Want a minimalist closet? Start with this tip.

Want a minimalist closet? Ready to pare down and pursue a more simple, streamlined closet with items that you truly love and wear?

Me too. I was tired of having a closet full of clothes, yet seemed to have nothing to wear. Over the years, I spent money on trendy items that weren’t truly me and as a result never really wore. I filled my wardrobe with items that didn’t fit my current lifestyle (or were no longer my size, especially during/after pregnancy). And on the daily, I would experience decision fatigue in putting together an outfit when I had so many items hanging in the closet..and I couldn’t even see them all! Needless to say, I craved a change and have been committed to a minimalist closet for the past couple years now. (Though I will say, it’s certainly not an overnight process!)

But where do you start?

Document your personal style first.

In order to do a closet purge and start removing items that you feel aren’t you, try taking photos of what you wear on a daily basis. Try it for a week to start…or even a full month (or even each season) so you get a true idea of what you are reaching for time and time again. Just a quick selfie on your phone, or you can lay your outfits out on the floor or hold yourself accountable and put them on Instagram like I do. And there are even great resources out there like the Cladwell app that can help.

Once you have a representative amount of photos based on your daily outfits, you can start to see some recurring patterns in terms of what you like to wear and what your style is. I think it’s also a helpful exercise to break down your week in terms of what types of clothing you are wearing and assign it a percentage like I did on this post back in January.

Then, you’ll be setting yourself up to make the process of purging items from your closet all that easier.  Because you’ll know what works and what doesn’t…the proof is in the pudding (or photos, in this case.)

As for me, in looking back at my outfit photos, a few observations came up:

–I wear a mix of dressy, casual and workout attire each week. Makes sense, since I am at work in a corporate environment twice a week + church, which requires dressier outfits. The remaining days I am either dressed more casually or in workout attire. (And yes, I captured workout outfits– because I am in them the majority of a single day).

-I have a color palette. For me, it is a mix of neutrals and earth tones like black, navy, white, gray, olive and cognac. I add in blush tones or pinks/reds as an accent color. It allows me to quickly make an outfit knowing everything goes together relatively well.

-I reach for a few key pieces & style formulas. I love adding a vest or cargo jacket, sweater, etc. as a completer to an outfit- whether it’s dressy or casual. And I wear flat or low-heeled shoes for comfort and practicality based on the season/weather.

-Stripes are my jam. If there’s a pattern I love, it’s clearly a good striped one. Having a mix of solid pieces and stripes helps to add variety to any outfits I put together, plus stripes are a more classic print versus others like plaid, paisley, animal print, etc.

-Minimal accessories. I love simple accessories in the form of tassel necklaces and simple stud earrings. They add a great finishing touch to bring an outfit together but don’t distract.  Occasionally I’ll add a watch or ring (beyond my wedding ring/bands) too but that’s about it.

So there you have it.

Analyzing my photos really helped me to define my style as I pared down my wardrobe. And it puts me in a good position to know what I need in case I look to replace or upgrade staple items.

It’s a great first step towards starting a simple, minimalist closet.

Speaking of minimalism, do you want to hear more about my journey into minimalism? Any specific topics that are of interest in terms of clothing or beyond, like specific areas of our home, resources I use, etc?  I’m all ears and happy to share if there is interest!

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Linking up with  Sincerely Jenna Marie |  ByLaurenM | Posh Classy Mom | Color and Grace|  I do DeClaire | Style Elixir | Walking in Memphis in High Heels & The Fashion Canvas |  Elegantly Dressed and Stylish | The Pleated Poppy | Shopping My Closet | Classy Yet Trendy | Get Your Pretty On | Pumps and Pushups | Tucker Up |  Jersey Girl, Texan Heart | Elegance & Mommyhood | Doused in Pink & Curly Crafty Mom | A Pocket Full of Polka Dots