Spring Cleaning: A Gentleman’s Brief Guide to Minimalism

Despite what your Instagram feed might tell you, minimalism is so much more than a trending aesthetic of white-washed architecture and line-drawn artwork. It’s a way of decluttering the mind and fighting back – on an individual level – against the consumer-driven, ad-saturated society we’ve come to live in. And, considering that we’ve officially closed the chapter on Winter, it feels like the right time to do some Spring cleaning, don’t you think?

For the #Publishers out there looking to enjoy the benefits of more free time, fewer expenses, and a general boost in happiness and mental clarity, adapting a more minimalist life perspective might be just the shift you need.

Because an adjustment in style habits feels a lot less intimidating than an entire life change, we figured we’d share some basic guidance on creating a minimalist wardrobe (otherwise known as a “capsule wardrobe”) to get yourself headed in the right direction.

Check out these five tips:

1. Define what you see.

   Start by opening up your closet and assessing it as a singular entity rather than fifty or one hundred separate ones. Once you’re able to view your collection of clothes as a lump sum, follow up by asking yourself some clarifying questions:

   -What does your wardrobe say about you?

   -If you had to describe your wardrobe (as it is) in five words or less, which five words would you use?

   -Which emotions does it bring up?

2. Clarify your vision

   Let’s say that you open up your closet and the words “unorganized”, “all-over-the-place”, and “impulsive” pop out at you. You could use these negative descriptions and the emotions they evoke in you to help you decide that you’d like your wardrobe to be organized, clean, and strategic instead (...and stylish, of course – but that’s a given!).

3. Lighten the load.

   “Cluttered closet, cluttered life” is the motto. Take a couple of hours on a Saturday to remove all of the clothing items from your closet that you don’t like, that don’t fit your

body, or that don’t seem to mesh well with your life. (You don’t necessarily have to get rid of them, but you can simply box them up and set them aside).

If you’re stuck on whether or not to call it quits on a certain item, ask yourself this:

- Have I worn it in the last 3 months? (Or, to account for seasonal changes: Do I plan on wearing it in the next 3 months?)

-Is this practical for my current lifestyle?
-Does it make me feel good and confident when I wear it?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, we say it’s time to box it up. (Again, this isn’t necessarily goodbye forever. Setting items aside not only gives you the opportunity to free up more space in your closet, but it allows for time and space to test how well you’re able to fair without them. If three months pass and you haven’t felt inclined to fish them out of the box in storage, that’s a tell-tale sign that your need for these items has been exhausted.

4. Invest in quality.

   Considering that you’re expecting these clothing items to last you for multiple wears over multiple years, it’s no question that quality is the most important consideration when creating a minimalist wardrobe. That being said, make sure to do research on the brands you think you might want to buy from, paying special consideration to direct customer feedback/reviews. Also, it’s important to start the shopping process with an understanding that you may be spending a bit more on a single item than you would have been willing to in the past (higher quality = higher prices). But don’t forget that, in the end, this will actually end up saving you money since the quality will ensure that you’ll need to purchase clothing a lot less frequently .

5. Neutrals. Neutrals. Neutrals.

a. The key to creating a wardrobe of items that can be easily adapted to any

occasion is focusing on neturals above all else. We’re talking blacks, whites, greys, nudes, blues, browns, and greens. All of these can be easily mixed and matched, which, ultimately, makes for a much quicker, much easier decision-making process. Our latest collection drop (and most of our style lines here at Publish Brand) was inspired with sleek, adaptable neutrals in mind. Get yourself hooked up with some premium quality basics to start building up your capsule wardrobe foundation by heading here (insert hyperlink at “here”).

Remember #Publishers: When you make the decision to reduce, you’re reducing more than just physical clutter. In the end, clearing up space in your closet, work area, garage, or whatever aspect/area of life it may be, allows you to clear up space in your mind and make more room for the things that matter most.

Let the decluttering begin!