Wardrobe Reset

Y'all - it's time for a massive wardrobe overhaul. I am moving back in with my parents in New York after having lived in Georgia for 3 years, which means that my divided wardrobe is about to be no longer, well, divided. And, even though I've fully embraced the principles of minimalism, I feel like my closet has gotten out of hand again. That, or maybe it was never what I wanted it to be in the first place. I have been waiting a long time to get started on this project. I'm not entirely ready to consolidate everything yet because I'll be living in Florida until September, but now I have a vision that does not require me to wait any longer to get started. As a matter of fact, this vision I'm about to present here is going to be my guideline for figuring out exactly what I want.

First thing's first: Declutter. Now, I don't know about you, but unless following a sequence is absolutely necessary, I tend to complete my tasks in a loose order. My brain craves novelty, and jumping around from one task to another and back seems to satisfy that in a way that saves me from boredom. For the sake of presenting this plan, I'm going to put it in the order that seems to make the most logical sense. Therefore, step one is to declutter. Step two is to catalog every item of clothing I keep. As I'm indexing my wardrobe, I'm deciding what to declutter based on what's worn out and which items I think I'll never wear again - like all those formal dresses I wore to my cousins' weddings. Every time there's a new formal occasion, in my household, there's a new shopping trip. I'll never wear that bridesmaid's dress again.

Step two (again): Take an inventory of my wardrobe. I have recently come across an app, called Indyx, on both a YouTube channel I follow and on the podcast I've been listening to. When I got the idea that it may help me with step three of this process, I downloaded it. To be honest, at some point during this project I may actually end up deciding to pay for one of their personal stylists, but I'm not ready to move past the free version right now. This part is going to take a while, but my intention is to index all of my clothes in New York, and then all of my clothes in Florida. After that, I'll be ready for step three.

Step three: Make outfits. This is the fun part, which I also find a bit daunting. My end goal is to make four seasonal capsule wardrobes, each following the guidelines of Project 333, which was developed by Courtney Carver. Each collection of clothing needs to be functional and appropriate for several occasions. I also intend to make these collections with clothing items of mine that aren't already well-worn, as I have a habit of keeping and wearing clothing items until they are literally falling apart on my body. I have decided instead to start honoring my body with high-quality clothing. After this, it's time to put my capsule wardrobes to the test and adapt them as needed to fit my lifestyle. In theory, this will take an entire year. I suppose I now have my New Year's Resolution for 2026.

Step four: Act it out. Once I have each seasonal wardrobe planned, it's time to pack everything away that I haven't selected for that season. This will be where I figure out which of my clothing items and accessories are my true favorites. Theoretically, I love all the clothes in my closet. I mean, I bought them all, right? And I never buy clothes without trying them on at the store first. Returns are a hassle, and forgetting about them is how so many of us end up with clothes that stay in our closets for years with the tags still on. That money could have been better spent. But I have so many articles of clothing that I just don't wear, and I enjoy an unparalleled sense of calm in a clutter-free space. So, now it's time to start over with a clear set of intentions. Wish me luck! And as I learn and grow through this process, I will be posting updates.