How To ACTUALLY Become A Minimalist, Based On Your Personality Type

Do you ever stare at a closet full of clothes and still somehow feel like you have nothing to wear? We've all been there. Thankfully, crafting a curated, minimalist wardrobe of only the clothes you use and love is a surefire way to make getting dressed easier.

No matter what your personality type, this should be your starting point. Whether your closet needs a total purge or simply a clean out, start with the no-brainers and get rid of clothes you know off the bat that you won’t wear. Identify pieces that you haven’t worn in over a year and place them in a box for donation. Or, if they’re in good condition, sell them to a consignment shop or online retailer for some extra cash.

This minimalist fashion trend challenges you to choose 33 pieces from your closet and wear them—only them!—for three months. This helps you learn to build your wardrobe around versatile pieces like simple tees, blouses, and denim, with a few fun pieces sprinkled in to complement your basics. I've tried this one myself and approached it as a sort of game I need to conquer. That mentality helped tremendously when I went to get dressed each day.

For those of you who have serious trouble getting out the door in the morning, I recommend the Cladwell app, which creates outfits for you every day based on your existing closet. And no, you do not have to take a photo of each item in your closet to use it! Instead, you simply go through the app’s catalog of pieces and select items that are similar to those you have.

From there, you can either create a look from your whole closet or select an occasion or season and narrow down the capsule. You will receive three outfit possibilities (they even take your local weather into account!), and voilà! You'll go from what seems like infinite outfit options to a narrowed-down collection of looks in no time.

Got a closet piling up with clothes you never wear but really, really can’t part with? The reverse hanger method could be your savior. To get started, simply turn all of your hangers so they face the same direction in your closet. Every time you wear something and hang it back up, turn the hanger backward. After a month, you can see which items you haven’t worn. Sure, there are exceptions like formalwear, but I have found this method extremely helpful. It might surprise you how little you actually need those extra pieces!

Once you’ve found a good base of clothes that work for you, take note of the styles you’re drawn toward. Do you tend to build your wardrobe around your work clothes? Do you follow a particular personal style—whether it's boho, preppy, masculine, or girly? Look for patterns or similarities in your favorite styles and write them down so you can reference them the next time you go shopping.