The shirt I’m wearing right now is currently 9 years old. Damn, I have a nephew who’s younger than that. Does this mean I’m getting old?

It’s not just some shirt that I wear on occasion, it’s a shirt I wear weekly. It’s become a staple of my wardrobe and more importantly changed the way I think about clothing.

Yes I recognize this photo is not nearly as cool as I thought it was at the time.

Here’s a picture of me circa 2011 in the same shirt I still wear to this day. Not the same type of shirt or the same brand, but literally the same exact shirt I was wearing in 8th grade.

When I first went backpacking, I bought one of these merino wool base layers to wear. At some point, I bought another one when they were on sale. But for the most part, I didn’t care much about it. Over time, I would wear them camping, but that was about it.

For the most part, they sat in my box full of camping gear. Until one fateful day my freshman year of college. I had put off doing laundry. All I had left was the base layers. So I threw one on and repeated the next day. Over time, they ended up being a staple in my wardrobe. These days my wardrobe consists of a pair of chinos, a base layer, and some fun socks. While simplifying my wardrobe wasn’t a conscious decision, I’m glad I made it and encourage you to do the same. Here’s why.

Last week a girl told me I was psychotic when I told her I hang my clothes with the hangers facing backward.

Two years ago I would have agreed that hanging your clothes backward just feels wrong, it’s like pouring your cereal into a bowl of milk.

Let’s step back. Like most everyone, I own a few too many clothes. Things that I loved when I bought them, but over time didn’t receive the love they deserve. In most given months, I wear the same 10 shirts. Yet, the majority of my closet is taken up by shirts that never see the light of day.

At the start of every year, I flip every single one of my hangers backward. Then, each time I then wear that article of clothing, I flip the hanger so it sits the right way. By November it’s evident what you wear and what you don’t.

To add another layer. Here’s the thing, everything that hasn’t been worn in the past year goes into a big garment bag/hamper. If I feel so inclined to wear it in the next six months and actually take it out of the bag, it reclaims a spot on my shelf. If it doesn’t I get rid of it in one way or another.

When I was moving to Dallas for a summer internship, it was easy to decide what I was taking with me. There were only a dozen or so shirts I actually loved wearing. The rest stayed at home.

If you feel like your possessions are bogging you down, start by clearing up your wardrobe. It doesn’t have to be as difficult as you think. You may get some odd looks when someone looks at your closet, but flipping your hangers is a start at simplifying your wardrobe.