This is my closet and my entire wardrobe. Yes, everything is in one normal-sized closet. I’m not hiding more clothing in bins under the bed. And I didn’t commandeer the guest bedroom closet either. Just this one single space and it holds everything. Yes, really everything.
What if I told you that you could use just one closet and skip the seasonal clothing swap forever? At the same time, your closet would stay neat and organized with less laundry to do. Sound like something you’d like? You can do it. Here’s how.
Experiment with Less
Most organizing problems are volume problems. So I started by experimenting with less. Going through my closet and donating items at the end of each season wasn’t working. I had to get extreme. I accepted the challenge to wear just 7 pieces of clothing for an entire week; (inspired by Jen Hatmaker’s book Simple and Free, 7 Experiments Against Excess) And I still left the house for work, church, and social engagements, always in clean clothes. 🙂 It proved to me that a simpler wardrobe made getting ready easier and created less laundry in the process. I knew I was on to something.
Next, I developed a spring (and fall/winter) capsule wardrobe of a limited number of seasonal pieces. By following Courtney Carver’s Project 333, I selected my favorite 33 seasonal items and moved the offseason clothes to our guest closet. This experiment was important because I saw how I dressed better with less! I kept only my favorite colors, shoes, and accessories. Eventually, my wardrobe fit easily in my one normal-sized closet.
Less Clothing, Less Laundry
When I talk about the benefits of a small wardrobe, the primary argument against it is “I’ll have to do more laundry.”
Absolutely, 100% False. Less clothing always means less laundry. Laundry can be done weekly from start to finish, in just one day. (A mother of 10, yes 10, agreed with me at one of my speaking events. She does laundry in one day, for everyone!) The secret is to own less clothing.
Without exception, my pile of laundry is the smallest in our family. It’s no coincidence I own the least amount of clothing. Try reducing your wardrobe temporarily and you’ll experience the same thing.
Re-Hang, Re-Fold, and Re-Wear
I also realized I was overwashing my clothes. Many items can be worn a second or third time. And re-wearing creates less laundry. But in order to do this, I needed a space, like this shelf, where I could refold and stage items intended to wear again. Did you know that washing clothes too often can actually do more harm than good? It shortens their lifespan.
Here’s a guide for how often to launder items. Don’t wear out your favorite shirt!
Margin
The real difference in organizing my closet came from the margin I created. The empty space allows me to easily re-hang items after laundering. Clothing is less wrinkled and ready to wear immediately. The closet becomes more inviting to look at too. Every morning, I enjoy opening my closet door and no longer say, “I have nothing to wear.” My favorite hangers create a cohesive look inside the closet too!
Set Up Your One Closet Wardrobe
- Count your clothing (Yes, all of it.)
- Commit to reducing by X% (Recommendation: 25-50%)
- Donate and Remove the items you did not wear this past season
- Select your 5 favorite current season outfits.
- Select 5 more favorites.
- Stop when items are no longer favorites. (I.e. Would you pack it for a trip?)
- Set aside your favorite items. (Lay them on your bed)
- Empty the rest of the closet. Get a sense of the volume.
- If possible, sort in a different space, like a spare bedroom.
- Donate items to achieve your goal percentage.
- Re-hang your Current Season Favorites. Continue sorting and downsizing.
- Keep colors you like. Eliminate ones you do not.
- Streamline your accessories to match your favorite colors (Jewelry, shoes, and belts)
- Consider black or brown, but not both.
- Throw away torn or stained clothing.
- Donate items that are not your current size or current style.
Did you reduce enough to keep it in just one closet? Try again in 3 months until you achieve your goal.
I’d love to hear the results of your efforts.
I lived more than four decades before ever hearing of a seasonal clothing swap; but I’ve sure heard a lot about it since then, leading me to believe it’s a regional approach. (The most we ever did was move the lighter-weight clothes to a higher drawer and the sweaters to a lower one in the dresser, because they were interchangeable and it made for less bending, but each person’s entire wardrobe fit in one closet. Now, everyone has much bigger closets, but also much bigger wardrobes!)
I definitely agree with this concept of margin; if you can’t easily hang (and remove) and item of clothing, you’re probably not going to wear it (or even put it away), and then it’s a waste of the item and the space. Great, practical advice!
Thanks Julie! I think there was a time when clothing in one regular-sized closet was completely normal. Now, walk-in closets or off-season storage seem to be the norm. Thanks for your kind words!
I dream of one day not having to do the seasonal swap. I’ve been working on being more mindful of what I buy, and I do a purge twice a year while swapping. Right now it’s not too overwhelming. I love the idea of a capsule wardrobe and am trying to gradually get to that place with my wardrobe.
I think it’s getting easier to let things go as I discover there are certain types of clothing I wear less and less of.
I promise the dream can come true! Keep working at it. I must admit that clothing took a few passes for me too before I was reduced to just one closet. It sounds like you’re doing a great job figuring it out.