Keeping a minimalist wardrobe saves me loads of time.  Making decisions as to what to wear is a cinch, I don’t fight a nagging feeling I need to buy more to keep up with fashion, and my closet is generally tidy.

I do laundry only twice a week – on Mondays and Thursdays, running a total of 3-4 cycles total a week for all our family’s items.

The pics below are of my current wardrobe.  My out of season clothes and shoes are in boxes on my closet’s top shelf.  While I need to replace a few of the t-shirts soon, if you were to see me out and about this week I’d likely be wearing any combination of items shown here.  (Note: a pair of capris, shorts, two shirts being laundered today, my two dresses and one pair of shoes for special occasions aren’t shown.  I keep my workout clothes folded on a shelf.)

Some of the best advice I can give you is to buy items you can mix and match and focus on a few signature accessories.  I buy 1-2 pairs of sandals every Spring that are worn out come September.  I also choose a scarf, jacket, bag and a piece of jewelry or two that I love and will wear over and over during the current season.  If it’s a minor investment, it’s donated at season’s end.  If it’s made to last, it’s well cared for and kept. Otherwise many of my clothing items are bright colors, easily laundered, and rarely last more than a season or two.

Dana

Last week I posted a pic of our living space and was asked for suggestions on how to start making changes.  Here’s the twitter conversation I had with Richard in Georgia in case some of the advice I shared helps you!

These are habits that our family has been forming since we began moving house regularly in 2005.  We took our biggest leap towards a minimalist lifestyle in 2007 when we sold nearly all we owned to live overseas for a few years to launch our nonprofit organization.  We’re now living back in suburban US and aim to share our minimalist approach to life with you for the sake of encouragement.

Dana

Shame and chaos often go hand in hand.

If I were to share with you the number of personal emails, direct messages, and texts I receive on a weekly basis asking for help with cutting chaos out of one’s life, you’d be surprised. I don’t mind being contacted at all but want to highlight that I’m sharing information publicly here on my blog but receive few comments. While pondering this observation lately, I’ve discovered that it’s because there’s shame in admitting we don’t have it all together.

All of us have various circumstances at the moment that threaten our experience of the life we dream to live. (They could even be good circumstances, but they chip away at our feeble attempts to hold everything together.)

So let’s get real.

Change comes by asking for help.  We’re all on a journey together.  This can’t be a one-way conversation.

I challenge everyone reading this post who has a problem area (a suffocating schedule, too much paper, a pantry full of toppling objects, or more) to share your need. Ask for help. Many other people are reading this blog, too. We are all here to offer advice and encouragement, and we want to see you succeed!

Where do you need to cut chaos and make a breakthrough?

Dana

There are all sorts of books and blog posts encouraging you to follow a specific plan to achieve minimalism bliss. Overall, I think they’re quite helpful because they provide a track for those of you dabbling in minimalism to run on. However, let’s not forget that when we get caught up on a number (How many pairs of shoes can I own? Is it a sin if I own more pairs than said blogger suggests?), problems can arise.

Don’t put down your clutter baggage only to pick up legalistic baggage. Other minimalists and I are happy to share our stories and suggestions with you, but only YOU know where to draw the line between chaos and absolute asceticism in your life.

Dana

When I discuss my minimalistic habits with friends or colleagues, the topic of Zen Buddhism invariably comes up. I’m fully aware there are practices of minimalism that many associate with Eastern religions. But have you ever considered the biblical nature of minimalism? Adhering to the tenets of:

*avoiding culture’s greedy tendencies,
*sharing what you have with others, and
*saying no to things so you can say yes to more time with God

…are all principles that overlap the minimalist mindset and being a Christian.

Are there other Christian values you see highlighted in the minimalist lifestyle?

Dana