Hello from California! Its post 2 of our minimizing series and next up is clothing! If you are just joining now we are doing a series of posts on what we have, how we simplify, and our packing process. Our posts will focus on kitchen items/food, clothing, and miscellaneous/packing.
Before leaving Pennsylvania we both went through the entirety of our belongings, including clothing, to figure out what we really needed. I donated or threw out easily 2-3 large garbage bags of clothing. I wish I would have taken a picture! I had an overwhelming amount to sort through and it made me realize how much extra I had. I found that I kept clothing items that I used to love, but no longer fit/are in style because I had the room. When reflecting back I can’t believe how much clothing I had and how much better I feel about what I have now.
When Patrick underwent his clothing review he decided to limit himself to a specific number of each item. For example he decided he would bring a certain number of graphic tees, button downs, sweatpants, etc. He was a bit lenient with a few of his favorite items, but overall really stuck to his plan.
Patrick and I have not yet encountered a situation where we weren’t prepared with our minimized wardrobe. I have even gone through my clothing again (after watching Tidying Up) and donated another full trash bag.
All of the clothing that we have (more or less) fits in these 3 suitcases. Since it’s not easy to get to big luggage in a fully packed car we typically do pack a smaller duffle of items we may need on the road traveling. Shoes are the only clothing item that has dedicated extra space in bins… And they are next on the list to minimize!
There are a few categories of specialty clothing items that we made sure to add in during packing. The type we have utilized the most so far is our winter gear. We both have ski pants, ski/heavy winter jackets, ski goggles, gloves, hats and scarves. Patrick also has his snowboarding boots and I use my duck boots for snow or rain. We had everything we needed to go skiing, snowshoeing and do whatever other outdoor exploring we wanted to do this winter!
Although, we were near mountains with endless amounts of snow we were surprised at how little is typically seen in Tacoma! We got about 4 to 6 inches where we were living this winter and per the locals this is A LOT. (Thanks Pennsylvania weather for preparing us for the Tacoma snowpocalypse this winter.)
Rain Gear: With the Pacific Northwest being known for rain we came prepared! We did have to use our rain coats and umbrellas a few times but largely the weather was clear and temperate. Shhhhhh… don’t tell anyone that is so nice in Tacoma we don’t want everyone to move there and take away all the open space!
As the weather is getting warmer we are very excited to get more use out of our hiking gear. Its no secret we are a pale pair so we make sure we have sun shirts and hats for plenty of protection. We also having hiking boots which, yes, are matching. We can’t help that Oboz make the most comfortable hiking boots! I also have a pair of Chaco’s which I love. They made their debut when hiking in and out of water in the grand canyon and I haven’t looked back since.
Not pictured but also very important is swimming gear (we both travel with a beach towel as well). In addition to these specialty categories we travel with a combination of scrubs/work clothing, athletic wear, everyday clothes and a few nice outfits. The only things we haven’t used is our dress wear… which may be staying back in Pennsylvania the next time we are there.
Tips for Minimizing Your Clothing
When One Comes, One Goes: Each time you purchase a new item of clothing you get rid of something in our closet. Patrick and I stick to this pretty consistently and it has worked really well! Typically I try to replace a similar item, but it doesn’t always have to be this way. Making this little effort can make your more conscious about what you buy and can help you wean out the things you don’t need.
Don’t Keep Multiples Unless You Really Need Them: I am a huge culprit of keeping multiples “just in case”. I like to be prepared! This being said I am coming to terms with the fact that this can be a huge money and space waster. It’s easy to talk yourself into buying a second of a clothing item you have in a slightly different style or shape… But when you think about it realistically… do you really need two rain jackets, NO! You can only wear one thing at time. Some items you really need multiple of, but be honest with yourself about what those truly are.
Look into turkish towels! I have 3 and they serve as a beach towel as well as my daily shower towels. They are much thinner & lighter than your typical towel and i think they absorb better too!