Today, April 1st, kicks off the next season of Project 333, an experiment in simplifying our closets to save time, energy and money for the more important things in life.

Here is my closet for the next 3 months:

I am happy to report that I was able to toss some clothes and donate this pile.  

This time, I was able to include my pants and jeans in the count.  I still have not been able to pare down my tshirts, shoes, and purses.

Here is the one piece that gave me the most difficulty:

This Seattle Sonics tshirt was given to me for my birthday by my brother-in-law, Dallas, in 1995.   I had a huge crush on Shawn Kemp, whose dunks and energy lit up any arena.  Even though the tshirt is ripped at the logo and has been accidentally bleached, I keep it because it’s the last gift Dallas gave me, before he passed away suddenly in 1998.  Kemp has long retired.  The Seattle Sonics are now the Oklahoma City Thunder.  And yet, every time I do a purge, I always end up putting this tshirt back in my drawer.  How could I throw out this precious memory of Dallas? I know it’s not the item but the memory that is dear…but I’m not yet ready.

This Project 333 is not for the weak.  How did you do on your first day?  Did you have some sentimental clothes that you couldn’t part with?  

If you haven’t started, it’s not too late.  Just jump in.  Click here for the rules.  Click here to see an example of Courtney Carver‘s list.

Share your success or hiccups with us…

Could you live for 3 months with 33 pieces of clothing?  Before you exit out, let me give you the elevator pitch of Project 333.

Picture paring down your wardrobe to 33 items, then using these items for 3 months.  Underwear, pajamas, workout clothes are all exempt from the number.  That’s the short version.  

My slogan for the year, Lean in 2014, led me to Courtney Carver‘s Project 333.  I did some more googling and Pinterest searches and found there are hundreds of people who are successfully participating in this project.

So, in January, I cleared out my closet to 33 pieces BUT kept everything that was in my drawers and other closets (my jeans, tshirts, sweaters, purses, shoes, and coats).

So what DID I actually clear out?  First to go, anything that restrictred my breathing or accentuated my muffin top.  Next, blouses, suits, dresses, and items that always seemed to get put back in the closet after trying them on.  Last,  duplicates — sometimes triplicates — (black slacks, black blouses, denim shirts, etc.).

Something amazing happened these past 3 months:  it was actually easier to get dressed in the morning.  Everything in my closet fit and I liked wearing them.  Interestingly enough, I also found that I dressed less in tshirts and sweats (which is often my uniform).

I am actually looking forward to the next session that starts on April 1st.  But, as I learned in a marketing class once, I’m a laggard (slow to enter the market, dislikes change, etc).  So, I probably still won’t be able to go ALL in.  However, I will actively work on the drawers and other closets to see what else I can put away (or donate).

I posted this early so that you guys can look into the project or your closets to see if you want to join me.  WHO IS IN?    

My dad spent summer afternoons working in my basement.  I’d bring him a snack with a glass of water, and he would shake his head and say, “Where’d you get all this sh*t?”  Still, he methodically broke down Amazon.com boxes, put the kids’ outgrown clothes in bins, and made things neat again.

When he died eight years ago, my world fell apart.  Yes, there was the deep sorrow of losing my beloved father…but now what?  Who would keep my junk in order?

My husband’s early attempts at throwing stuff out always played out like a scene from that show “Hoarders.”  I would start fidgeting then eventually screaming, “Don’t touch my stuff!”

I’ve found some useful sites that have kept me afloat.  By following the simple routines and missions of the Flylady, I was able to invite company to the house again.   I dabbled in Feng Shui, but it seemed too hokey and I never really knew if I charted the areas of my house right.

Last summer, the family did a “10 x 5 project,”  courtesy of the Happy Family Movement blog.  We gathered 10 things (per person) for 5 days and then donated or tossed the stuff we collected.   A painless project with great results.

I am currently trying this “40 Bags in 40 Days” project for Lent.   In theory, I work in one specific area each day and get rid of one bag of stuff per day for 40 days.  I started off strong–making a list of the 40 areas that I would cover, tying up stacks of saved Travel & Leisure and O magazines, throwing out old travel pamphlets from scrapbooks never started, and bagging outgrown clothes and shoes.  To be honest, I haven’t been working every day, but I’m trying.

I think my dad would be proud of the progress I’m making.

So tell me, how do you manage the clutter in your house?  What blogs or sites do you follow?  Help motivate me with your ideas.