My Minimalist Clothing List

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As part of the Minimalist Experiment, I got rid of many of my clothes over the weekend. As I cleaned out my closet, I kept less than half of the clothes I started with. Here’s a list of what I currently have:

  • 7 undershirts
  • 4 fleece/hoodies
  • 4 jackets/coats (including one for rain and a leather jacket)
  • 5 pants (jeans & dress)
  • 3 sleep/sport pants
  • 10 t-shirts (two of which are seasonal)
  • 5 long-sleeved t-shirts
  • 4 polos
  • 6 button-down dress shirts
  • 3 sweaters
  • 15 pair long socks (6 daily, 6 dress, 2 hiking, 1 seasonal)
  • 10 pair ankle socks (4 daily, 6 new)
  • 14 underwear
  • 2 shorts (1 is swimtrunks)
  • 1 sport coat
  • 1 vest
  • 2 suits

96 items of clothing, and I still feel like it’s too many. I don’t wear the sport coat or vest often, nor do the polos see much use. It would be easy to replace the sweaters with the hoodies and fleece jackets. However, this is only a first step.

Some of the items I kept won’t be used often, but are worth keeping for when I do need them (such as the suits). Some I am not sure how often I wear, so I wanted to keep them to see. Some of the socks are still packaged, so I am keeping them to replace the older ones as they wear out.

I am not striving to reduce my clothes down below a certain number. I just want to make my life simpler. When I get dressed in the morning, it is now easier for me to decide what to wear for the day. Also, I like the idea of being able to replace worn-out clothes with higher quality ones.

This is a good starting place. I have all the clothes I need for a daily basis, and some extra ones for special occasions. As I work with this wardrobe, I can weed out the clothes that I don’t use often enough to keep around, and remove them.

Clearing Out the Closet

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I noticed when I was cleaning up that I had too many clothes that I never use. In fact, this project is one of the main things that made me want to undertake the Minimalist Experiment.

I’ve known for some time that I have too many clothes. When my wife and I moved in together, I donated a lot of clothes. When we moved apartments, I got rid of more. And still, I have too many clothes. I have clothes that have not been out of the closet or dresser since I put them in there. They’re wasting my space, taking up time to look through them as I decide what to wear, and are generally just clutter. So it’s time to do something about them!

I followed the simple system that I read about on Becoming Minimalist to narrow down my clothes.

  • I pulled everything out and spread it on the bed.
  • From there I sorted it into three piles:
    • keep
    • relocate
    • discard
  • Then I took care of the piles.

Everything on the Bed

Wow… my clothes covered the entire bed, nearly a foot deep. That’s just too many! And this is after two rounds of getting rid of stuff.

Keep

Deciding what to keep is easy. Deciding what not to keep is hard. I know that I kept too many items, but this gives me a good reference point for further minimizing later on. I kept less than half of the items that I removed from my closet and dresser.

Relocate

One of the problems that I have with getting rid of certain clothing articles is that I think I may need them. I used to work outside during the winter, so I have a collection of nice warm clothing. However, I am no longer doing that type of work, so I need only a few select pieces. Years of habit make it hard for me to pass on good work clothes, however.

To help prove to myself that I don’t need many of my work clothes (and some of the dress clothes, as well), I packed the clothes that I have not warn in awhile into a duffel bag. This bag will go into the storage area. If I haven’t missed the clothes when I next open that bag, they will be donated.

Discard

I have used the relocate method in the past. While bringing down my clothes, I ran across a stack of shirts that I had previously set aside. Since I had forgotten they even existed, they certainly had not been missed. This stack was quickly tossed into the growing “to be donated” pile. The collection has over-grown its bag and will soon be dropped off at GoodWill.

The Results

My closet is much lighter. My clothes are no longer smashed together. I have half a shelf of empty space (room for my art supplies!) and my morning decision making will be much easier.

Minimizing my Computer

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This post is part of the Minimalist Experiment, in which I am clearing away the clutter so that I can focus on the truly important aspects of my life.

I spend far too much time on the computer. Sometimes I’m being productive: writing blog posts, commenting on other blogs, researching, or doing homework. Often, however, I’m just killing time. I can look back over the day and realize that I’ve spent hours doing nothing productive at all.

I decided to combat this in three different ways.

  1. Organize my computer better
  2. Limit my sessions on the computer
  3. Leave the laptop at home

These three ideas will all help me to spend less time on the computer, time that I can spend on worthwhile parts of my life. I will be able to work on my reading list, spend more time with my wife, and complete some of the projects on my todo list.

Organize my computer better

I’ve talked about this before, but apparently I needed to do it again. I found a new minimalist background to help unclutter my desktop. I discovered that I had let far too many icons creep back onto my desktop, so I created a folder called “desktop clutter” and moved everything into it. Now there are only two icons visibile, the Recycle Bin and the Desktop Clutter. It’s such a relief to have a nice, calm image with only a few distractions!

Limit my sessions on the computer

Part of the reason I spend so much time on the computer is because I check it randomly throughout the day. I sit down “just to check my email,” get distracted, and before I know it I’ve lost an hour. To help stop that, I’m only going to get online three times a day. Once in the morning, once in the evening, and a random time during the day. this should be more than often enough to do email, read all of the feeds in my RSS reader, and check the online comics that I read. Ideally, I want to knock off one of these sessions, so that I only get online twice a day. We’ll see how this week goes, and go from there.

Leave the laptop at home

I don’t like lugging the laptop around all the time. That sucker gets heavy! I started out the school year with it at home, and then started carrying it for one of my classes. Realistically, I don’t need it. Today it’s sitting at home, where it belongs. I am writing this on one of the computers in the school’s library. All of the files that I might need are saved on my thumbdrive.
Without the laptop, my backpack weighs half as much. I am able to carry a smaller bag, so it’s more maneuverable. I’m more likely to pull out my book or sketchpad and do something productive with my time.

This is an area where I will have a hard time. I know that it will be worth it, however, so I’m going to make it work. More time that I can spend with my wife is well worth any inconvenience!

The Minimalist Experiment Chews Up Paperwork

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One of the first things I noticed when I started cleaning up around the house is that I tend to create piles of papers. This isn’t news to me, as I’ve been doing it for most of my life. However, it always surprises me when I look around and realize that there is a stack developing in every room.

The first area I began to tackle, for the Minimalist Experiment, is to get rid of this clutter. I threw many notes, outdated todo’s, and random ideas into the recycling bin.

Next, I started transferring items that I wanted to keep into my Evernote.com account. I recently discovered this helpful website, and it has helped me tremendously. Evernote is basically an online place to store all of your notes, clippings, etc. You can copy and paste bits of text, pictures, and even entire websites. Best of all, it is then searchable! Instead of organizing everything, just save it and use the search bar later. It’s incredibly easy and fast!. ChristianPF.com has a list of 21 Creative Uses for Evernote that is worth checking out.

So I started copying my saved notes into Evernote. It was such a great feeling to throw away some of that paper! It’s quite a relief to get rid of the notes and scraps of ideas that I’ve been saving, “just in case”. I still have the comfort of keeping them available if I ever do need them, but they’re not taking up physical space now. Even better, they’ll be easier to find if I do ever want to use them. A quick search and they’ll be at my fingertips.

Since I’ve been using Evernote, I’ve discovered that I create less paper. I have a file full of blog post ideas, my reading list, saved quotes, and more. Before, these would have existed in multiple locations, shuffled around as I tried to organize them. Now, I might write something down and slip that piece of paper in my pocket. As soon as I get to a computer, however, I transfer that information to my account and have it readily available when needed.

I’m not done yet. There is still plenty of paper for me to minimize. However, I’ve made a good start, and already it’s a relief to have cleared out some of the clutter.

Want vs. Need

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Saw this photo the other day and thought it summed up why I have the “freebie” phone that came with my plan quite nicely.

Sure, I love the idea of having an iPhone (or BlackBerry, or whatever you prefer). But it’s not worth it to me to spend the money on it, much less on the monthly data plan. My phone does everything that I need, and a whole lot more. Other than wanting a new toy, I have no need of a fancier phone. Leo wrote about letting go of desires just the other day. This desire would replace something I already have, so it might not derail the Minimalist Experiment. But it’s also not something that I need, so the money can be spent in a better fashion.

One of these days, I’ll have a touch-screen phone with all the bells and whistles. Until then, my phone works just fine.

Cleaning Up With the Minimalist Experiment

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I’ve jumped into the Minimalist Experiment over the weekend.

Even after spending far too much time reading I wasn’t quite sure where to start. I wandered around the apartment, trying to decide. It occurred to me that I would do best with a neatened starting point. I have a tendency to leave a trail of clutter behind wherever I go; project left-overs, various books being read, etc. First thing’s first… put everything back in its home.

It didn’t take me too long to get everything put away. This simple de-cluttering certainly made the house feel better.

This is part of the goal!

Part of my reason for wanting to simplify is so that my home doesn’t get over-whelmed with stuff. This stuff not only takes up physical space, but also mental energy. Seeing it all the time stresses/tires me, knowing that I need to do something about it. One of my goals is to get rid of the extra items, to ensure that everything has a home.

As I cleaned I took notice of some of the things that I put away.

  • clothes
  • books
  • papers (notes, homework, lists)

This clutter helped me decide where to start. There were far too many clothes scattered around, some of them had to go. A short while later there was quite a dent made in the closet and dresser. Wednesday I’ll show you what I’ve done (which will also give me a chance to get rid of a few more things).

Minimalist Links and Resources

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After writing out a big, long list of links that I thought might be helpful, it occurred to me that a series about minimalism probably doesn’t need every link that I could possibly find. So I went back through and deleted the links that I felt were the least helpful.

You don’t have to follow all of these. Pick out the few that provide the most value for you, and put them to use.

Links

http://zenhabits.net – I love Leo’s writing!
http://mnmlist.com/ – more Leo
http://www.becomingminimalist.com – great information in here! I read through all of the archives and have subscribed
http://unclutterer.com
http://thestonesoup.com/blog – minimalist home cooking
http://moreminimal.com
http://theminimalistpath.com
http://rowdykittens.com
http://www.farbeyondthestars.com
http://simpleorganizedlife.com
http://smallnotebook.org
http://simplesavvy.wordpress.com
http://remodelingthislife.com

Articles

Great article by Paul Graham about our stuff!
15 Ways to Become a Minimalist in 2010
6 Reasons to Reduce Clutter Today
5 Minimalist Actions in 5 Minutes

eBooks


31 Days to a Minimalist Lifestyle


The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life


Simplify – 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone DeClutter Their Home and Life

I haven’t read these ebooks, but love the free works put out by their authors. I figure that I already have books that I need to get rid of, so I shouldn’t be purchasing more. If a book will help you, however, I recommend anything by these authors. (Plus, these are affiliate links so you’ll be supporting this site with your purchase.)

The Minimalist Experiment

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Do you ever think that your life is too complicated? That you have too much stuff? That you don’t have enough time for the truly important things in your life? I do.

Over the next month, I’m going to remedy this as I try the Minimalist Experiment.

Minimalism seems to be a theme that I have been running across recently, on various websites and blogs that I read. Intrigued, I’ve been doing some reading, and realized that I love this idea. Maybe it’s time to actively work towards it.

Minimalism, as defined by me: Paring away the fluff from one’s life in order to focus on that which is truly important.

Notice that my definition does not limit me in any way. I am not interested in living out of a backpack or limiting myself to 100 possessions.

I do feel that I have too much stuff that I don’t use (even thought I’ve gotten rid of quite a bit over the last couple years) so I will be weeding out some of the dust-collectors. I waste far too much time on useless activities and need to improve my focus. Too much of my energy is spent on frivolous concerns.

I have a lot of areas where I could better focus in my life. Over the next month or so I will be doing exactly that. I will be writing about the experiment: about resources I find, what I try, what works and what doesn’t.

If this interests you I’d love to have you join me. Do you want to get rid of the “fluff” in your life? Kill time time-wasters, get rid of mind-clutter, and clear some physical clutter? Email or comment and let me know. We’ll experiment together, and see how much we can improve our lives!

Look Around and Enjoy the View

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This is the last in a series of posts that tie back to the 11 Life Lessons I Learned From Running.

Running gives me an opportunity to slow down from my often hectic life. There are few obstacles to watch out for, only self-imposed deadlines to meet, and the opportunity to let my mind wander. During my runs, I try to remind myself to look up from my feet and to notice the view around me. Even in the suburban area where I run there are some beautiful views. I have watched the sun set behind the trees as the sky turns colors. I have seen children playing with their dogs.

With today’s fast-paced lives, it’s easy to get lost in the details. Never looking up from our planner, or any further than the car in front of us. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to notice the world around us; simply looking up every now and then will do it. Perhaps you’ll catch someone helping out a stranger; maybe you’ll see a beautiful sunrise; perhaps you’ll realize that the snow is beautiful, as long as you look past the roads.

The world is full of amazing things, don’t forget to look up and take notice!

You Get Better With Practice

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This is a part of the series of posts that tie back to the 11 Life Lessons I Learned From Running.

Running was horrible when I started. It was only a short distance until I was winded and had to slow down. My legs burned on the hills and I couldn’t get a deep enough breath. Plus it was cold out there! 45 minutes later, I was back home with 4 miles behind me.

About a week later, I finally managed to conquer my running arch-nemesis, the long hill in the middle of the run. Conquer it I did, and after running the whole thing without a walk break I victoriously stopped at the top, gasping to catch my breath. Another couple of weeks, and I was finally able to run the entire distance (on a treadmill) without walking at all.

Just like running, life is also a work in progress. It takes time to acquire the necessary knowledge and to build up the required skills. Just because something is hard when you first start, doesn’t mean you should use that as an excuse to quit. It will get easier; you will get better. It won’t be long before you look back and will be surprised how far you’ve come, how easily you can do that which seemed impossible so recently.

Yes, it’s hard, but that makes you appreciate your victories all the more.