever I want.

Against #3: 2 part argument: A) This honestly just creates a mountain of laundry because you don’t have to wash your clothes due to the seemingly unlimited supply. Also, ew. B) You only wear the same 8 things anyway.

I cannot, in good consciousness, even try to continue defending the clothes in my closet. Clearly I know this needs to be done. Aside from the facts that my body has changed, and my wardrobe needs have changed, someone who needs/wants these clothes more than I do is out there, waiting and ready to swoop them up.

So what about realizing that I’m not a “minimal” gal? Well I’m making a few modifications to the capsule, keeping a few dashes of color (you get to stay army green!), and upgrading a few of the raggedy go-to’s that I currently am draining of life every week.

When I really think about what motivates me in the morning to wear whatever it is I end up in, it’s comfort, and it’s time my closet reflects that without the excess stress that comes from extra hangars. There’s something to be said for the minimalist chic; it’s easy, and as I prepare for all the bumps I know are ahead (because, life), easy– in at least some elements of my life– is what I need.

As I typed this, I invited two friends to come over and help me do the sorting because, let’s be honest, left to my own devices, I won’t do it on my own. So, here goes nothing. Before and after photos to follow.

Cheers 2018, so far, you’ve been quite the ride!

P.S. An obvious, but not mentioned benefit toward this new aesthetic is leaning [far far] away from the mood swings that push me toward filling my closet. With a strong baseline, I know it’ll curb (at least a little bit) my impulse to shop for trends. The hubs will certainly appreciate that little tidbit.