Before Project 333, I had no concept of what “enough” meant to me. I was always focused on more. Instead of living an “enough is enough” life, I was more in line with “too much of everything is just enough.” But eventually, the too much was too heavy.
image credit: Kristen Doyle
What does enough really mean?
I started minimalist fashion challenge Project 333 for a few reasons, and one of them was to determine what enough meant to me. I didn’t know and was shocked (and delighted) to discover that in many cases, one was enough. I only need one pair of sunglasses, one purse, one pair of jeans and one winter jacket. This is a start contrast to my former collections of those items.
One suits my needs, and when there is only one, I take better care of it and appreciate it more. Not to mention that I have no decisions to make in terms of which one to use on a day-to-day basis. I simply use the one I have. I’ve applied my “one is enough” philosophy to other objects too. It doesn’t work for everything, like pens and teaspoons—for some reason, I require more of these two things.
(In the new book, Project 333, The Minimalist Fashion Challenge that Proves Less Really Is So Much More, I write more about how to do the challenge and the benefits to watch out for).
I’ll never tell you what to include in your capsule wardrobe but I highly recommend that you exclude the following, because seriously … enough is enough.
Enough is enough when it comes to these 5 things
1. Perfectionism. You might not get your capsule wardrobe right the first time around, and chances are, at the end of three months, you’ll see everything differently. Don’t worry about doing it right. This is a challenge, an experiment. And in three months, you can do it all over again.
2. Comparison. My wardrobe won’t look like your wardrobe. You don’t have to wear all black or own a dress you can wear five different ways. You live in a different climate, have a different lifestyle, and have different tastes in clothes. Make this project your own.
3. Stubbornness. If you get started and the shoes you included aren’t working, swap them out. Just because you wrote your list on paper doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. Be fierce but flexible.
4. Guilt. When you’re boxing up your clothes, you might feel guilty for spending too much on things you don’t wear. What you should be feeling is proud that you are open to change. You should be feeling excited about a new challenge. Feel happy that your clothes may be going to someone who really needs them. Trade your guilt for the good stuff.
5. Suffering. If you wear out your favorite pair of jeans, or a coat that you included becomes a little too snug, replace it. If you’re unhappy with your selection, reselect. Use Project 333 as a way to learn about what you really need and want instead of treating it like a punishment. This should be fun and make your life easier.
We’ve had enough of those five things in our closets, in our lives and in our hearts. I invite you to let go and make room for what you really want in there.
This was an excerpt from my new book, Project 333, The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really is So Much More. I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it.
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