Minimalism is everywhere right now. Maybe it’s just because I am looking into this topic quite intensively in the past few months, but I feel like there are more and more blog posts and youtube videos coming out about how to and why to streamline your life. I find the idea absolutely fascinating and if you want to look into the topic further, I highly suggest ‘Minimalism‘ and ‘Tidying Up with Marie Kondo‘, the author of the book ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying’ on Netflix and the Youtube videos by Matt D’Avella.
And if you are still a bit skeptical, stick with me. I have to admit that minimalism was never something that really interested me. Why? Because I love clothes, bags, and shoes. Guess what? You can still love clothes, bags, and shoes and live a minimalist lifestyle at the same time. The same goes for the hundreds and hundreds of books on your shelves that bring you pure joy when you look at them or your collection of mugs in your kitchen cupboard that remind you of all the places you traveled to. Because minimalism is not about getting rid of everything but what you need to survive. It’s about getting rid of what you don’t need in your life and the excess that we live in daily.
I am sure that when you take a look around the room that you are sitting in right now, there is at least one thing that you wouldn’t mind getting rid of. And this is exactly what it’s all about. If you heard about Marie Kondo you probably heard about the phrase ‘does this spark joy?’. And if it does, it should stay. If it doesn’t, you can and should let it go.
For example, think about the drawer in your kitchen that is filled with knives. There are probably one or two knives you always use. And sometimes you even wash these knives per hand just so you don’t need to use one of those cheap horrible knives. Why are they still in your life?
Minimalism looks different for everyone. My boyfriend is hugely into minimalism as well, and his closet also looks like it. He has like three different styles of t-shirts and long sleeves that he loves and just bought a few of them in different colors. The same goes for shirts. And he loves not having to take ages to decide what he wants to wear that day. He always says that it is one decision less he has to make on a daily basis and he can use this mental capacity for something more important. And as much as I think he is right. I can’t live like that. I love having the choice of different styles, patterns and colors in my closet. I love combining different pieces and creating new outfits. And I love to shop. Yes, I said it. I love to shop, and this is a post about minimalism.
But there are very strict rules I stick to and that have transformed my wardrobe over the past year.
Firstly, don’t shop for the sake of it, shop out of necessity. I used to scroll through online shops all the time, absolutely aimlessly. It was like a habit, just to see what is new in the shops. Now I only go (online) shopping when I exactly know what I need. This saves you so much time, money and space in your closet.
Also, think about if you do not already have something similar in your closet. All too often I find a beautiful long sleeves black dress that is so my style. But just because it speaks to me, doesn’t mean I need it in my life. Especially when I already have a few other dresses that do the exact same job.
Then, it’s always important for me to invest in something that I really love and that is of higher quality. Have you ever been on the lookout for a new coat? And you found two that you loved. One is absolutely perfect, but it’s much more expensive. The other one is almost perfect… but there are just one or two details that are off. But hey, it’s 300 bucks less. But I am here to tell you, that (if you can afford to) always go for the higher quality one which fulfills ALL your needs. Don’t compromise. Because if you compromise, I promise you, you will be on the hunt for a new coat in the next season. And if you do that a couple of times, you could have got the perfect coat right away, right?
These are just a few rules I follow in order to prevent me from overflowing my wardrobe with random things I neither need nor really want. But before you implement these or your own rules, it is important to set the foundation for your new minimalism closet.. sort out your wardrobe:
Marie Kondo has a beautiful technique on how to sort out your wardrobe. Basically, you have to put everything you own on to one pile, maybe on your bed. Yes, everything! This might sound a bit overwhelming but it’s so helpful. Then, you should go through every item and take your time. Touch it, look at it. When was the last time I wore it? Does this item bring me joy? Lastly, it’s also about how to put everything back into your closet. I personally use Marie’s folding technique. That way I see everything I own at once, and I am not simply picking up whatever is on top of the pile.
And if you are not convinced yet. Imagine opening your wardrobe and ONLY seeing your favorite outfits? No ill-fitting clothes that you just keep for the sake of it, and not because you actually love them.
