Well, hello there! I’m Luīze Ratniece, PhD, and this blog reflects my life with a minimalist wardrobe and sustainability aspirations.

I have loved dressing up since I can remember myself. That, together with a rather tomboyish behavior and post-materialistic values, make an interesting – and confusing for some – mix.

Between the ages of 4 and 16 I was planning to become a fashion designer. Right before the art school entrance exams in 2004, though, I decided not to even try that. Instead, I tipped my toes in journalism, NGO work and – quite deeply – in sociology and Academia, all that while wearing a whimsical selection of bird headpieces, huge earrings and only flat shoes.

My sustainable wardrobe journey started in 2013. I had recently moved to Barcelona, was doing a MA but my future was very uncertain. As so many other people do when everything outside home seems too chaotic and impossible to change, I found solace in reorganizing my everyday life.

I’ve been pruning out my wardrobe aiming at maximizing comfy eccentricity and priming sustainability. Most of the things I wear are hand-me-downs, heirloom or purchased second hand. The few items I purchase new are carefully planned and researched.

After having read ravenously about other people’s capsule wardrobes, I’ve devised my own, even more demanding system (parts I and II) of making sure that only the optimal items stay in my closet. If that’s something you are interested in, welcome to my land of happy wardrobe spreadsheets where all the pieces are statement pieces!

The type of minimalism you will find here has more to do with numbers and less with a certain kind of aesthetics. There are not many garments in my wardrobe but most of them would qualify as statement pieces in other people’s books… I keep repeating that for me a solid outfit starts with mixing at least four patterns, and that’s only part exaggeration.

My wardrobe adventures have also taken me to professional organization and the Marie Kondo universe. Since March 2019 I’m the first certified KonMari™ consultant in Catalunya and also 1/3 of the first podcast in Spanish dedicated to the method, Orden a Tres.

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I believe that it is possible to do a satisfying wardrobe detox journey on your own, and this is blog is full with tools that can help you. To make sue you feel like at home here, I suggest you follow this order:

For conceptual clarity read through The minimalist wardrobe masterpost: What do people do and why?

For advice on how to build a coherent wardrobe vision, go to Vision-building for your wardrobe.

For wardrobe editing strategies, here you have Constant gardener: Edit your wardrobe!

To calm down the overwhelm, go to Baby steps: Detoxing a wardrobe takes time.

I highly recommend treating garments as employees on a trial period: Curating the 100% comfort wardrobe.

Also, Why we swap and how will tell you how to organize a clothes’ swap on your own.

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You can get in touch with me either via social media – Facebook or Instagram – by email luize.ratniece (a) gmail.com. Also feel free to come and say hi! at events or just on the street.

My consistent creative output since 2008 has been the photodiary you can find here.