Project 333: Rules & Wardrobe List Example

This post and the photos within it may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a commission at no extra charge to you.

---

Are you drowning in clothes but somehow still have nothing to wear? Yeah, I feel you. That’s what led me to try Project 333: a minimalist challenge that sounded somewhat scary and turned out to be one of the better wardrobe decisions I’ve made.

The idea is simple: pick 33 items and wear only those for 3 months. Clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, all in that number. Underwear, socks, sleepwear, and workout clothes don’t count. Neither does a wedding ring or anything you basically never take off.

That’s it. Simple in theory, surprisingly revealing in practice. In this article, you will learn more details, tips, and examples of how to do the challenge.

What is Project 333?

Project 333 was started by Courtney Carver (author of Be More With Less), and the idea is basically to build a capsule wardrobe: a small, intentional collection of things that actually work together, and live in it for a season.

The point isn’t to suffer. It’s not a punishment for owning too many clothes. It’s more like… a reset. A way to figure out what you actually reach for versus what just takes up space and makes you feel vaguely guilty every time you open your wardrobe.

You’re supposed to end up with 33 things you genuinely like wearing. Which sounds obvious, but apparently, most of us need a structured challenge to get there.

Project 333 Rules

• When: Anytime. There’s no official start date.
• How long: 3 months.
• What counts: Clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry, outerwear. All in the 33.
• What doesn’t count: Underwear, socks, sleepwear, workout clothes, loungewear, and anything you never take off (wedding ring, etc.).
• Most importantly: Think about your actual life. Your climate, your job, how you spend your time. The 33 items should reflect the life you’re actually living, not an aspirational version of it.

Think of these as guidelines, not laws. The challenge is flexible by design.

Project 333: Wardrobe list

When you’re building your 33, the usual breakdown looks something like this:

Essential pieces: the things your outfits will be built around. Only include things you genuinely like and actually wear. Not “might wear someday.” Not “wore once and it was fine.”

• Jeans, trousers, or shorts
• Shirts and tops
• T-shirts
• Sweatshirts
• Dresses or skirts

Jewelry & accessories: only the ones you reach for regularly.

• Earrings, bracelets, necklaces
• Bag or backpack
• Scarf or hat
• Sunglasses

Shoes: season-dependent. Pick pairs that work with most of your clothes.

Outerwear: jacket, blazer, coat, whatever applies to your climate.

The keyword throughout all of this is mix-and-match. If you’re picking 33 items, they should ideally all play nicely together so you can create way more than 33 combinations.

My Project 333

I did this challenge starting in February 2022, which made it a bit more complicated than usual — I was heading to Costa Rica for the first two months, then coming back to early spring weather in April. Two very different climates, 33 items, no do-overs.

Here’s what I ended up with:

• Jeans: 5 long pairs, 1 short pair
• Shirts: 4
• Tops: 9
• T-shirts: 2
• Dresses: 3
• Bags: 1 backpack, 2 tote bags
• Shoes: 1 pair of walking shoes, 2 pairs of open shoes
• Outerwear: 1 thick sweater
• Jewelry: Minimal; I didn’t bring much for this trip

Looking at this now, I have to laugh at myself a little. I mean, why did I pack five pairs of long jeans for Costa Rica??? It’s one of the hottest, most humid places I’ve been. And yes, I wore them, but still, it just seems very unnecessary (plus, they take up lots of space!).

The April re-entry was fine. I swapped a few summer pieces for warmer ones when I got back.

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.

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

How it went for me

I stuck to it. Not because I’m particularly disciplined, but because I was traveling and that was genuinely all I had with me. Turns out, being away from home is one of the best ways to experience this challenge.

There’s no temptation to “just grab something else,” because there is nothing else. You work with what you have, you stop overthinking it, and after a few days, it just becomes normal.

If you’re considering doing Project 333 and you have a trip coming up, I’d honestly recommend timing them together. The constraint feels less like a sacrifice and more like just… how you travel.

Project 333 tips

• Start with your non-negotiables. Pick the things you’d be genuinely sad not to have first, then build around them. If those items don’t reflect your actual lifestyle, the whole thing falls apart.
• Think in color families. You don’t have to go full neutral capsule, but picking a loose color palette means everything is more likely to work together without much effort.
• If you picked something and you’re not wearing it, swap it. The challenge isn’t about suffering through clothes you don’t like. If something isn’t working, replace it. That’s the whole point, to learn what you actually want to wear.
• Don’t buy anything new right away. After a few weeks, you’ll have a much clearer picture of what’s actually missing (versus what you just think you want in week one). Wait until you’re sure.
• Give it at least two weeks before you decide how you feel about it. The first few days can feel weirdly restrictive, even when you have plenty of options. It settles.

Is it worth doing?

For me, yes. It made me much more aware of what I actually wear versus what just lives in my wardrobe, taking up space.

If you’re curious, just try it. You can adjust as you go, and the worst case is you learn something about what you actually like wearing. That seems worth it.

Final thoughts

Project 333 can be a fun and eye-opening experience. It has plenty of benefits, so if you doubt whether 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. 🙂