How to start a minimalist wardrobe (simple wardrobe ideas!)

You’ll love this minimalist clothing list. It’s the perfect way to declutter your clothes without feeling like you actually have less. Many people have found that with a simple living wardrobe, they stress less over what to wear, allowing their minds to focus on other things. 

Do you also want to start a minimalist wardrobe? You’re in the right place! Read on for tips on creating the perfect women’s minimalist wardrobe. 

Photo: Deposit Photos

There are actually a few different words that people use to describe minimalist clothing. The most common is a “minimal wardrobe”, but you might actually hear it referred to as a capsule wardrobe as well. 

Speaking or reducing items in your home, be sure to check out these tips on how to declutter and build wealth. 

How many pieces of clothes are in a minimalist wardrobe?

Creating a minimal closet means that you’ll likely have about 20-30 pieces of clothing in it at any given point in time. This includes shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, etc. 

How many pairs of socks does a minimalist have?

Yes, even your socks need to be weeded down! (and for many, this isn’t hard to do since the dryer seems to keep half of them anyway.)

Minimal clothing includes minimal socks, so having 4-5 pairs of socks is all that you really need. 

How to start a minimalist wardrobe

Learn how to minimize your wardrobe with these simple tips. 

Step 1: Take everything out of your closet (and dresser)

Shoes, coats, rain jackets, umbrellas, slippers, socks, pajamas, unmentionables, everything. Take it all out, and put it on your bed. If your bed won’t fit all of your things, that’s okay. Do this in stages.

It might take a while, but I swear, this is worthwhile.

Step 1.5: Make sure all your hangers match

This sounds absurd, and silly, and it might be both. But seriously. Get some matching hangers and throw out the rest. However many hangers you buy = the number of items of clothing you’re allowed.

Step 2: Take care of the low-hanging fruit

You’ll see right away that there are items you can get rid of. Anything that has dust on the shoulders means it hasn’t been worn in quite some time. Put these clothes in bags or boxes and get them out of your bedroom.

If you want to sell your clothes at a consignment shop, more power to you. Seriously. But get them out of the bedroom. If you put “clothes to sell or give away” in a corner of the room, it’s very likely that they’ll stay there, continuing to gather dust and get in the way of your zen.

Step 3: Stop being sentimental

You know what I’m talking about. That dress brings back 100 happy memories. I know it does. But get rid of it. Keep your prom pictures or your wedding pictures, but get rid of the clothes. You’ll never wear these special pieces. In fact, I bet you only wore them once in your life.

It’s time to get them out of your house. Give your wedding dress to a worthy cause. There are nonprofits that will take it. Look it up. Same goes for your “I climbed to the top of Pike’s Peak” t-shirt. You don’t need it.

Step 4: Now, the beautiful pieces

I had this coat that was very Audrey Hepburn. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of clothing I ever owned. The problem? It was a long coat, and it didn’t flatter me. Not even a little. I kept it in my closet because I just loved looking at it. “Oh look!” I’d think, “I am a person with beautiful things. Now, where are my jeans?”

I got rid of it, someone else liked it and got a lot of use out of it, and that was that. I’m still here, and I’m still OK.

Step 5: Does it fit, or is it a goal item?

I’m guilty of this. I have two pairs of jeans in my closet that simply don’t fit. They’re awesome, and they’ll look so good once I’m a wee bit less squidgy, and I’m keeping them. Until September. If I’m still too squidgy in September, someone is going to be very happy with my donation.

My point is, don’t keep all the stuff that doesn’t fit you. It’s bad for morale. I’ll allow one (OK, two) pieces that are goal worthy, but no more than that.

Step 6: Have you worn it recently?

If it’s sweater season, go through your sweaters first. Ditch the ones you haven’t worn this season. Even that one your aunt bought for you that makes you feel connected to her. Call her instead and tell her about your life. Saving space in the closet AND connecting with family? Win-win.

Step 7: Put everything back in your closet and dressers

See how much more space you have? Aren’t you 10,000 times happier? I feel lighter than air when I go through my closet. I’m always surprised by how much I can get rid of, and I’m very rarely wishing I had something I donated. Plus, it gives me street cred to tell Brent that he must be “such a fashionista” because he has more sweaters than I.

Step 8: Repeat the whole process in three months

Stuff accumulates even when we’re paying attention. And even more so when we’re not paying attention. Host a clothing swap quarterly. Arrange for a nonprofit to pick up the stuff that doesn’t get swapped. 

You start a minimalist wardrobe by a simple process of elimination. Keep the things you like, and get rid of the rest. Sounds easy, but it isn’t.

I see empty spaces in my home as peaceful, like the white space publishers use in text to make reading easier. Brent calls it a disease. I say he still has too much stuff. Every weekend, I want to go through bookshelves and closets.

Photo: TanyaRu via iStock

I’ve pared down my closet to the essentials:

The 20 Essential Items in a Minimalist Closet

1. Long-sleeved shirts. (Three or four.)
2. Sweaters. Keep the sweaters you can wear with tank tops. Don’t have more than four sweaters.
3. Two or three casual skirts/dresses. This is for women, and the dude on my street who wears a kilt and rides a unicycle.
4. One business appropriate outfit. Maybe two. Use blazers as jackets to dress up a casual outfit.
5. A little black dress.
6. Two pairs of exercise capris.
7. Two pairs of running shorts.
8. One pair of running shoes.
9. One pair of heels you can walk in.
10. Two pairs of flats.
11. Two pairs of sandals.
12. Three or four scarves of varying weights.
13. Three good bras (oh, lordy, I wrote “bra” on a website).
14. A week’s worth of other unmentionables.
15. A bathrobe.
16. One set of loungy clothes/pajamas.
17. Two swimsuits. Because nobody should have to ever put on a wet swimsuit.
18. Two or three pairs of jeans. Only keep the ones that make you look and feel good.
19. Three or four tank tops. For layering, and when the weather gets nicer, for wearing alone.
20. Short-sleeved shirts. Start with five, then work your way down from there.

I’ve been doing laundry more often since paring things down, but then again, I should be doing laundry more often anyway.

What am I missing? Could you pare your closet down this much?

What is the 90-90 rule in minimalism?

This is a two-part question to ask yourself when it comes to purging items from your closet. In the past 90 days have you worn it, and do you think that you’ll wear it in the next 90 days? 

If the answer is no, you have your answer. 

Are minimalists actually happier?

This answer will depend on the person, but those who have less say that they’re less stressed and happier about it. 

Less clothing in the closet means less choices, less laundry, and less cost. Those are some great positives to have. 

Creating a real life minimalist wardrobe just might be the first step to creating a calmer day.

Need more decluttering tips? 

• Downsize your clutter and build wealth
• Got clutter? Donate and save on your taxes
• How to donate, trade, or recycle your stuff
• 5 ways to live happily with less

This article originally appeared on Frugal Portland, which has been acquired by Living on the Cheap and rebranded as Portland Living on the Cheap.