It’s been three weeks since I started Project 333, where I limit my wardrobe to 33 items for three months, so this seemed like a fitting time for an update.  Boxing up the rest of my clothes the day before I started the challenge was oddly anxiety-provoking.  I felt a little sad packing away items I’d carefully selected, on which I’d spent good money not so long ago.  I reminded myself that I wasn’t necessarily saying goodbye to those things forever, just taking them out of rotation for a little while.  But my reaction made me notice how attached I am to some of my possessions, how tied they are to my self-image, and how hard it can be to let go.

On the other hand, now that I’ve put most of those other clothes away, I haven’t thought about them much.  I’ve been pretty content with the 33 items I chose.  There are a few pieces I probably would not have included had I allowed myself to buy new items for the project.  I don’t LOVE them, and I’ll most likely be very tired of them by the end of the three months, but they work well enough.  I’ve had something appropriate to wear for every occasion that’s presented itself.  I’ve worn all of the items except the trench coat and turtleneck, which I haven’t needed yet because it’s still pretty warm.

As I planned my outfits for week one, I thought for sure I’d be desperate for more variety in no time at all.  So far, however, that hasn’t been the case.  I really like most of the items I chose to include, and it’s been nice to have a reason to wear them more frequently.  And while not every item goes with every other thing in the capsule, the pieces mix and match pretty well, so I’ve been able to come up with a good many outfits.

I took a five-day trip last week that was part business and part pleasure, and having an already-limited wardrobe made packing a breeze.  I didn’t have to think much about what I would take with me — I already knew I’d be taking the only two suits and the only two pairs of jeans in my capsule, along with the solid-color tops for work and a t-shirt and sweater for more casual events.  Everything else came together pretty easily.  As someone who often spends far too much time packing for trips, I really appreciated how Project 333 simplified my travel preparation.

The limited wardrobe hasn’t cut down on my time spent getting ready in the mornings because I always lay out my clothes the night before.  But having fewer choices has made the process of choosing outfits quicker and easier, and I spend less time thinking about my clothes in general.  I really haven’t had any urge to shop.  I know that I have what I need, and none of the 33 items need to be replaced yet, so there’s no point in even browsing.  This has saved me time, money, and mental energy, as I had hoped it would.  I do still spend some time planning my outfits, mostly in trying to come up with creative ways to combine the items.  I imagine this desire will fade in time.

I’m used to a lot of variety in my wardrobe — I don’t know exactly how many things I own, but it’s a lot — so I expect that wearing the same 33 items over and over again will become monotonous.  I sometimes find myself thinking of other ways to switch things up, like changing my makeup, painting my nails, or buying new glasses.  Because of that, Project 333 hasn’t completely freed my mind of thinking about my appearance, but I do think the share of my brainpower spent on fashion has decreased significantly in the past few weeks.

I occasionally catch myself wanting to explain my limited wardrobe to people who don’t know I’m doing this.  “I know I just wore this shirt a few days ago,” I think about saying, “but it’s not because I don’t have more clothes, it’s because I’m choosing to reduce my wardrobe and live more simply.”  The fact that these thoughts cross my mind shows how I’ve subconsciously equated appearance and belongings with worth.  What self-perceived, internalized inadequacies have I been trying to compensate for with my wardrobe?  Watching my thoughts through this process has been interesting.

From a practical standpoint, having fewer clothes does require me to wash them more often and to plan ahead a little better to ensure the items I need are clean.  So far, it hasn’t really been an issue, but I can see how it could be a hassle during especially busy times.  The items that I launder most frequently — workout gear, lounge clothes, and pajamas — don’t count as part of the 33 items, so that helps with the laundry dilemma.

While I’m loving the challenge of living with a 33-item wardrobe, I think a slightly larger capsule would be ideal for me, both to solve the laundry issue and to add in a little more variety (particularly in colder months when I would have to include things like gloves and a hat).  I’m already planning to do another round of Project 333 (with a wildcard week or two between capsules), but when I’m done with these experiments, I think I’ll probably settle on capsule wardrobes of 40-50 pieces at a time, adopting a one-in-one-out rule like my favorite fashion writer, Angie.  It seems so much easier to manage than a huge wardrobe.

If you’re still thinking of trying Project 333, creator Courtney Carver’s fall season starts today, October 1.  Visit her site bemorewithless.com for inspiration, and let me know how it’s going for you.