Lately I’m becoming increasingly aware of the material things that surround us. It shames me to think of our daily abundance when others scrape by to meet basic needs. It shames me to think that the money used to purchase things that ultimately do not enrich our character could have been used to fund a meaningful trip to see family and friends. It shames me to think of the resources and energy that went into creating all these things that sit largely untouched in our home.
Do all these things make me feel better? Do they make me feel stronger and more empowered? Do they improve my health? Do they make me whole? No matter how I spin it, the answer is always “no.”
But how on earth do you change 30 years of habit? How do you begin to sift though the piles of things and pare down. The thought of radically changing our lifestyle overnight is overwhelming and the possibility that it might not work is near crippling.
Instead I am taking baby steps towards this ultimate goal: I want my world to be filled with purpose, pride and efficiency.
My initial closet purge was the first step. This week I’m taking the next step by carting that box of acquaintances to the consignment shop (I have not missed them in the least) and starting Project 333. I first read about this challenge in January and it has haunted me since. Such a noble experiment! But I could never do it… or could I? After reading 333 success stories I have decided to try.
I carefully selected 33 pieces of clothing to wear for the next 3 months. Choosing just 33 pieces was HARD and I’m still tweaking the list. Doing this in the summer is particularly challenging because my summer wardrobe has never been one that mixes and matches well. I hope that come fall I’ll be better organized and able to gather 33 pieces that can be rotated around and layered in unique ways.
Project 333 rules include accessories in the count. While ready to take next big leap towards minimal living, I’m really not ready to commit to a small handful of accessories. I am, however, going to do a Friends, Acquaintances and Strangers with my accessories to weed out things that are rarely and never worn. I know someone else would enjoy them far more than I. Maybe by fall I’ll be ready to embrace the full rules. Time will tell!
Belle’s Project 333 – Summer:
- black cotton dress
- orange sun dress
- tan sun dress
- black maxi dress
- black and white maxi dress
- multi colored maxi
- Anthropology dress
- red and white striped top
- pink floral button-up top
- white crepe top
- cream lace top
- slate blue T
- green floral button up
- white T
- black tank
- white tank
- olive-green tank
- dark blue jeans
- denim shorts
- khaki pants
- khaki skirt
- seersucker crops
- red skirt
- long teal skirt
- white jacket
- aqua sweater
- cream sweater
- pink sweater
- denim jacket
- black flat sandals
- white wedge sandals
- cream heels
- red flats
