Minimalist: Sorting

So I've looked at some minimalist closests and suggestions and started sorting through my own clothes.Since I'm not living in the States, clothes shopping is not so easy for me. For one, finding the right size can be difficult. All the women here are usually pretty slender. I've come to recognize the fact that I can only do a partial purge. There are quite a bit of clothes I really could live without. Enough to fill two grocery bags!

My method was to go through and list every single article of clothing I own (except for underwear and socks, because you really should skimp on those).

I then made a side list and would move things over to the "Toss" list if I felt like I could go without. Some things on the toss list I've highlighted in yellow. These represent the things that I don't want to give us yet (like my super warm boots), but plan to purge when we make our move this summer.

Right now, I'm doing a trial purge. I've put my grocery bags of "Toss" clothing to the side of my closet. This will show me what I really should keep, and what I don't miss at all. So far (after 2 weeks) I've only pulled out a pair of dress pants. But I'm considering keeping another dress also.

I'm not perfect, and I don't need to be. But traveling lighter will be nice and will allow me to keep all the neat keepsake items from here (as well as probably some pretty fabric for sewing when we get back to the states). :)

Minimalist: Clothing-Wise

I'm an expat.

That means I live in a country different than my culture, different than my family, and different than my friends (at least the friends I had before I came here).

This means a lot of traveling. And not a lot of suitcase space.

My husband and I are currently looking at our next country to live in. Another move. Another transition. And of course, another season of packing and purging.

So I've really been looking in to minimalistic clothing. I want to be able to take the clothes I need while keeping the tokens and mementos that I simply don't want to leave behind.

If anyone else is looking for a minimalistic closet, let me offer you my research in to rules to live by and even some options others have already worked on.

1. Embrace the idea of one. When one can be enough, embrace it – one black dress, one swimsuit, one winter coat, one black belt, one pair of black shoes, one pair of sneakers, one handbag… insert your own based on your occupation, lifestyle, or climate.

2. Avoid the sale racks. Sales can (and should) be used to help you get a better price on something you need. Unfortunately, most sale racks are designed to convince us to purchase something we don’t.

I stink at this one. I was raised looking at sales racks and I actually love shopping at secondhand stores. My only thrill clothes shopping is getting an awesome deal. Having to fork over my paycheck does not give me such a rush. :/ But I think that if you see clothes as an investment you will A) buy less because you can't afford as much and B) take care of it. *This does not mean buy expensive; it means buy quality.

3. Have a Color Palette. I guess this is really up to you. Many minimalists prefer to live in neutrals, but that's a little to drab for my tastes. I need some color, even if I shouldn't have all the colors. If you're like me and happen to be color-coordination-blind, keeping some small color samples (like paint cards you get at hardware stores) helps keep you on track.

"We all have colors we prefer -- colors that bring out our eyes, compliment our natural complexion or just sing to our preferences. Why not pack a color palate using those clothes? Or just stick to that color palate when shopping? That way all your clothes match and they can be swamped around to create dozens of options even with less pieces to work with."   --Lindsay Nixon

4. Layer Well. I think this one might take practice, but going back to your color palette, if you layer well, you can use the same clothes and get away with different looks! For example: I can come up with at least 25 different outfits with this selection of clothes. That's almost an entire month! (*I do understand that this only works as a spring/summer/fall wardrobe. Trust me. I live way too far north to let that slip by me.)

Pic from polyvore.com

5. Take Pride in Your Lifestyle. Living a minimalistic lifestyle is (usually) a choice. If you make that choice, you take the responsibility. Complaining about how much you don't have robs the joy from this lifestyle and just flat out annoys the people around you. A lot of it is a mind set. Don't go making yourself miserable. That misses the point.

If you check out the other blogs below, they've got some extra tips; these were just the once meaningful to me.

As for some wardrobe sets, here's some options:

1) For my winter climate friends (if you add a skirt and a pair of shorts to this, you also have summer clothes!)

Pic from relaxolotl.blogspot.com

2.) Personally, this one has too much denim for me. I'd swap the capri's and a pair of shorts for a coat/sweater/extra blouse. And probably exchange some dresses, too. They're just not good for cold weather.

Pic from polyvore.com

3.) The Mommy Look. I'm not a mommy yet, but I think this is a pretty good minimalist mommy look. Though I'd welcome any comments from current mommies!

Pic from polyvore.com

Do you know another list that's awesome for  minimalist closet! Let me know! Please!! Like for real. I'm not just saying that.

.....

Resources:

"A Practical Guide to Owning Fewer Clothes." Becoming Minimalist. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.becomingminimalist.com/a-practical-guide-to-owning-fewer-clothes/>.

"Discover, shop and express your style." Polyvore. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.polyvore.com/>.

 Nixon, Lindsay. "Minimalist Monday: Sticking to a Color Palette (When Traveling and Beyond)." Happy Herbivore. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. <http://happyherbivore.com/2011/09/minimalist-monday-sticking-color-palate-when-trave/>.