Project 333: 5 Ideas from the Book That Changed My Perspective
Have you ever stumbled across the right book at just the right time? That was me with Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge.
In this post I’ll share why it resonated with me and what I’m taking away from it as our family starts to navigate decluttering and simplifying our home in 2025.
How I First Learned About Project 333
Just this New Year, I happened to stumble upon Courtney Carver’s book Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really Is So Much More (2020) at my local library in Helsinki.
The first time I heard about Project 333 was in the film Minimalism: A Documentary about the Important Things (2015), directed by Matt D’Avella.
I watched this documentary on Netflix years ago and first started learning about the concept of minimalism. Even then, I felt that minimalism was an idea that would stick with me for a long time.
In the film, Courtney Carver is introduced as someone who created a fashion challenge, encouraging people to choose 33 items to wear for 3 months at a time.
She talks about how she came up with the challenge and why she felt the need to try something so radical. According to Carver, it was to “get some peace” when it came to her chaotic wardrobe.
In this blog post, I’ll share 5 big ideas that inspired me the most as I (finally!) read through Courtney Carver’s book for the first time in January 2025.
Project 333: 5 Key Ideas That Changed My Perspective on Simplifying My Wardrobe
1. The Challenge Isn’t Really About Fashion
According to Carver, Project 333 isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about coming back to who you really are.
Whether we start in our closets or kitchen drawers, or in our careers or calendars, what we want is more time and space for who we love and what we love. We want room for more love in our lives, which means less stuff, busyness, debt and stress.
— Courtney Carver (2020)
Ever since I was first introduced to Courtney Carver and learned that the Project 333 challenge existed, I was intrigued by the ideas of minimalism. However, I never actually took a closer look at the challenge or thought about attempting it myself.
What I think put me off was the word “fashion.” I never considered myself to be fashionable, nor did I particularly follow fashion trends. I didn’t think this challenge was created for someone like me—someone so “un-fashionable.”
For as long as I can remember, I cared about my clothes mainly because I cared about what my peers thought of me. I followed the trends just enough to blend in, so I wouldn’t stand out as “too weird.” Yet, somehow, I still ended up wearing things that my peers didn’t always consider cool or trendy.
As a child, I preferred practical clothing and wasn’t into accessorizing. I’ve never been someone who wears jewelry, and I wasn’t interested in playing dress-up like many of the girls in my childhood.
Today, I haven’t changed much. One of my favorite things about finally reading this book was discovering that, despite the title’s focus on “fashion,” it isn’t really about fashion at all.
It’s about remembering who you are in the chaotic world of fast fashion and consumer culture. Now, all I can think is, why didn’t I read this book sooner!?
2. It Gives Permission to Stop Following Trends
One of the most liberating ideas I found in Project 333 was the permission to stop chasing fashion trends.
For years, I’ve felt overwhelmed by the constant cycle of what’s “in” and what’s “out.”
Dressing according to trends has always felt exhausting, but with the challenge of only choosing 33 items, I realized that the pressure to follow trends is reduced because there’s so little space for new pieces.
Project 333 could ideally give me the freedom to stop trying to keep up and instead focus on what I actually enjoy wearing.
The book encourages you to build a wardrobe that works for your life, regardless of what’s popular. I really love this idea.
It’s okay to slow down, appreciate what you already have, and stop worrying about whether it fits some external standard.
In a world that thrives on fast fashion and consumerism, this shift feels both empowering and sustainable—something I can apply to my own life and even share with my family.
3. You Don’t Have to Get Rid of All Your Clothes
Another idea from Project 333 that really stood out to me was the approach of minimizing without having to get rid of your excess clothing immediately.
Instead, the challenge encourages you to pack away items you’re not actively using.
This felt like a gentler, more thoughtful way of decluttering.
This method feels especially relevant for me right now, as I’m in the midst of decluttering my closet using the KonMari Method.
The KonMari Method encourages discarding items in one sitting based on whether they spark joy, or not.
Project 333 offers a more flexible approach by having you pack away clothes you’re not currently using. This method is ideal if you prefer to declutter slowly, as it allows you to reassess what to keep or let go of with each season change.
This idea helps me feel less pressured to make quick decisions right away. This feels important to me, especially now as I’m soon about to transition from pregnancy to postpartum and will experience many changes in my body.
Stick around until the end to learn about how I intend to combine the KonMari Method and Project 333 for decluttering success!
4. Finding Peace with a Fixed Number: The Power of 33 Items
The most powerful concept from Project 333 is the idea of having a specific number—33 items—to guide your wardrobe choices.
This simple number helps create focus and removes the overwhelming feeling of endless options.
Rather than getting lost in the thought of “how much should I keep?” and “how many pieces should I leave out?”, you narrow it down to just 33 pieces that work for you over the course of three months.
The 33 pieces also includes accessories, shoes and outwear. But excludes things like workout clothing, sleepwear and loungewear.
In comparison, the KonMari Method encourages keeping items that spark joy and letting go of the rest. Kondo doesn’t specify how many items you should keep, only that they must bring you joy.
What I find inspiring about Project 333 is the clear, manageable limit on how many items you have in your wardrobe at a time.
5. This Wardrobe Challenge Could Work for Kids’ Clothes Too!
As a new mom soon raising two kids under 2 (!) the possibility of creating a smaller wardrobe for my toddler and newborn felt quite mind-blowing.
Children’s clothes tend to multiply quickly—gifts, hand-me-downs, and the constant flow of new items entering our homes can leave us feeling so overwhelmed by clutter.
Project 333 inspired me to rethink this for my little ones. This minimalist fashion challenge doesn’t just apply to adults—it could totally work for kids, too!
Having fewer clothes for my toddler and newborn could mean
- less laundry,
- less time spent organizing, and
- a greater sense of control over what’s in the closet.
It’s also an opportunity to focus more on quality over quantity, choosing pieces that are versatile and can be worn in multiple ways.
Plus, it encourages me to be more intentional about what I buy, avoiding items that will only add to the clutter.
Now, you might be thinking, ‘What about spit-up and messes that mean you’ll have to change outfits multiple times a day?’
This is something I’m considering, and of course, I will add pieces if the amount available just doesn’t work!
A simpler, smaller wardrobe for my kids could potentially make everyday life feel much less chaotic and more manageable. I’m really excited about at least trying this concept!
Combining Project 333 and the KonMari Method: How I Intend to Do Both
Reading Project 333 has opened my eyes to a more intentional approach to minimalism, especially in my wardrobe.
Carver’s ideas about freedom from trends, minimizing without disposing right away, and embracing a smaller, more purposeful wardrobe have inspired me to rethink how we manage our clothing.
I’m excited to integrate these ideas with my current KonMari decluttering process.
In 2025, we have set the goal to let go of 50% of our family’s possessions, in order to simplify our lives and create more time creativity, self-care and family experiences while raising small kids.
While the KonMari Method encourages me to keep only items that spark joy, Project 333 offers a more structured approach with its 33-item limit.
My plan is to…
- use the KonMari Method to declutter my wardrobe first, focusing on what sparks joy, and then..
- attempt the Challenge Project 333 to further simplify and create a more manageable closet.
This combination of methods feels like a perfect fit for me, as it balances mindful decision-making with the simplicity of a clear number.
I’m so excited about trying this challenge while we declutter as a family and let go of our excess stuff!
Have You Heard About Project 333 or Already Had Success with the Challenge?
If you’re on your own minimalist journey or looking for inspiration, I’d love for you to follow along!
Bookmark this blog to stay updated on my progress as I combine the KonMari Method and the Project 333 challenge to simplify my wardrobe.
Plus, join me on Instagram for updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and more insights into how our decluttering and simplifying journey in 2025 is progressing!
