My Simple Thrifty Closet

 

Four years into my retirement journey I am so very happy with my decision early on to downsize and simplify my wardrobe.  I keep a limited number of items and it makes it so easy to choose what I want to wear and get myself dressed each day.  My wardrobe is setup to be multi-seasonal meaning I start out with the basics and in cooler weather I simply add layers.  Super easy, no fuss, no stress!  Love, love, love it!

 

My closet in my bedroom runs the entire length of one wall and has a section of shelving to act as a linen closet.  Several years ago I took down the original closet rod with overhead shelf and built in a closet organizer system with rods at various heights, additional shelves and a set of drawers which eliminated my need to have a dresser in my room.  It made for so much more efficient and usable space.

 

My routine has been to purchase one entire new outfit each year, a pair of athletic shoes and a new bra.  I also plan for replacing any worn out underwear, sleepwear and socks.  Once I’ve made these purchases I pull out anything that is worn out or is something I no longer enjoy wearing and toss or donate those items as is appropriate.

 

Downstairs in my laundry room I keep a shoe organizer that holds the shoes I wear the most.  I also keep a bin to hold my socks so they are handy when I get ready to put my shoes on to leave the house.  Above the shoe rack is the coat rack where I hang my jacket, backpack (I don’t use a purse anymore) and my lanyards holding my keys and work ID.

 

In the hall closet I hang my winter coats.  They don’t get a lot of use as our weather is rarely that cold so these items don’t need to be on the coat rack in the laundry room much.  It is nice to have this space to keep them since they are bulkier and take up more space.  These coats will last me for years, to be sure, so I have no plans to purchase replacements any time soon.

 

Having a simplified wardrobe has not just saved my sanity but it also saves me a lot of time and money because I hardly shop for clothing at all.  For me that is a true blessing because I am one that really doesn’t enjoy clothes shopping.  Another unexpected bonus of a simplified wardrobe is how much it has streamlined my laundry process.  I typically get by just running a load of clothes about every six or seven days, I can get it all done in a short amount of time and I save on both the electric and water bill, not to mention, my laundry supplies last so much longer too  Win-win!.