Project 333: Rules & Wardrobe List Example (2024)

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Are you interested in decluttering & simplifying your wardrobe and finding your style? Then you will most likely love this minimalist challenge.

In this article, you will learn more details, tips, and examples of how to do the challenge.

What is Project 333?

Project 333 is a minimalist challenge where you dress with only 33 items for 3 months. This includes not only clothes but also shoes, accessories, and jewelry. 

The idea is to create a “capsule wardrobe” and dress with a small collection of seasonally appropriate clothes, shoes, and accessories that can be mixed and matched easily. 

Project 333 is a great inspiration to minimalize your wardrobe, find your style, and remove unnecessary clutter.

There are a few key elements, and you need to be innovative and choose items that fit well together, so you can create many combinations easily. We’ll look at them below! 

Additionally, the project’s point is not to be miserable, restrictive, and hate your wardrobe, but the opposite. It is about finding the 33 items that you love the most and becoming better at creating cool outfits effortlessly. 

Project 333 Rules

The rules of Project 333 are as follows: 

• When can you start: You can do it anytime. 
• How long does it last: 3 months.
• What should I include: 33 items, including clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and outerwear. 
• The project doesn’t include: You don’t have to count underwear, socks, sleepwear, workout clothes, and loungewear. It doesn’t also include things you always have on you, such as a wedding ring. 
• Last but not least – consider your lifestyle: Think about what kind of clothing you need in your everyday life and the weather/climate. 

Remember that the rules of Project 333 are more like a guideline and are there to provide a framework that can be customizable to what works for you. 

Also, 33 pieces might sound little, but if you do it strategically (pick pieces that are easy to match & create various outfits), you will see that it is plenty.

Project 333: Wardrobe List (Template)

Focus on what will work for you, and while it is great to get inspiration and insights from others, don’t feel the need to copy other people’s capsule wardrobes. 

When creating your 33-piece wardrobe, you should make it correspond to the season/weather you will have for the next three months and always consider your lifestyle. 

For example, if you do it during the wintertime, you might have things like thick sweaters, hats, or scarves; if it is during the summer, you might have more dresses, shorts, and tops. So, again, it is entirely customizable. 

Usually, Project 333 includes the following: 

Essential pieces – These are the items you will use to build around your wardrobe. It should be the items you love the most, so don’t put anything you aren’t sure you will wear. The essential pieces often include your favorite:

1. Jeans 
2. Shirts
3. Sweatshirts 
4. T-shirts
5. Tops
6. Dress / Skirt

Jewelry & Accessories – Handpick the ones you use daily and nothing else you “might” use or need. Don’t include your wedding ring or any other jewelry you usually don’t take off.

1. Your favorite earrings, bracelets, or necklace
2. Purse, bag, or backpack
3. A scarf or a hat 
4. Sunglasses 

Shoes – This section solely depends on the season. If it’s summertime, you won’t need boots; if it’s winter, you won’t need sandals, etc. I advise picking a few pairs that fit most of your clothes. 

1. Flat/heels 
2. Running/walking shoes 
3. Summer/open shoes or boots 

Outerwear – Similar to the previous section, it mainly depends on your season. 

1. Jacket
2. Blazer/Denim jacket, etc.

Project 333 Examples

Below (and throughout this article) is my example of Project 333 and the exact items I picked for the next 3 months. 

I created the 33-piece wardrobe from February until April, and it was tricky because I was planning a trip to a tropical country for the first 2 months. This means I’ll need mainly summer clothes for February and March, and in April, I’ll return to a colder early spring. 

If my wardrobe is too inappropriate for April, I’ll swap some summer clothes for more warm ones. Without more blabbering, let’s look at my 33-piece wardrobe for the next 3 months:

Essential pieces

• Jeans – 5 long pairs, 1 short.
• Shirt – 4 pieces.
• Tops – 9 pieces.
• T-shirt – 2 pieces.
• Dresses – 3 pieces. 

Jewelry & Accessories 

• Jewerly – I only have a couple of items I regularly use, but for this trip, I don’t plan to take anything.
• Bags – 1 backpack, 2 tote bags.

Shoes

• Shoes – 1 pair of walking shoes, 2 pairs of open shoes. 

Outerwear

1. Thick sweater – 1 piece.

For more inspiration, check this Pinterest board with many great examples of capsule wardrobes and Project 333 examples.

Project 333 tips

• Start with your favorite & ‘essential’ items. Building the rest of your wardrobe will be easier when you have the essential things first. And to mention it again, the “essential pieces” should be 100% based on your lifestyle!
• Consider a color scheme. In that way, you can mix and match the clothes easily. It doesn’t have to be neutral or monochromatic but focus on a few primary colors.
• If a piece of clothing is in bad shape, it’s uncomfortable, it doesn’t fit anymore, or you realize you don’t wear it – replace it! The point of the challenge is to become more mindful about the items you wear the most, and if you picked something that turned out you don’t wear as much as you think – switch it with something else. Remember that the goal isn’t to be restrictive or compromising.
• If you are unsure about an item, ask yourself if you would buy this piece of clothing today. Does it fit comfortably? Did you wear it in the past couple of weeks? If not, you probably won’t enjoy wearing it, and you can consider donating it/selling it. 
• Don’t purchase new things right away. After weeks of wearing your minimized wardrobe, you will better understand what’s missing. However, don’t rush into buying new things. After you are 100% sure that you need something, you can purchase it.
• It is a learning experience; making adjustments and changes is part of the journey. Swapping something out, removing or adding an extra piece, or changing the season time frame is fine. 

FAQ

Who started Project 333?

The author of Be More With Less, Courtney Carver, started Project 333, which became popular worldwide and inspired hundreds of people to downsize their wardrobes! 

What are the benefits of Project 333?

It is a positive challenge to help you learn what clothing items you love and wear the most. Some of the great benefits of Project 333 include the following:

• Figure out your style – Learn how to combine clothes and make great outfits effortlessly.
• Being more prone to invest in high-quality items that will last you for years – You can find my favorite ethical & affordable clothing brands here.
• You will never feel overwhelmed by having too many clothes that don’t fit well, you don’t like anymore or are too old.
• More sustainable wardrobe. Fast fashion is one of the most polluting industries. Creating a capsule wardrobe with high-quality pieces will reduce the need to buy cheap and low-quality clothes.
• Wear the items you love the most. This will make you feel more confident and happy.
• Save money and inspire creativity. You will not only be able to save money that you would otherwise spend unnecessarily, but you will also start combining items you never thought of before.
• The beginning of your minimalism path and intentional living.

Does Project 333 include socks? (or underwear?)

No – Project 333 does not include socks, underwear, pajamas, or loungewear. 

What to do with the rest of my clothes?

You can put everything away in a box and keep it out of sight. I recommend doing this challenge each season so you can discover the clothes you wear & love the most. Then, you can gift, sell, or donate whatever is left in the box. 

Sum up

Project 333 can be an enjoyable and eye-opening experience. It has plenty of unique benefits, so if you doubt if you should do it, my advice is – don’t overthink! 

You can make changes, swap in/out items you don’t wear, and explore different clothing combinations while finding the pieces you love the most.

If you have any questions or want to share your experience, feel free to comment below. 🙂