The Spring Wardrobe Challenge | Getting Started

I hope that if you’re reading this then it means you too have decided to join my spring wardrobe challenge or learn more about it. You can read more about this challenge at this link (by clicking here). Essentially, my spring wardrobe challenge is about wearing every single item in your spring wardrobe. Depending on the size of your closet collection, this project might be very ambitious or very simple. The goal is not just to wear each and every item, but to learn more about your style and how much you really do need in your closet.

It is my hope that this challenge will inspire you to start a simple living journey or take on some of the things you will learn throughout the challenge. The goals are as follows:

Our goal this spring is to wear every single item. We are doing this for numerous reasons:

1. To practice appreciation for every item we own in our spring wardrobe.
2. To see what we actually do wear and what we don’t want to wear or do not feel our best wearing. By doing this I believe we will see what items truly do spark joy and what items we own for the sake of an ideal, but don’t actually work for us, our body, or our lifestyle.
3. To challenge us to be more creative with what we already own rather than feeling the need to buy new.

Let’s get started.

To begin the challenge, you’re going to need to take out each and every item of spring clothing (and accessories) that you own. Depending on where you live, some of your winter wear and summer attire might overlap into this category. I know that although it is the start of spring in New England, I’m still wearing my winter coat and sweaters. Separating my summer clothing from my spring clothing is pretty easy for me because spring can still be chilly in New England and summer is pretty hot so there are many items in my closet that are summer weather only and I do not wear them during the spring (like shorts, bathing suits, and vacation clothing). Gather it all and place in on your bed so you can sort through it.

Seeing it all together gives you a pretty good idea of how much stuff you have. Before you start to sort through it, think about this for a moment. Do you have too much stuff? How much do you really need? How much room do you have to store your clothing? Is it jam packed? This challenge is going to test the idea that more is better. When most people only wear 20% of their clothes, does less really become more? On average, how much to do you think you actually wear?

The first step is you’re going to go through each item one by one to see if it is still something that you love, fits, and works for you. Chances are, after being stored away all winter long some of your tastes may have changed or you may no longer feel the need to hold onto older items that you haven’t worn in years. Time to donate those pieces. It is important to pick up each item one at a time while determining what you truly love and what you want to donate. You might even need to try on numerous items to be sure. Once your pile is minimized you will organize it by category.

Now you will sort your pile based on the type of clothing. Dresses in one pile, cardigans and layering tops  such as blazers together, sweaters in another, skirts, shorts, pants, overalls/jumpsuits/rompers can be one full pile, coats and jackets, shirts, shoes, scarves, etc. Once everything is divided you are going to put it away in a spot that is easily accessible. Don’t mix it into the rest of your wardrobe or you may end up forgetting about some of the items for the challenge.

I put all my hanging items in one row in my closet, my spring shoes in a basket, accessories in another small basket, and all of the fold-able items in the top drawer of my dresser so that I know exactly where to find all of my spring pieces.

I’m so excited to get started on this challenge. When taking out my own spring clothes I was amazed by just how much I actually have. As a simple living enthusiast, I was pretty shocked. I was able to put aside a bag to donate, but as I was going through I realized that most of my clothes now bring me joy. The only problem is that I still have a little too much. When the challenge starts I will photograph my daily looks and ask my Instagram followers for help minimizing. You can vote on my daily outfits @LiveLovelyTravel. Most of all, I’m excited to practice styling. It’s something I do without thinking about, but I want to learn how to style my clothing better and work with what I already own. I can’t wait to begin!

The challenge begins on the first day of spring -the 19th! Will you join the challenge? Tell me why in the comments below.