The minimalist closet is part of the minimalist lifestyle – one defined by organization and function. There are a few guidelines to look at when deciding how to set up your minimalist closet, which can help you incorporate this lifestyle into your everyday life.
A minimalist closet is created with a minimalist wardrobe, an organized space, and putting function over fashion. Benefits of a minimalist closet include an optimized wardrobe, saving money and time, and less stress.
Have you ever considered a closet makeover-clothing and space included? Would you be interested in learning about how you can create and maintain a minimalist closet?
What Is a Minimalist Closet?
A minimalist closet is one that is stocked with basically the minimum wardrobe and articles of clothing and shoes needed for everyday work and life. Everything in the minimalist closet serves a purpose, and everything is used efficiently. It’s all part of the minimalist lifestyle-one of function over fashion and living with purpose.
Benefits of Keeping a Minimalist Closet
When you keep a minimalist closet, you maintain an organized space. There is no clutter, no disorganization, no excess of anything. There are several benefits of keeping a minimalist closet:
- Nothing goes unused
- Visual appeal of simple colors
- Coordinating pieces match with each other
- Money saved by utilizing fewer pieces
- Nothing goes out of style
- Uncluttered and organized space-less stress
- Time saved with a space that stays organized
- Less time needed to put outfits together
- More time to live your life!
There are many other benefits to keeping a minimalist closet, but these were probably enough to get you interested in how to get started! Ready to learn more about the minimalist closet? Keep reading!
Elements of a Minimalist Closet
Before deciding to create a minimalist closet, know that there are a few things to consider in addition to the lifestyle of a minimalist. In order to be successful with this project, there are elements of a minimalist closet that are best determined before diving in.
Minimalist Closet List
First it’s essential to understand the basic pieces of minimalist clothing for people:
- Undergarments
- Long- and short-sleeved shirts
- Dressy items (for work)
- Sweater or jacket
- Casual pants and shorts
- Exercise clothing
- Uniform (for work-as applicable)
- Socks
- Shoes
Most of these items coordinate with each other for ease in preparing for work or school. There may even be some additional items, depending on where you live and what the climate is like. Your minimalist closet list depends on you and your needs!
Minimalist Closet Organization
The next piece of the minimalist closet is organization. There are a few different ways to organize, and it’s individualized to the owner. Some like to hang all of the same colors together, regardless of the clothing item. Others like to hang outfits together for ease of grabbing an outfit each morning or evening. You may choose to group together patterns and colors, or seasonal items for convenience. It’s up to you how you want to organize!
Minimalist Closet Design
Another thing to look at is the minimalist closet design. Organization is a big piece of this – it’s how you design and maintain your minimalist wardrobe and prevent clothing chaos! There are several ways of designing your own perfect minimalist closet design from drawers, hanging shelves, baskets, and bureaus to having coordinating hangers of all the same material and color. It should look like a peaceful and organized space-one where you know where EVERYTHING is located! It’s very satisfying to have a clean and organized closet!
Types of Minimalist Closets
Another thing to consider with the conversion to a minimalist closet is the types of minimalist closets. This will determine how much space as well as what kind of organizing system you want and need to use.
Walk In Minimalist Closet
A walk in minimalist closet can be a thing of beauty when done right. Remember-beauty is in the eye of the beholder. With sleek shelving and strategically placed closet rods, a walk in closet can feel like a display-or something to be proud of. There are higher-placed closet rods for ease of accessing drawers below. There are dual rods with shirts above and pants/skirts below. It’s like you can start at one end of the closet and grab what you need as you walk through-saving time and energy.
Minimalist Linen Closets
Minimalist linen closets can be very satisfying to look at. The shelves are equally spaced apart and all the same color. There you can find all of your bedsheets, organized by sets (fitted sheet, flat sheet, pillow cases and shams), as well as towels and washcloths organized by color and size. Everything is conveniently located and organized for easy location on laundry day.
Minimalist Closets With Doors
Minimalist closets with doors can be built-ins or separate cabinets, but both have doors to hide what’s behind them. But when the doors are opened, everything is organized and grouped together appropriately for ease of use. These can also be very satisfying to see-so much so you might even be tempted to leave the doors open!
Here are some helpful tips in the video below to organizing your minimal closet.
How to Get and Make a Minimalist Closet
In order to get and make a minimalist closet, you’ve got to decide that it’s for you and dedicate at least a weekend to it. Then start getting rid of the things you don’t need, you don’t use, and that don’t coordinate with other items in your closet. Then consider these things:
- Can you work with the space you’ve got-or do you need to create something new?
- Is this an open space, or is there a door?
- Do you want to see your things, or do you want doors/drawers/cabinets?
- What kind of system do you want? Package deal or self-created?
- Will you keep everything in the closet, or is there a wardrobe as additional storage?
- What will be hung up/folded/in drawers/in bins/in baskets?
- Shelves above or below closet rods? Or maybe both?
- What will you do with all of the new-found space?
- How much are you willing to spend for this conversion?
These are all things you should decide in advance, as some require more planning (and money!) than others. You can create a minimalist closet without a great investment-but it should be something you can easily maintain.
How to Maintain a Minimalist Closet
It’s not just about creating a minimalist closet-there’s also maintenance. So it’s important to create a space that works for you and is individualized to you. If you create a minimalist closet that doesn’t work for your space, it will make it that much harder to maintain. So here are the steps to maintaining a minimalist closet:
- Try out the system you’ve created for a week or two. If it doesn’t work, try something else.
- After you’ve figured out what works for you through trial and error, stick with what works.
- Set aside time each week to organize-it shouldn’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes.
- Consistently put articles of clothing up after doing laundry, purchasing new items, changing of seasons, etc.
- Add/remove those organizational pieces as needed to make maintaining your minimalist closet easier.
- If you’re sharing a closet, find something that works for BOTH of you!
Other Resources:
- Minimalist House – The Keys to a Calm and Inviting Space
- Minimalist Decor – Guide to Simple, Meaningful Style
- Minimalist Moving – Guide to Leaving More to Live More
- Spring Cleaning – Successful Methods for Simpler Living
- Minimalist Tiny House – Experienced Advice to Guide You
- Minimalist Home – Guide to Creating a Happiness Refuge
A minimalist closet can be created and maintained by absolutely anyone. There are no rules about the minimalist wardrobe or space-it’s about finding what works for you and what you can live with (or without). As long as you optimize your space, get rid of the clutter, and donate or sell those items you don’t need-you too can create the optimal minimalist closet for you!