How Many Clothes Do You Actually Need?

During a closet overhaul, you may end up asking yourself, “How many clothes do I actually need?” A web search will come up with all kinds of numbers, but you can ignore that. What you really need to do is customize your own answer. Here’s help.

Key takeaways

• There’s no magic number of clothes everyone should own. Your ideal wardrobe size depends on your lifestyle, habits, and personal style.
• Start by figuring out how many outfits you need for work, weekends, relaxing at home, and special occasions.
• Think about how often you do laundry and re-wear clothes when deciding how many garments you need.
• Take your local climate into account. If you experience all four seasons, you’ll probably need more clothing.
• Your personal style matters, too. If you love experimenting with fashion, you may want more clothes than someone who prefers a daily uniform.
• Count the clothes you actually wear to get a realistic idea of how many garments you need.
• Adjust your wardrobe if you’re bored with your clothes or overwhelmed by too many choices.
• Don’t feel pressured to stick to a specific number. The goal is to have enough clothes to enjoy getting dressed without feeling overwhelmed.

Figure out your baseline

First, we’re going to figure out your baseline of exactly the number of clothes you need so that you aren’t left naked. Think about your average day. Do you work five days a week? Then you’ll at least need five outfits for work, whether that’s office casual or fire-retardant jeans and hi-vis tees. Write down exactly what you wear on a normal work day.

After you get home, you probably change into comfy clothes, so you’ll want to include that into your number.

Next, you’re going to take your weekends into account. Do you normally hang out in sweats all weekend? Do you need an outfit to wear to brunch? Or an outfit for date night? Write down all the outfits that you usually need on a normal weekend.

Now, think about special occasions. You need at least one or two outfits for weddings, funerals, graduations, and the like. Write down how many outfits you think you need to cover your yearly special occasions.

Okay, you probably have a list that looks something like this:

• Work outfits: 5 outfits that consist of 5 shirts, 5 pants, and one or two blazers. Three comfy outfits with two pairs of shorts, three tops, and one pair of sweatpants.  That’s 18 garments.
• Weekend outfits: One brunch outfit of a top and a skirt, one date night outfit that’s a dress and cardigan, and two lounge sets. A total of 6 garments.
• Special occasion outfits: Two dresses for weddings, graduations, etc., and a dress for funerals. A total of 4 garments.

8 garments. 

Refine your number

Now, that number you just came up with is the bare minimum; don’t panic. It just gives you a better understanding of how you wear clothes in your life. For your number to be more realistic, you’ll need to add in some more factors:

• How often you wash clothes: If you wash your clothes once a week, you’ll need fewer clothes than someone who washes a couple of times a month.
• How often you re-wear an outfit: If you have a well-planned wardrobe, you can make a lot of different outfits by mixing and matching, but you probably want a little variety. That will add more garments to your number.
• Temperature variations in your area: If your location has all four seasons, you’ll probably need more clothing than someone in a temperate climate that stays warm year-round. The more seasons in your area, the more garments you need to accommodate conditions.
• Your sense of style: A minimalist will often be fine with only owning a small number of garments. Especially if they conform to the idea of a daily uniform, like Steve Jobs and his black turtleneck and jeans everyday work look. People who like to experiment with clothing will have a lot more garments in their closet to play with. 

Figure out what you really wear

Time to actually figure out your real number. Go to your closet and pull out every garment that you wear on a regular basis. Next, pull out the garments that you actually wear to special occasions (not the ones you think you may wear one day). Now count the garments. This is your real number. You just weeded out all the garments you don’t wear for one reason or another and are just left with your everyday life.

Chances are, this number may not work for you. If you find yourself wearing the same stuff every day and hate it, then you need to maybe add some variety to your closet. If you wear lots of stuff, but it stresses you out to pick out an outfit every morning, then maybe you need to streamline. 

The numbers you came up with in the first and second sections can help to guide you in refining your number. Remember, there’s no right or wrong answer. 

FAQ

How many clothes should the average person own?

There’s no set number of clothes the average person needs. Someone who works from home and wears casual clothes most days may need fewer garments than someone who needs separate outfits for work, exercise, and social events. Your laundry schedule, climate, and personal style also make a difference.

How do I figure out how many clothes I actually need?

Start by counting how many outfits you need for a typical week, including work, weekends, and relaxing at home. Add clothing for special occasions and different seasons. Then, look at the clothes you actually wear to see how closely your wardrobe matches your needs.

How many outfits should I have for a week?

Start with enough outfits to cover your normal activities between laundry days. If you wash clothes once a week, you may want at least seven days’ worth of clothing, although you can reduce the number of individual garments by mixing, matching, and re-wearing pieces.

Is 100 pieces of clothing too many?

Not necessarily. Someone who enjoys fashion, lives in a climate with four seasons, or needs different types of clothing for work and hobbies may regularly wear 100 garments or more. If you wear and enjoy what you own, there’s no reason to get rid of clothes just to reach a smaller number.

How many clothes do you need for a minimalist wardrobe?

There’s no required number, even for a minimalist wardrobe. Some people are comfortable with a small collection of interchangeable pieces, while others need more variety. Start with the clothes you regularly wear, then decide whether you can comfortably reduce the number without making your daily routine harder.

Should I get rid of clothes I don’t wear regularly?

Not always. Special-occasion outfits, seasonal clothing, and sentimental pieces may be worth keeping even if you rarely wear them. Focus on getting rid of clothes you no longer like, don’t plan to wear, or don’t have a reason to keep.

How do I know if I have too many clothes?

You may have too many clothes if your closet is so packed that you can’t find anything, you regularly forget what you own, or choosing an outfit feels overwhelming. Another sign is having piles of clothing you never wear. However, a large wardrobe isn’t automatically a problem if you have room for it and enjoy using it.

Can you have too few clothes?

Yes. If you’re constantly running out of clean outfits, wearing clothes you don’t like because you have no other options, or struggling to dress for certain activities or weather conditions, you may need more clothing. Your wardrobe should make getting dressed easier, not create extra work.