The White Tee Challenge

The month of August always brings a specific type of pain for me. This struggle usually creeps up because it is still. So. HOT. Luckily for me this is back to school season, so I usually have enough stuff to keep me occupied until the weather cools off. This month, however, I was feeling particularly crazy. I needed my challenge to be particularly…difficult, consuming, life-changing. So here it is, drum roll please…

The White Tee Challenge

Laundry is dead to me. I am trying something new. I have bagged up everyone's clothing and tucked it all away. I purchased affordable, ethically sourced when possible, packs of white t-shirts. I have thrifted blue jeans for everyone and matching black converse for the kids.

The Rules:

It's pretty simple; there is only one:

  • We will only be wearing white t-shirts and jeans for the entire month of August.

The Exception:

  • We will duck into one big curated family closet on the sabbath to dress up for church.

The Process:

  • Week 1 - My laundry is so easy. We all match nicely. Everyone is always clean because we have enough for multiple changes a day.

  • Week 2 - My oldest son is less than thrilled. He says he likes other colors besides white. I am not giving up. I told him we had three weeks to go.

  • Week 3 - I am going to do this FOREVER!!!!!

  • Week 4 - Yup, this is a good thing.

The Wrap Up 

All in all, this challenge was a success, and I have decided to make some permanent lifestyle changes. The white tees are here to stay! 

The Pros

  • Laundry has been done All. Month. Long.

  • We went on a vacation with two small bags and came home to NO LAUNDRY! No laundry waiting to be washed, switched, or folded. 

  • No more P.J. days. Every day the entire household was up, dressed, and matching.

The Cons:

  • NONE!

The logistics:

  • I got rid of all the casual clothing.

  • I kept a closet for fancy items such as Church clothes and school uniforms.

  • I purchased matching polo shirts in a few neutral colors for church and simplified everyone's fancy apparel.

  • I have told the kids they can express themselves through bandanas, bows, headbands, and other cool accessories. This allowance appeased their need for creativity and independent choice. Now my oldest sons awesome blue bandana is his trademark. I also let them pick a color for their matching fall sweaters.

This month felt like a detox challenge. It was hard to get everybody on board and difficult to enforce in the beginning. When I told friends what I was doing, I was confronted with confusing looks and always the same question, "Why?". Now it feels great, and everybody likes that our lack of individuality has oddly made us very unique and distinctive. As for the "Why?" I was not able to articulate at the beginning beyond, "because I'm tired of doing laundry," but now my why is clear! I don't want to spend my time on laundry. I don't want to spend my time considering how I will look to other people. I don't want to spend my money on clothing that was likely made unfairly by children in a third world country. This method allows me to live by all the convictions and passions that I feel. I have gotten out of the hypocrisy I previously dwelled in. I now have the necessary funds to buy items ethically and sustainably like I want to. I won't have children who put their sense of self into the logo that accompanies their clothing.

Welcome September, I'm so glad you're here.

Jennifer Myers