Cleaning according to Marie Kondo begins with sorting the first category — clothing. I used to think I had nice, high‑quality clothes and that I knew how to shop. Today I love minimalism in my wardrobe and aspire to a capsule wardrobe.
I worked in a corporation, and the path from work led through a shopping mall, so I often slipped in during lunch break or after my shift and picked something up on sale. I thought I was shopping smart and saving money. In fact, I almost never bought anything that wasn’t discounted.
After my son was born and during maternity leave, my lifestyle changed significantly. We moved outside Prague to a house near the forest, and for almost two years I enjoyed not having to deal with clothes, makeup, or shopping at all. It was the first time since puberty that I managed to take a complete break from all of that. I used to wear makeup even to take out the trash :-D. I fully enjoyed the present moment with my son — we walked in the forest a lot and spent most of our time outside the city, so apart from a few nursing and babywearing pieces, I didn’t care much about clothes.
After almost two years of maternity leave, I suddenly felt a strong desire to change my wardrobe and decided to radically sort my clothes. I sorted in several phases — I’d compare it to peeling an onion. I started with about 900 pieces. It sounds like a lot, but try counting yours randomly — you’ll see it’s quite a common number.
In the first phases of sorting, I didn’t even know the KonMari method yet. It helped me finish the sorting once and for all and start completely fresh. Thanks to working with vision in the KonMari method, I more easily identified what no longer belonged in my ideal wardrobe and lifestyle and could let it go with a calm heart. Every time I sorted my clothes, I was surprised.
Treasures in the wardrobe?
I realized I wasn’t letting go of any treasures. They were often things that had already been worn out or weren’t of good quality. And I was surprised — because until I sorted so thoroughly, my wardrobe was stuffed, and I felt like those were treasures since I had bought them so “advantageously” on sale. To shorten the story — after several more sorting phases, I ended up with a wardrobe of about 90 pieces, most of which were home or sports clothes. I could start again — and I was excited.
A capsule wardrobe is minimalism in the wardrobe
On my journey toward my dream wardrobe, I learned about the concept of a capsule wardrobe at a lecture. Stylist Marcela Křížová explained that such a wardrobe focuses on quality, not quantity. A capsule wardrobe is essentially minimalism — you have only a few pieces (around 30), but they can be combined very well. I was thrilled and really wanted to build such a wardrobe.
But gradually I hit obstacles. I realized I didn’t enjoy shopping — because in the usual chains where I used to shop, I no longer found inspiration, and the quality didn’t appeal to me. I also became more interested in sustainability. And limited time didn’t help — I’m not the type of mom who enjoys wandering around shopping malls with kids…
After much hesitation, I decided to contact the stylist and create a clear concept for minimalism in my wardrobe — and allow myself to discover what style of clothing truly suits me. I was open to change. Looking at older photos, I realized I most often wore a T‑shirt and jeans — and I didn’t want to keep buying newer versions of what I had already worn out.
And what was my experience with the stylist?
It was a very interesting, eye‑opening experience. Marcela and I spent one day shopping together. I thought I was open to new things in fashion — and suddenly I realized how conservative I actually was. Whenever she brought me a piece, I hesitated, wondering if she was joking. A burgundy turtleneck? A polka‑dot sweater? A checkered coat? Corduroy pants??? Seriously? But I tried everything.
Interestingly, not everything suited me — like the corduroy pants — but I absorbed the essence of a slightly different style than the one I had kept for years. We bought a few pieces — you can’t buy an entire wardrobe in one day. It would also go against the idea of minimalism, which is built gradually.
Supporting local goods
In line with my vision, I bought more classic pieces and wondered whether I’d actually wear them anywhere other than on special occasions. Marcela was surprised: “But you can wear these things normally in the city.” I was curious how it would turn out. To my surprise, I felt so good in the new clothes that I’ve worn them almost every time since. (Okay, not in the forest — but everywhere else.) I felt new and feminine.
Suddenly I realized I like quality clothing — that conscious shopping, where you think ahead about what you buy and care about where it comes from and what materials it’s made of, is not frivolous. On the contrary — you support the right people, like local designers, and in the end you save money. Because if I added up all the “advantageous” pieces from chains that filled my wardrobe and I didn’t wear them, it cost more than buying one thoughtfully chosen, more expensive piece. It means you don’t have 20 sweaters — but maybe just three, of great quality, that last for years.
With the new style came an interesting realization: I enjoy being a woman who isn’t afraid to be feminine enough. There’s nothing superficial or frivolous about it. It reminds me of the archetype of the queen. Valuing yourself, allowing yourself to invest in things for yourself, and wearing what makes you feel good and like yourself. It can be a different style for different occasions. The most important thing is not dressing for others — but for yourself, for your own good feeling.
I wish you lots of success in sorting and on your journey toward a clothing style that represents you. I highly recommend the experience with a stylist — it helped and inspired me greatly, and I don’t regret the investment at all. And if you need help decluttering your wardrobe, feel free to reach out — we can arrange a consultation. In my Healing Declutter concept, I consider the first phase — working with the vision of an ideal wardrobe — very important. Then we work with intention, because the wardrobe is deeply connected to our identity, and it’s good to include a ritual to support new beginnings in our lives. Sorting should definitely be the first step toward a more minimalist wardrobe.
