Why I’m doing The Project 333 Minimalist Fashion Challenge

Have you ever heard of Project 333? Today I’m sharing what it is, why I’m doing it, and inviting you to join me in this challenge!

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I recently read the book Messy Minimalism by Rachelle Crawford. It was packed full of so many fun, uplifting, relatable stories of her own journey to what she calls “messy minimalism”. She mentioned the minimal fashion challenge created by Courtney Carver called Project 333. I was instantly intrigued, and knew it was something I wanted to look into.

What is Project 333? I’m glad you asked…

In a nutshell it is the challenge of using only 33 items of clothing, including shoes and accessories, for the duration of 3 months. You sort through your existing wardrobe, pair it down to 33 items, and mix and match those items to create multiple outfits. Essentially, it’s a capsule wardrobe. Certainly not a new concept, but something about 33 items for 3 months drew me in.

Courtney shares a little of her story, and how Project 333 came to be over on her blog Be More With Less. You can hop over there to read the blog posts, and get the official rules for this challenge. I’ll share them here, too!

The Rules:

When: Every three months (It’s never too late to start so join in anytime!)
What: 33 items including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes.
What not: these items are not counted as part of the 33 items – wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear, and workout clothing (but your workout clothes have to workout).
How: Choose your 33 items, box up the remainder of your fashion statement, seal it with tape and put it out of sight.
What else: consider that you are creating a wardrobe that you can live, work and play in for three months. Remember that this is not a project in suffering. If your clothes don’t fit or are in poor condition, replace them.

Why I’m choosing to do this challenge:

You know that I minimized my wardrobe earlier this year. (You can read how I did it here: How To Minimize Your Wardrobe in 30 Minutes or Less!) I let go of a LOT. Eight very large black garbage bags of shoes, clothing, and hand bags were donated. I kept a very small amount of clothing that fit me well, and I enjoyed wearing. After a few months, I was given a bag of clothes a friend of mine couldn’t wear anymore. You know what I did? I kept lots of them. Mostly clothes for church, but still…it was more than I could wear in a month of Sundays ;). While my closet was no where near it’s starting point, it had filled up more than I ever wanted it to. (I actually felt a little panicked when I’d open it up, and it was fullish. Weird, huh?!)

After reading about Project 333, I opened my closet and gave it a good look. Not a quick glance to just throw more in there, but a long, hard look. Was I wearing the things taking up valuable space in my closet? Did they fit? Did I enjoy wearing them? Were they really comfortable? After asking myself these questions I quickly realized 90% of the stuff in my closet didn’t check those boxes.

I decided right then that I would do this 33 items for 3 months challenge. Really, to learn what I enjoy wearing. To find MY personal style. To get a better idea of what I need and don’t need taking up closet space.

I have already chosen my 33 items for January through March. Surprisingly it was pretty simple. I’m positive having already simplified once made it that much easier. I’m positive I can work with a small wardrobe because I’ve done it.

I firmly believe that minimizing my wardrobe was the best gift I’ve ever given myself.

It completely eliminated the age old problem of having “nothing” to wear despite a closet full of clothing. I know that everything in my closet is an option. I am certain that this challenge is going to show me that I need less than I originally thought, and teach me to be more creative with the clothing I have.

Intrigued? Join me!

Now, I KNOW this challenge isn’t for everyone, but if just reading about it made you as excited as it did me, JOIN ME! I plan to start on January 1st, and keep on going through March. If you’re all in, please email me and let me know!! My email is [email protected]. I’d love to help keep each other accountable, share our outfits, and triumphs through the next three months.

It’s important to note that she does say that this is not a lesson in suffering. If 33 items seems insufficient, add more. Customize it to make it fit your life. I’ll also add, I wouldn’t actually donate items you purge from your closet unless you’re positive you won’t wear them. This is when a time will tell bin comes in handy. Set those pieces of clothing aside, out of sight out of mind. If at the end of this 3 month period you don’t miss any of them, good riddance, or if there’s a piece or two you want to keep, hallelujah they’re in your garage and not in a thrift store somewhere. 😉

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a tiny bit of your day with me. I really do appreciate you.