Why I love my wardrobe

If you had told fifteen-year-old me that I would love love love my wardrobe, I would not have believed you. I hated shopping, hated fashion, and generally wore whatever came to hand first - usually a block-coloured v-neck sweater and a dark pair of trousers.

If you had told me even a year ago that I would love my wardrobe, I would not have believed you. I still hated shopping, hated fashion, and still wore whatever came to hand first - usually a block-coloured v-neck sweater and a dark pair of trousers.

In January this year, I started something called Project 333. The basic rule involves limiting the number of clothes, shoes, accessories etc to 33 items for 3 months. I told a few people I was planning to have a go at this, and they thought I was bonkers.

The core of the challenge is to limit the number of clothes, shoes etc that you wear for a period of time. The original challenge is 33 items of clothes, shoes, outerwear and accessories for 3 months, but you can set your own challenge. I exclude scarves, coats, belts and jewellery.

Ten months in, I still hate shopping and fashion - but I no longer pull on the first thing that comes to hand in the morning. A number of people have commented that I look smarter. I wear a greater variety of clothes, styles, colours and combinations than before. Despite having fewer clothes in my wardrobe.

I am more aware of how I present myself, and I take better care of my clothes and shoes. When I get dressed, or set out items for the next day, I think about a variety within the outfit and through the week. I do less laundry than before - although I do have to be more organised so I don't run out of things!

I think not just about a garment but about its function within the wardrobe, which helps me when I do make rare purchases or when I plan to make clothes. (Still largely at the planning stage...) This has transferred across to other things I own - I look for duplicates not just in type or appearance but also in function, which helps with decluttering elsewhere.

I have also given away several bags of clothes to charity, so that the clothes not included in my 33 almost fit into one suitcase, where before they filled two. I have emptied a huge box of old clothes, and either donated them or turned them into cleaning cloths. I would have done this earlier if I had realised that cotton t-shirts make marvellous dusters.

When I open the wardrobe in the morning, I am greeted by bright, clean clothes neatly arranged. It welcomes me home at the end of the day, a reminder that order has a place in my cluttered life. I am a total convert and will not be returning to my old arrangement. Which would you prefer?

To anyone thinking of trying this challenge, go for it!!! You can find out more on the Project 333 website.

Project 333 - take three

This weekend marked the end of my second 3-month stint of Project 333, so on Sunday afternoon I duly got my bags out of the basement for the selection of my next 33.

 

It's getting easier and easier to select my 33. The first one took ages and was a real wrench to make decisions. Now I can see duplicates or near-duplicates more easily. I see combinations more easily, and I am more aware of when I actually wear things. There are several lovely items of clothing that I have held on to in the hopes that my life would enable me to wear them but in reality I spend less than one day a year lounging on a beach with a book. I prefer holidays with interesting things to see and do, with time lounging in the shade with an ice cream/cold beer and a book. Why do I have garments specifically designed to be worn over bathing suits on the beach? Very silly. Another bag of clothes I don't use is heading for my favourite charity.

You will not be surprised to learn that I am a complete convert to the principle of Project 333. I don't think I will ever go back to that awful crowded wardrobe. I'm not sure how much longer I'll stick with the 33 rule, but I will continue to limit the contents of my wardrobe and rotate through the seasons.

I still haven't managed to make much of what I think I want to create but that's ok. I'm wearing everything in my wardrobe now, can always find what I am looking for, and have a clear idea of what I want to add. Laundry is less stressful and my clothes are better cared-for. Best of all, even when the house is a tip, getting dressed is always stress-free, and I have a daily reminder of the benefits of minimalism.

My missing month: Lessons learned during my blog absence

So. What was I up to during the last month? You won't be surprised to hear that I've been working a lot, and also a fair bit of travel (some work, some play), which has meant several weeks when I've only been at home for a few nights. From this month, some things really stand out.

1. I love my minimalistic wardrobe.

When you're packing for a six-day trip which encompasses a business trip somewhere very hot and sunny with a personal trip somewhere probably cold and grey (the UK), and through an administrative error it transpires that you don't have any luggage booked in the hold for the flights, what is your reaction? Sheer panic? Thanks to Project 333, I managed to pack with only one fairly modest carry-on bag and with no stress at all. In fact, I didn't wear all the 'combinations' I'd allowed for because the weather in the UK was unexpectedly nice. 

This caused some humourous moments when we arrived at the business trip, me with my tiny overnight bag for six days, and everyone else with HUGE GREAT BIG SUITCASES. (Most of the guys had bigger bags than the girls, interestingly). I quite enjoyed the incredulity it prompted.

2. You'd be surprised at what Muggles like us can fix.

We're all about the repairing and mending in the simple living club. We sew buttons on, we mend tears, we might repurpose or upcycle a damaged table or stained sheet, and it's not strange to see weird and wonderful receptacles used as planting containers. We'll paint walls and put up shelves, but some things we generally think should be left to the professionals - in my book, plumbing and electricity. Anything that could kill you or damage the structure of the building is a bit of a no-go zone.

Not so for my boyfriend. Water has been constantly running into our toilet bowl for some time now. It's annoying and it's an expensive waste of water. We did have a look in the tank and thought it was build up around the outlet valve causing it not to shut properly, and started putting bicarb and vinegar down it regularly, with no success. This weekend my boyfriend amazed me by working his way round the inside of our toilet flush mechanism to identify the problem. After removing and taking apart the inlet valve, he found the problem - a tiny rubber diaphragm (about 3cm across) was degraded and this was causing a constant drip-drip of water into the tank, which was then flowing into the toilet bowl through the overflow mechanism. 

We took the dodgy diaphragm to the DIY shop, found a replacement, put the valve back together, and voila. Toilet fixed, at a grand cost of €6. I am supremely impressed, and convinced that provided you turn off water and electricity supplies at the mains/entry point to the flat before you start poking your fingers in, we could probably fix more things than we realise.

3. Gardening needs more than watering, it needs planning and execution.

During my busy period, I have managed to keep watering the surviving plants every few days. Most small seedlings have died because I didn't have anything to plant them out or up into, but my beetroot looked like a small jungle. I was starting to worry I would get sick of beetroot, that I would run out jars to pickle it all.

Then I picked some to roast for lunch. This is what I got:

I'm a gardening noob here and this is my first attempt at beetroot. I'm guessing that this is the result of (a) not thinning the beetroot seedlings and (b) letting the soil get too dry at some point and so become more dense/caked. (If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!)

It's very clear that my loose plan wasn't much of a plan at all, and I need to have something like a rough schedule and a clear idea of what will be planted where and when before I touch any seeds. I'm still on the hunt for cheap things I can use to plant on the balcony because I continue to refuse to fork out €10 for a low-grade plastic pot in the gardening centre. I feel like it kind of defeats the point of the exercise.

So that's what I've been thinking. How about you? Any standout moments from the last month?

'Normal' bodies

I went today to an exhibition of 1930s fashion at the Museum of Costume and Lace in central Brussels. (The exhibit is open until February next year and is free on the first Sunday of every month. Details here.) The collection is not huge but there are some really stunning dresses.

As we walked around, two things struck me. Firstly, how modern many of the clothes look.

Secondly, how much the female 'silhouette' (such an innocent-sounding word for something that prompts people to push themselves to extremes of diet, corsetry etc to imitate) has changed over the decades. The silhouette on which fashions are modelled dictates an idea body that has somehow become the only acceptable body.

Looking at many of these clothes, I was particularly struck that my body shape is actually very similar - specifically the high waist and generous hips - to the 1930s silhouette. These clothes look so glamorous and get I look very awkward in modern clothes. The exhibition really drove home that this is because I am wearing the wrong clothes. Modern trousers divide the body at the hips rather than the waist, which makes me look frumpy and square. My natural waist is much higher than the waist on modern clothes, and this does not make for a comfortable or an elegant fit.

Project 333 has really driven home that, rather than having too many clothes, I in fact have too few clothes that I love, that fit beautifully and make me feel beautiful wearing them. And this is in part because the clothes in my wardrobe do not reflect my real body shape - or to be honest my evolving taste/style.

Time for a 1930s-inspired sewing project, perhaps?

Cart before the horse

I have collected a large number of books, very few of which I am particularly attached to. Most are ones that I keep meaning to read and never get around to. The bookshelves take up a lot of space in what is currently the spare room, and are definitely functional IKEA bookshelves rather than pretty ones. They were never intended to be long-term fixtures, but when my dad decided he didn't want my boxes in his attic any more and brought them over, books were a large factor and even though many have gone to the second-hand book shop, I still have far more than I need or want, or than we can really fit in the available space.

Following on from my pondering of Hannah's house last week, I've been putting quite a bit of thought into what we might change in this flat and I really like the idea of building some bookshelves into the wall made from wine crates or similar, using all the space up to the ceiling so we can relocate the big bookshelves down to the basement for more practical storage there. There's some beautiful examples on pinterest.

 

Source: www.pinterest.com

My boyfriend and I have recently been discussing some of the changes we'd like to make - some small (add radiator covers, re-upholster the dining chairs) and some bigger (change the doors, knock down the wall between the kitchen and the living room). On the question of the bookcases, one point became clear - we (or rather, me, as the main hoarder in the house) tend to accumulate stuff to fill the space available. Before building in beautiful bookcases, it would make sense to get my huge book collection down to a more sensible size.

I think this would be a good approach, because it also means we have a better idea of how much storage we really want/need and don't just full a wall with shelves which then look empty, making me feel a compunction to fill them.

Of all the rooms in the house, I think this is a good place to start because it's the one we use the least, so easy to paint/build/adjust. I've been pondering how I could address the 'book' challenge - I am struggling with the idea of getting rid of books I haven't read yet, and many of the books have not been read, in part because I tend to pick up and re-read books I've read, or start a new book before finishing the last one. Someone gives me a new one, or I read a review of a book on my shelf - I have started but not finished approximately fifteen or twenty books currently on my shelves showcasing my collection of bookmarks.

I've been wondering whether the Project 333 approach might not be a good idea - essentially ration myself to a set number of books for a few months, and see how that goes. There's limited space in the basement, but what I've done is tidied out my bedside table and put a selection of six books there. I'm going to challenge myself to ignore the other bookshelves and stick to these six for the next two months, and see how that goes. Maybe it needs to be fewer books, or less time - or more time.

Have you tried anything like this?

I'm addicted to my pared-down wardrobe

Three months ago I started this crazy project - to live with only 33 items of clothing and shoes (excluding sleep wear, running clothes and coats) for three months. I did share this with a couple of people at the beginning, who mostly looked alarmed and asked whether I'd spend the whole time doing laundry. However, three months in, the project is complete - or at least the first stage. 

Today I hauled the suitcases of clothes from the basement to the bedroom, selected another 33, and sent the suitcases back again - but rather lighter, as I have put aside two items for the rag bag (stained/damaged) and 15 items of clothing, one pair of shoes and a necklace to go to the charity shop.

I have sometimes tired of certain items, and I haven't got quite as versatile a set of 33 as I could have if I were prepared to go out and buy the best clothes, but that's not really the point of the exercise. I have hugely enjoyed having a spacious wardrobe, being able to find clothes when I want to, and I do wear a greater variety on a day to day basis than I used to. I also find laundry easier to stay on top of, even with the addition of ironing. I'm a definite convert.

It's wonderful to open the wardrobe and be greeted with this everyday, instead of the old pile of crumpled, dirty clothes that used to greet me:

Compared to the last set of 33, this one includes more skirts, more basic options for work and less jumpers. The one thing I am really missing are lighter tops I can wear to work - less severe shirts and other things I can wear for work and home. I haven't managed to make many things in the last months so still lacking colour. But when I'm super busy, as I have been for the last month, it's so valuable to have just one place that is not chaotic and cluttered, one thing I feel in control of.

Have you given Project 333 a go? Can I tempt you, if your wardobe looks anything like mine used to?

Project 333: Month Two

I've completed the second month of Project 333 and am now into the third. I have not only managed to stay at 33 items, I've actually gone down - the blue jumper I knitted went in, prompting a black shirt that coordinated with almost none of my other clothes to go out. And then I got sick of tugging at my pink strappy top, because the top rides down and the bottom rides up, so that went into the bag for Les Petits Riens. Now I lack a colourful strappy top, but I can't actually remember if I own one, so I will wait and see what comes out of the basement in a month's time.

This is not at all a hardship, and I am finding that the conversations I have about my clothes go something like this:

"Ooh new top?"

"No, old top"

"Well, it looks lovely."

My favourite was a colleague asking if my trousers were new - they are the same trousers my parents bought for me when I went into the sixth form at the age of 16. I've occasionally had to mend a seam or adjust the length, but washed and pressed they still look very smart. Shows the value of good-quality clothes and durable fabric, I think. In fact, it's become something of a game - see which clothes I can make colleagues think are new simply by pressing them neatly and wearing them proudly.

However, as I move into the third month, I'm not finding new creative combinations any more and I am really feeling that the 33 items I chose limited this - although perhaps that's a bad workwoman blaming her tools? I am going to try to increase the number of combinations in my next 33. At present, there are quite a few items of clothing that can only go with one or two others, and in the playground of my wardrobe, everyone should be able to play together.

Project 333 - Week Four

So four weeks in, and I am still absolutely loving every day of this project. Here's why:

(1) It has totally tansformed my morning routine.

Some days I would try on two or three outfits before finding something that I was happy with. I would frequently run out of clean underwear or socks, or discover that the shirt I wanted to wear with that jumper was in the wash, and have to pull something out of the dirty laundry basket. No more. Now I know that everything is laid out, clean and pressed, and it just takes me a matter of minutes to put everything on. No more stress.

(2) I dress more professionally.

Some days I would end up going to work feeling underdressed. Often I would pull out something at random in the half-light of a winter's morning, crumpled from the back of the wardrobe, and discover tomato juice stains down the front after I got to work. Now I plan my outfits in advance, everything is hung up or folded neatly, and my work clothes are ironed regularly. I am also wearing my smarter clothes more (full suit, button-down shirts) simply because they are among the items I kept in by 333. (Ironically, I used to have three full suits in my wardrobe and never wore any of them. Now I only have one, I wear it almost once a week.) I've received on average one compliment a week from colleagues about looking smart/pretty/nice, which has never happened before.

(3) I dress with more intention and more variety.

Most weeks I would wear the same pair of trousers every day, and sometimes the same shirt or long-sleeved top as well, just rotating the jumpers on top. Now I have a variety through the week and a variety each day - I make sure one of the items I'm wearing has a pattern or texture, I rotate through my trousers and shirts, and never repeat a full outfit more than once a fortnight. I never normally wear jewellery or scarves as accessories but I'm starting to reach for certain items, and I am quickly learning which are the most versatile pieces.

I thought I might share some examples of outfit combos I have never tried before this project but which I really, really like:

This is the shirt I replaced the buttons and buttonholes on - looks loads better. The subtle stripes and dark buttons work really well with the pale blue-green jumper.

The scarf was made for me by my lovely friend Kaylie, and the colour and texture really bring some depth to this otherwise rather boring outfit.

(4) I am more on top of the laundry.

I'm doing one load of normal clothes a week with one load for gym/running kits, leaving me plenty of time to wash towels and bed sheets during the week, so I'm changing towels and sheets more frequently too. I never used to do ironing and always put off folding clothes and putting them away until the next load came out of the laundry. Now, simply because the volume of clothes going through the system is less, the work is less daunting and less stressful.

(5) I am becoming more picky about wearing warm, comfortable and feel-good clothes.

In fact, of my 33, three items have not been worn at all, and three items have been worn only once so far this month. One pair of court shoes gives me sore feet because the heels are too high. I've known since I bought them that they were a mistake but I couldn't bear to get rid of them because I paid a fair bit of money for them. But if they cause me pain, why wear them? I need a pair of court shoes for work but I should get a comfortable pair with a lower heel. These shoes will not make the cut to the next set of 33. Another item is a thin long-sleeved top to be worn open over a strappy top. It's lovely but far too thin for this time of year, nowhere near warm enough on its own and it doesn't layer well. All lessons for my next selection of 33.

In conclusion, I am a definite convert to Project 333 and have already started to think about which items I might carry over to the next set, and which should be swapped out, and which should go altogether (I'm looking at you, painful shoes). I realise I could definitely give myself more variety out of 33 items than I have this time around, but even as it is I am enjoying it. It even seems to be catching - my boyfriend asked me to help him go through all his suits and shirts, and we donated a huge bag full of clothes that didn't fit him any more.

Reflections on January 2014

For the last year or two, I have tried as regularly as possible to join in the Slow Living Month by Month series, started by Christine over at Slow Living Essentials. It's definitely a good tool to reflect on what I've done each month and remind myself of many areas where I don't do as much as I'd like.

However, I do feel that there are two or three key challenges which are becoming major themes in my journey, in this blog, and it would be good to take a moment to reflect on those separately and more informally.

So, January. First month of the year, traditionally a time for much-touted new beginnings and overambitious resolutions which last all of three days. I can't even remember what my resolutions were, but I am definitely feeling more purposeful in general, more on-track in terms of where I want to be, and also more content with where I am now, accepting that life is a journey.

Clutter - Living well with less

One of the biggest changes this month is that I have started Project 333. For the uninitiated, this essentially means putting 80% of my clothes and shoes in the basement, and living with 33 items of shoes and clothing for three months. I was a little nervous, and thought I might end up recycling the same few outfits on endless loop, constantly running out of clothes and stressing about the laundry. 

In fact, I'm loving it. I'm wearing loads of variations that I've never worn before, and have started to receive compliments on my clothes/outfit at least once a week from friends and colleagues, which is definitely new. Caring for my clothes becomes less daunting, with fewer of them to worry about, so I no longer scrunch worn clothes into a ball at the back of the cupboard. Clothes clean enough to be re-worn are hung up or folded. Clean clothes are ironed. Shoes are polished and waterproofed. Damages are repaired. It's all just much more manageable, and much less work. I'm even doing fewer loads of laundry.

It's also making me rethink how I approach my clothes, and I'm very slowly starting to improve my wardrobe - so the clothes are better fitting, more colourful and just more of an expression of me and my life. I'm already mentally preparing to let quite of lot of the clothes in storage go when I change them around in April.

Routines - Making housework easy

This month I've been holding back on urges to be ambitious and plan lots of routines. I'm focusing on allowing new habits to evolve however and wherever is easiest. Basically, the stuff I do that has an immediate positive feedback gets repeated, until it sticks. Taking more care with my clothes, it seemed the next thing to do to set out an outfit for the next day every evening. Doing the washing up in the morning before going to work makes the evening's pile less daunting, makes a more pleasant kitchen for my boyfriend to bake in, and offers me a moment of domesticity before work. 

The latest evolution is an extension of that. I got sick of the dirty floor one evening last week and cleaned it. And it was so lovely I wanted to keep it that way, so I've started sweeping the kitchen floor each morning as well. It takes me about three minutes but it makes such a noticeable difference. But I'm trying to be careful not to add to this - I want to give myself time for each new habit to become normal.

Self-discipline - Resisting temptation

I do struggle to motivate myself to not eat the chocolate bar, to go for a run, to get off the sofa and do the hoovering, to pay the bill that came in the post. I'm trying to improve my self-discpline in general, and finding that at the moment it really comes down to food and sport.

 

Basically, when I eat fruit salad and yoghurt for breakfast, I have MILES more energy and mental clarity during the day than just about anything else. Ditto for having a soup or salad for lunch, rather than a sandwich, and ditto again for snacking on fruit, vegetables and nuts through the day rather than less healthy options. It sounds sickeningly healthy and I'm not yet sticking to it everyday but it makes a very obvious difference to how I feel and thus on every other part of my life. My big achievement this month is that I HAVE NOT EATEN A SINGLE CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCUIT ALL MONTH. (NB this does not also apply to other kinds of biscuit, but I'm still going to celebrate it as an achievement.

The same goes for sport. If I get out for a run, I feel so much better afterwards, and yet it's still a struggle to motivate myself. A job with long hours is too easy an excuse not to do sport, and the same goes for the swimming pool's opening hours, the terrible weather outside, a sore back etc. I've done a little better this month than some, but I'm still not close to where I want to be (half an hour, five days a week).

Project 333: Week Two

Another update, and I am still enjoying the stillness that comes from opening the wardrobe every morning to reveal - space. It's so calming. I don't think: oh shit what can I wear? My outfit for the day is laid out if it is a workday, otherwise I can easily pull something together based on my mood and planned activities. It's quick and stress-free.

I am still taking better care of my clothes - hanging them up, folding them neatly, ironing them after washing - and my shoes - wiping off dirt, polishing and waterproofing the uppers. This is also easier than normal because I am needing to do fewer loads of laundry. This does surprise me, I was expecting that I would run out of clothes quicker and need to do more loads, but in fact I always seem to have plenty of options to wear and we're down to one load of laundry a week, rather than 2-3. Less clothes washed each week means the prospect of ironing is much less daunting.

I am increasingly aware that almost none of my clothes actually fit me well, in the same places - clearly I have broader shoulders and longer arms than the average, and longer legs. Tops and shirts generally also are not a brilliant fit across the back and bust, or around the waist area. And my trousers and skirts are not the most flattering style across my hips.

This might sound as if my clothes look awful and misshapen on me - not at all! They look fine - but fine is not okay any longer. If I only have a few clothes, I want to invest the time in making sure they all look and feel fantastic. I'm making gentle progress with my current clothing project(s) - knitting a cardigan and converting a pair of my boyfriend's trousers into a skirt.

Finally, I am again struck that small changes have unexpected knock-on effects. Doing fewer loads of laundry for clothes means I can wash bedsheets more frequently and with less stress. I have rarely changed the sheets more than twice a month, and sometimes less, simply because it takes me so long to get the sheets laundered around my other jobs. Only one load of laundry a week means I can easily fit a bedsheets load in as well, which in turn has meant clean sheets every Friday evening since I started this project. Still at the beginning, of course, but it's such a pleasure to sink into the freshly made bed!

Project 333: Week One

I thought I'd share some initial thoughts after the first week of Project 333.

So far, it's not too hard - I'm not running out of clothes, but I am starting to think more about variety. I don't want to wear the full suit more than once a week, if that, but I am playing around mentally with different options to combine with it. I reach for my jeans, realise they're in the washing machine, and find myself pushed to put together an outfit I wouldn't normally wear, but find I actually quite like.

With fewer clothes, I am caring for them better. I hang them up after I've worn them. I'm more prompt at mending them, and I'm beginning to occasionally iron one or two. I might even polish my shoes. (Hold the front page.)

Mending the zip on my jeans

I've also found that I quite naturally plan my outfits. As I'm hanging up today's work clothes, I pull out an outfit for tomorrow. For the first time I'm thinking about how frequently I wear certain colours and shapes, trying to maximise variety from the clothes I have. This makes getting ready in the mornings a lot easier. Blurry-eyed and half asleep, I can pull on the clothes I set aside the night before and feel reassured I will not get to the office and realise that there's tomato juice stains down the front of my shirt and the trouser hem has come undone. I also don't have to rummage around to find socks or a belt, because it's all laid out.

I think this project is changing how I see my clothes. Rather than consider something 'ok', I wonder why each item should not be better than that? I am starting to see where clothes don't fit, to really notice where they are uncomfortable, to notice that my shoes let in water because they are not wide enough for my feet and the join between sole and upper has worn through. How is it possible I didn't notice all this before? I guess I just chucked something in the cupboard or on the shoe rack. In fact, I don't think I have any items of clothing which fit me, are comfortable, and look good. Everything is one of the three. Why not all of them?

I'm beginning to work on my 'ideal' wardrobe, starting with projects I've had queued up for years some time. I'm starting by converting a pair of my boyfriend's old work trousers, which no longer fit but are really good fabric, into a skirt. I'll keep you posted on progress.

Little things make a difference

I'd like to share the last hour of my life with you, because it illustrates some of the little and yet not so little changes that are taking place in my life.

Say six or even three months ago, I would have come in from work, utterly shattered, and spent an hour, or maybe two, slowly recuperating my sanity through distractedly browsing the net, reading blogs, or rereading some of my favourite old books either physically or as ebooks on my laptop. I would have accomplised precisely nothing, felt bad about it, procrastinated about doing the washing up and finally gone to bed late, and not really very refreshed.

The first difference: I put my work clothes away. I never normally do this, because my wardrobe is such chaos that it's a hassle. I wear my work clothes until I go to bed, and then I shove the clothes in a crumpled pile to the back of the wardrobe. Now, there is space for every garment in the wardrobe so I hang them up as soon as I get home, and put on my jeans.

The second difference: I folded and put away the clothes from my last laundry batch. Normally I wait until the space is needed, which often means trying to remove clothes while my boyfriend simultaneously hangs his gym kit to dry. There's not really enough space. Today I didn't mind doing this because there aren't many clothes to put away, and I no longer need an MSc in Jenga to fit them into the wardrobe.

The third difference: Looking at how crumpled my shirt was, I decided to iron it. And a few other items. Once I'd done one, it looked so much better than the others that I even ironed one of the shirts already hanging in the wardrobe. I haven't ironed a thing in months, but when you only have four or five items to do, it's surprising how little time it takes.

The fourth difference: When I made my tea, I realised that the bin was full. So I emptied it. I know it sounds pathetic, but this is kind of amazing for me. Normally I agonise, procrastinate, feel guilty etc for some time before I get around to doing something like this, but today I saw it was full and just emptied it while I was waiting for the kettle to boil.

The fifth difference: I decided that while I was up and doing things, I may as well put on a load of laundry.

Wow. As I write this now - feeling alert, not too tired, and with a cup of green tea next to me - I feel really quite good about the first hour of my evening. I think I can chill for the rest of the day. So much progress, but I really find that if something allows me to get started, it's much more straightforward to just keep on going. Just having space in my wardrobe started a chain of events that has made my evening both productive and relaxing.

Project 333: Day 0

Remember this? This was my closet on Friday. Cluttered and messy, mixing summer and winter clothes, and dominated by dark.

Now check this out:

How much better does this look? How much calmer?

So you've probably guessed by now that I'm having a go at Project 333. The rules are roughly 33 items of clothing and accessories for 3 months. Normally you exclude underwear, socks, pajamas and running kit, but I am also excluding: outerwear (coat, scarves, hats, mittens), my handbag, jewellery and a pair of sturdy walking boots I only really use when it's snowy or icy. This makes me look really wussy but even this will be a severe challenge. 

A confession: I have never in my life 'put together an outfit. I pretty much throw on the first clothes that come to hand, which are usually the clothes I wore yesterday. I don't really have a style, I hate clothes shopping and I never buy fashion magazines.

Having said that, though, this project is already making me think about my clothes slightly differently. They are after all a fairly essential tool of life and need to be up to scratch for my various activities (sturdy and practical for housework, smart and professional for work, and warm and comfy for around the house.) I have ignored this part of my 'armoury' up until now, largely thinking that it doesn't hugely matter and I can't do any better anyway. Now I'm starting to think that I've been selling myself short.

I told you that I set out to write down 33 items from memory and realised my wardrobe consisted largely of dark and muted colours, and of unimaginative cuts (lots of v-neck sweaters worn over v-neck shirts). I have over the last few days been thinking up a 'dream' list of 33. If I could build a wardrobe from scratch, what would it look like? And to my utter astonishment, when I sit down and think about it, I actually have a very clear idea of what this would like look. And it's colourful, varied, textured, smart but fun, pretty but not fussy... All the things my current wardrobe is not.

It's incredible. I'm drawing little pictures of dresses with asymmetrical collars and thinking of the exact shade of red, and sketching out some cardigans and jackets to go with it. Have I discovered my inner fashion designer? And this is so much more fun than poring over magazines or traipsing round clothes shops. I'm starting to ask myself questions about clothes - real and imaginary - that I never have before, which are actually very relevant to the whole question of living with less, of living well with less.

Not just will this item suit me - the colour, the cut - but how will it complement what I already have? Can I combine it with several other items in a range of outfits? Will it cover different situations - work, home, social, travel? Does it add a new colour or shape to my existing range? Does it have some interest - a pattern, an aysmmetry, an unusual colour or other design feature? I have never cared about these things before but I think this is in part why I have arrived at this point. Most of my clothes are block colours, symmetrical and half-length, so I generally walk around looking like two-thirds of a less colourful Neopolitan ice cream. One half black, one half blue.

I'm wondering if I can perhaps try this year to make some of these 'in my head' clothes? Bring about a handmade wardrobe that is both functional and beautiful? A small, versatile, interesting and above all personal selection that can display my creativity, imagination and (growing) skill?

Not a small challenge by any means, I've only ever made two garments...

What am I wearing?

I’ve been reading recently about Project 333, and I’m building up towards giving it a try. I’ve been gradually identifying clothing items and shoes to be given away and donating them one small bag at a time, through my declutter-one-thing-a-day efforts. I’m plateauing a bit, though, so I thought limiting my daily access to clothes by putting the rest in a box and out of sight for three months might sharpen my focus.

Project 333 basically means selecting 33 items of clothing and accessories to wear for three months. You can read more about it here. There are some exceptions - sport items, pajamas, underwear and socks - and you can make your own exceptions or change the numbers around, but it seems to be a good way to evaluate what you are wearing and how you are combining clothes. One advantage is that it is seasonal so only really involves focusing on one part of your wardrobe at a time.

Reading about this in my lunch break today, I thought it might be interesting to try to list the 33 while at work. Without looking. If I had to choose 33 items of shoes, clothing and accessories from memory, which would they be?

Around number 22, I realised two things. Firstly, I was running out of items to put. I couldn’t think of anything more from my wardrobe that I particularly like wearing. I still can’t think of a 33rd item. Secondly, almost every single thing I wear on a regular basis is black, brown or blue. There are one or two grey and white pieces but in general there is very little variety in colour, and it’s all very drab, dark and dull. Towards the end of my list I tried to think of more colourful items which I could use with a wide range of outfits but pretty much only came up with the red scarf and purple pashmina (both gifts.)

In fact, almost all the more colourful, dynamic or expressive pieces in my wardrobe were gifts. I seem very reluctant to experiment with brighter or lighter colours, and I’m not entirely sure why, but now I’m looking at my wardrobe more critically and seeing the gaps, which I never have before.

My wardrobe seems at first glance to include plenty of colour, but now I realise it is almost entirely summer clothes that I would not wear to work - short-ish skirts, floaty dresses, strappy tops. Why? Why no purple jumpers, or green dresses, or very pale blue blouses? Or even light grey? I realise I wear a uniform - dark trousers, pale shirt, block-coloured v-neck sweater. Why no patterns? Why no shape?

In the interests of honesty, I am sharing my wardrobe as it is at present. As you can see, apart from the red skirt and the red hoody (neither of which I can wear to work), it's pretty dark. And very cluttered and chaotic. My boyfriend jokes that this is so messy because a racoon has moved in and is using my clothes to build a nest.