Project 333 - July Until September 2016

Photo is from Be More with Less. Thanks Courtney for coming up with such a fun and life-changing project. 

Hello there! 

Are you struggling to choose which ones to wear, trying on a few looks before finally deciding which one to step out into? 

We are lucky and thankful enough to have lots of options however, it would also be a whole lot easier to have a shorter list. 

My best friend had introduced me to the Project 333 and doing a capsule wardrobe. 

It is basically choosing 33 items for one's total look. 

To know the full details, you may check them here. 

Yes, you heard it right: only 33 key pieces. 

Come to think of it, it seems impossible, but I will tell you, it is a LOT already. 

I am one those who loves to shop: the sale season, the thrill of going from one shop to the other, ending up with a whole lot of stuffs which I don't practically need (imagining the first few scenes of Confessions of a Shopaholic). 

Then, it suddenly hit me: Is it really economical? Is it really what I want? Is it really what I need? 

I had taken on this challenge personally since I need to free up some space and need to save up for far more important things instead of spending on unimportant ones. 

Let me tell you what I have done to start off. 

1 - I had nearly emptied my closet. I live with 3 cats so I hope you can imagine that taking them all out is not that easy. 

2 - Donate, Keep, Toss. I made 3 piles of clothes: ones that I need, ones that I can give out and the ones that are very worn out. I ended up with 3 full bags of clothes which I had donated already. I had sold some pieces before as well: some with tags and some I had worn only once or twice. 

3 - Choose wisely. Like what Courtney said, it is a great chance to discover your personal style. I love simplicity. I sometimes love a pop of color especially when I do feel under the weather. 

4 - Mixing and Matching is the key. I had chosen pieces that I can easily wear with each other. I had chosen tops that I can wear with jeans, shirts that I can wear with a blazer and the like. 

5 - Choice of bags. I do love big bags so I had decided to include my favorites in my first 3 months. 

Below are the ones that I had included in my list:

Jeans and Trousers - a total of 7 which includes 4 office trousers and 3 pairs of jeans 

Footwear - a total of 7 which includes mostly of flats and only a pair of black heels 

Tops and Shirts - a total of 15 pieces. I have added a mix of long sleeves for work wear, a black blazer and some shirts for dress-down days 

Bags - I have chosen 4 bags for the office and for quick runs to the groceries or coffee break 

Are you up to the challenge? 

Choose Less. Choose Wisely. Live Life Simply.

The long Eid Holidays may have prompted me to do a lot of rethinking and decluttering.

I am currently doing Project 333, The Minimalist Game and The Shopping Ban.

Don’t worry am still here, surviving.

Since we have done a lot of cleaning up and have thrown a lot of trash, I realized that we had accumulated a lot of stuffs over the years and most of them were thrown away because we don’t need them.

Come to think of it, we have a lot of things that are just there, collecting dusts, taking my much needed space.

From then on, I promised myself, I won’t be adding any more stuff that I know will bid goodbye later.

I already forgot from where I had read this: “Choose Less. Choose Wisely”.

And it really makes sense – and applies not only to material, physical things.

I’ve almost cleared my closet.

I’ve cleared most of my emails.

I’ve unfriended a lot in Facebook.

I’ve unsubscribed to other email alerts mostly from shopping websites (sigh).

I’ve thrown a lot of papers, newspapers (am still thinking about my books and magazines).

I’ll have my Social Media Days Off.

What else? Hmmm. That’s all for now.

Well, am giving myself a pat on the back and a big hug for a great start!

The Day I Broke My Spending Ban

Photo Grabbed from Google 

Yes. I am guilty. 

I have started strong but I had given in to shopping. 

I took a midweek off from work last week and headed to the mall alone to buy a pair of rubber shoes. 

The rubber shoes turned to a few blouses from Zara and some more from H&M. Yikes! 

I felt so guilty but proud also of myself since I had chosen classic pieces that I can wear during the hot summer days up to the chilling days here in Doha. 

Nonetheless, I am still doing well with my Project 333. I have swapped one with my newly purchased top from Zara. 

The same goes for The Minimalist Challenge. I've cleaned up my accessories mostly necklaces and will sell them online as preloved items. I have a long way to go with regards to my closet though. 

Wheeew. 

Wish me luck! 

Dressing Simply

It has been months since I started with Project 333.

To be honest, it was quite a challenge.

I am someone who wants to match the shoes with the bag or the bag with the clothes, etc.

Yes, I may not seem like it but I used to be like that!

Then, I was hooked on Instagram and discovered a whole new world of people living with a few things and are happy and content, and to be honest, they are even more fashionable in my opinion!

Months back, my friend and I gathered all of our unused, barely worn clothes and sold them off, some we had donated and given away.  

Imagine having a closet full of clothes but wearing only half of them most of the time.

Recently, I had cleaned up my closet again and this time I had included my husband’s.

I ended up with bags of clothes again.

I had ceased clothes shopping for some time since I was on a Shopping Ban and I give myself a thumbs up and high fives as I only bought a knit jumper and a cardigan for this winter season and I survived!

That’s a great achievement for me.

Let me tell you how I managed/am managing so far and the lessons I have learned along the way.

I find someone/people to look up to.

My friend told me about Project 333 then I searched it in Instagram.

There I found Courtney of Be More with Less and right away, I headed to my room and listed down my 33 items – it was tough!

The process of adding then removing, then adding some items again is tedious. Haha. 

The Effortless Closet, Lee Vosburgh and Sustainably Chic are amongst my favorites in Instagram.

Marie Kondo is also on top of my list.

If you don’t need/like it, loose it.

To tell you honestly, I had some clothes that are just collecting dust in my closet: the winter jacket I bought during sale from Mango is still unworn after 3 years; the blue dress I got from Marks and Spencer is also still unworn; my Aldo green heels and ankle boots were worn at most thrice; some shirts I bought during the sale from Mango and Zara are still with tags.

I used to have a whole lot of makeup: eyeshadows, makeup palettes, lipsticks, lotions, moisturizers, etc.

I got rid of most of them, given them away and kept only the ones that I really need.

The lesson is to not buy anything that you don’t need or you don’t like.

It does not mean that you need it just because it is on sale. 

Be creative and discover your personal style.

I prefer clothes that I am comfortable in: not too tight but not too sloppy; I don’t want to follow the trend.

I now look for clothes that will survive this ever-changing world in the sense of fashion.

Don’t be afraid to wear the same things over and over again.

Learn the art of mixing and matching.

Invest in the good things.

It is always best to buy clothes/bags that will last rather than buying cheap ones that get worn out easily.

Be wary of those items on sale. Focus and don’t get distracted by the red tags.

It takes a lot of courage and discipline to stick to it but I must say you have to give it a try.

Nowadays, dressing simply makes me happier – I have lesser things to organize, more time to enjoy the things I like/have to do!

Let me leave you with this quote.