January 31, 2011

Ten Items or Less (yes, I'm cheating)


I had never heard of the Six or Less Items experiment until Jezebel posted an article about it and was somewhat intrigued but didn't really see the purpose of it.  Then I started unpacking from New York.  Omigod.  I packed so much unnecessary stuff for just 3 days.  It was kind of embarrassing.  Packing to go home for break was the same story.  I packed so much clothing and ended up not wearing a lot of it.  I just feel like my wardrobe and the time I spend thinking about clothes has gotten a little out of control. I decided to simplify simplify simplify and give a project limiting my choice of clothing a shot.  However, I had to make some modifications in order for it to fit my life. 
For the month of February I will be limiting my wardrobe to ten items.  I can't do just six--between not having time for laundry and fear of wearing out my favorite/most utilitarian items of clothing, I just can't.  Also, technically the same item in different colors is supposed to count as separate items, but I have a skirt from Forever 21 in black/gray and navy/red and I'm counting it as one item.  Deal with it.
My goals for the project are:
  • simplify my closet.  Get rid of clothes I do not wear or need
  • dress more creatively.  I don't wear half of my jewelry because I am lazy (accessories don't count as part of the 10 items)  maybe by the fourth time I wear a shirt in two weeks I'll be inspired to spice it up
  • ease up on my compulsive shopping.  spend money (and time!) on more important things.  a "shopping diet" if you will
  • focus less on consuming
  • I've always admired the somewhat European concept of having a small wardrobe filled with well made classics that you wear all the time.  This is a step towards that
So here is what I will be wearing for the next 30 days: 

I'm going to try to take pictures and document the whole process, but we will see how this goes.
wish me luck!
a more extreme version: http://www.theuniformproject.com/

3 comments:

  1. i think i've been doing this unintentionally since I got back to school just out of some...carelessness...but I wanna do it! Here's to a trip to salvation army this weekend to donate some clothing I don't need. But 10 items has to be hard...not sure if I can do that...hahah...the anticonsumer in NYC is going well, but I have to admit, I bought a razor today.

    Good luck.

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  2. lol i love this idea, though idk if i could make it. and katies comment made me laugh.

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  3. this is a really interesting experiment. i just stumbled upon another where you turn all of the hangers in your closet around, and when you where an aricle of clothing, you turn that hanger the opposite direction. it's suppose to show you which items you wear and which ones you don't. and then at the end of the year you donate everything you haven't turned around.

    katie, i'm glad you bought a razor. i'm not sure if i could live on 10 items either. good luck girl!

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