I picked just 33 items of clothing to use for the next 3 months – it’s totally transformed how I'll use my small closet space in winter

My small space needed drastic measures, and Project 333 was it

An art-deco style bedroom with a dark green built-in closet along the back wall. A bed with an orange throw over the end.
(Image credit: Hammonds Furniture)

For someone who works from home and spends most of her weekends in hiking gear or loungewear, I have a serious shopping habit. The main culprit? Clothes.

When swapping my summer and fall seasonal wardrobes this year, I realised very quickly that half the items hadn’t been touched in well over a year. So, to try and cut the clutter, I am going to try using only 33 items over the next three months.

It may sound drastic, but the Project 333 challenge is designed to prove that you don’t need a ‘Sex In The City-esque’ collection to dress well – and it could finally be the answer to my chronic spending habit.

Why I am trying Project 333 for a streamlined closet this winter

Clothes are certainly a long-standing addiction. Growing up, my parents enabled me a little by giving me three closets to myself, and almost every weekend was accompanied by a fruitful trip to the mall.

Now, no matter how often I declutter a closet, I still find my small closet space full to bursting (I am not the best at stopping clutter before it starts, it seems).

The problem only gets worse in fall and winter – two of my favorite seasons, as I tend to get more excited for the cozy weather, and the looming holidays, plus my birthday, mean my spending is more lax.

So, in an attempt to prevent overconsumption and try to cut back some of the guilt I feel whenever it’s time to pick an outfit, Project 333 created by pro organizer Courtney Carver), covering October to December, seems like the best option.

According to Dawn Del Russo, fashion expert and author, I am one of the best candidates for trying this decluttering method.

She says, ‘I would say this can benefit all, but anyone who has anxiety or decision fatigue would find it great. A process like this can reduce overthinking about what to wear. There are fewer choices, which brings outfits together quicker without overthinking.

‘If you are someone who likes a "uniform" but wants some freedom, this is for you.’

How to pick the right items

A large three-door wooden closet, with one door open showing some hanging shirts and two woven baskets.

Picking the right items will determine the success of the project.

(Image credit: The Cotswold Company)

Much like the capsule decluttering method, Project 333 requires picking items that can all work together to make the most out of the 33 items you’ll have at your disposal.

Not knowing where to start, I asked Dawn.

She suggested starting with the absolute basics, ‘everyday items like a great pair of jeans, a white button-down, black pants/leggings, a white tee, and a fitted blazer for clothing.

'Then consider accessories, a favorite handbag, casual flats, a great heel, and a clean sneaker. From here, you can add in fun pieces you love to wear, which will make the three months of outfits interesting.’

I decided to pair this challenge with decluttering my closet with an app, cataloging each of the 33 items digitally. This way, I can see every item at once and make digital lookbooks with them, planning outfits in advance.

A stat showing the percentage of my closet I am currently wearing

Using an app to manage a closet can sow you how many of your garments you actually use, for easier decluttering.

(Image credit: Future / Chiana Dickson)

What piqued my interest most, however, was Dawn’s approach to picking items. ‘Allow yourself to "shop" your closet, look at items you have from a new perspective.’

Previously, opening my closet filled me with guilt – the sheer number of items that usually sat untouched, leading to regret.

However, ‘shopping’ all these items, seeing them all as fresh opportunities again, and challenging myself to think of new ways to wear them, was liberating and helped me to see my small closet in a new light.

The approach

closet with drawers and hanging space

Don't forget to check your drawers, too.

(Image credit: Sharps)

Although I have yet to see how well I stick to this challenge over the next three months, I have high hopes, especially as Dawn framed the desire to shop during the challenge not as failure, but as yet another opportunity.

She suggested, ‘Take notes of items you want to buy and use that as an incentive when the three months are over and you begin the process again.’

I was thrilled to hear that I didn’t have to fully commit at this point or decide what to do with the items I was decluttering. Dawn assured me, ‘Starting with just three months to break bad home habits and start new ones; there is no rule saying you can't go back to your old closet.’

So, all the items I am not using in the next three months have been put back into my seasonal underbed storage ideas, a little like the expiry decluttering method, ready to be reassessed in January. Vacuum sealed storage bags, from Walmart, and underbed-storage bags from Amazon help to keep this storage neat.

Closet organizing essentials

FAQs

What counts as the 33 items in the Project 333 challenge?

In the Project 33 challenge, you pick 33 items of clothing and accessories that you would use from day to day. The 33 items do not include essentials, such as underwear, sleepwear, and specialist clothing, such as gymwear or the odd ‘occasion’ outfit, for instance, if you have one formal or out-of-the-ordinary event that crops up during the three-month challenge.

Meet the expert

Dawn Del Russo
Dawn Del Russo

For the past 15 years, Dawn Del Russo has been walking her way through the world of fashion as an author and on-air TV fashion & beauty expert. She has been seen on TV programs like Access Hollywood Live, Meredith Vieira, Extra TV, E News!, and New York Live. Dawn was also a stylist contestant on Glamour Mag Show Dress To Kill and spotted in elite media like  Vogue Italia,  InStyle, Cosmo, Real Simple, Life & Style, and US Weekly.


With plans every weekend and a trip to Paris in my diary, it certainly won’t be easy, but the underconsumption trend is looming over me, and a fierce desire to make my home more relaxing, it’s finally time to kick the habit, before I spiral again.

Chiana Dickson
Content Editor

Chiana has been at Homes & Gardens for two years and is our resident 'queen' of non-toxic living. She spends most of her time producing content for the Solved section of the website, helping readers get the most out of their homes through clever decluttering, cleaning, and tidying tips. She was named one of Fixr's top home improvement journalists in 2024.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.