Project 333 Rules: How the 33-Item Challenge Works

6 min read · WORN

The Project 333 rules are short: for three months, you dress with 33 items or fewer, and those 33 include clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry and outerwear. Underwear, sleepwear, at-home loungewear, workout clothes worn only for working out, and sentimental jewelry you never take off don't count. Everything else gets boxed up and put out of sight until the three months end.

If you want Project 333 to be built from the clothes you truly wear rather than the ones you think you wear, WORN is being built to show you that list: Start my outfit diary

What Project 333 is

Project 333 is a minimalist fashion challenge created by Courtney Carver, who writes at Be More With Less. She started it in 2010 as a personal experiment, and it has since become one of the best-known capsule wardrobe challenges around. Her site, bemorewithless.com, is the official home of the challenge, and it's worth reading her version directly.

The 333 meaning is easy to remember:

• 33 items
• 3 months
• That's it

People take it on for different reasons: faster mornings, less shopping, less laundry, or just curiosity about how little they need.

The Project 333 rules in brief

Here's a plain-language summary of how to do Project 333. (For the exact wording, check the creator's site.)

1. When: Every three months, so four times a year. Many people line it up with the seasons.
2. What: 33 items, including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes.
3. What's not included: Underwear, sleepwear, in-home loungewear, workout clothing (only worn to work out), and sentimental jewelry you never take off, like a wedding ring.
4. How: Choose your 33 items. Box up everything else, seal it, and put it out of sight.
5. Commit: Treat the three months as a commitment, and trust that you can make a wardrobe that works.
6. Replace when needed: If something wears out or no longer fits, you can swap it for a replacement.

That's the whole Project 333 formula. It isn't about buying a new minimalist wardrobe. You build it from what you already own.

What counts and what doesn't

Most questions about the challenge come down to this. Here's a quick guide.

Still unsure about bras, tights or gym leggings you wear to the store? We go through the gray areas in does Project 333 include underwear?.

Picking your 33

Choosing 33 items sounds generous until you count shoes, bags and jewelry. Here's a step-by-step approach.

Step 1: pull your favorites

Go through your closet and pull out the things you wear most. Not the things you want to wear, but the ones you actually grab on a normal Tuesday.

This is the hard part, because memory is unreliable. Most people overestimate how many different pieces they wear.

Knowing your real favorites is the whole foundation of a good 33. WORN is planned to do this for you: one photo a day of what you actually wore, one tap, no tagging or wardrobe cataloguing first. After a month it reads back the few pieces you really wear and the ones you never touch, so picking your 33 starts from facts. Start my outfit diary

Step 2: check the season and your plans

Look at the next three months. School, work, a trip, a formal event? Make sure your list covers it.

Step 3: pick a small color palette

Two or three neutrals and one or two accent colors make the math work. More combinations with fewer pieces.

Step 4: count and cut

Write everything down. If you have 45, cut the ones that only go with one outfit or that you'd choose last.

Step 5: box the rest

Box it, tape it, label it with the date three months away. Out of sight really helps.

A sample 33-item list

Here's a Project 333 wardrobe list for fall. Use it as a template and swap pieces for your life.

Tops (9)

1. White tee
2. Black tee
3. Gray tee
4. Striped long-sleeve
5. Button-up shirt
6. Knit sweater
7. Hoodie
8. Blouse or nicer top
9. Tank top for layering

Bottoms and dresses (6) 10. Blue jeans 11. Black jeans 12. Black trousers 13. Skirt 14. Casual dress 15. Dressier dress

Layers and outerwear (4) 16. Cardigan 17. Denim jacket 18. Warm coat 19. Rain jacket

Shoes (5) 20. White sneakers 21. Black boots 22. Flats or loafers 23. Sandals or slides 24. Dress shoes

Accessories and jewelry (9) 25. Everyday bag 26. Backpack 27. Scarf 28. Beanie 29. Belt 30. Watch 31. Stud earrings 32. Necklace 33. Sunglasses

Project 333 for teens and students

A school version shifts the balance toward casual pieces. Swap the blouse, dressier dress and dress shoes for a second hoodie, joggers and a second pair of sneakers. If you have a uniform, many people treat required uniform pieces like workout clothes, but that's a personal call: decide before you start. For a list aimed at guys, see Project 333 for men.

After three months

When the three months end, don't just rip open the box. Take stock first.

Questions to ask

• Which items did I wear constantly?
• Which of my 33 barely got worn?
• What did I miss from the box? (Often, less than you'd expect.)
• Did I feel like I had "nothing to wear" more or less often than before?

Then open the box

Go through it item by item. Anything you didn't miss once in three months is worth a hard look. You might swap a few pieces in for the next round, and let go of others.

Many people find the second round much easier, because the first round taught them what they actually wear.

Follow the Project 333 rules with your real favorites

The Project 333 rules work best when your 33 are pieces you really wear. WORN is a waitlist right now, and it gets built only if enough people sign up. Add your email in the next minute, and if it launches you'll have a private outfit diary that points out your real top pieces after a month.

Start my outfit diary

FAQ

What is Project 333?

Project 333 is a minimalist fashion challenge by Courtney Carver of Be More With Less. You dress with 33 items or fewer for three months, including shoes and accessories. Underwear, sleepwear, loungewear, workout clothes and sentimental jewelry don't count.

Do shoes count in Project 333?

Yes. Shoes count toward your 33, along with bags, jewelry, scarves and outerwear. This is why most lists include only four to six pairs.

Can I buy new clothes during Project 333?

The challenge is about using what you own, so most people don't shop during it. The rules allow replacing items that wear out or stop fitting. A replacement takes the old item's spot.

Is there a free Project 333 template?

Yes, you can use the sample list above as a template, and the creator's site shares resources too. A simple notes app list, split into tops, bottoms, layers, shoes and accessories, works just as well.

What happens after the 333 challenge?

You review what you wore, open your box, and decide what goes into your next 33. Many people keep going season after season, while others use what they learned to shop less and keep a smaller closet.