ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What if having less could actually give you more—more time, more energy, more creativity, and more freedom?
In this episode of Badass Basic Bitch, Brianna sits down with Courtney Carver, founder of Be More with Less and creator of the Project 333 Challenge, to talk about simplifying your life, letting go of what’s weighing you down, and redefining what “enough” really looks like.
Courtney’s journey toward simplicity began after a life-changing health diagnosis forced her to take a closer look at the stress in her life. What started with addressing debt, clutter, and an overwhelming career eventually became a completely different way of living—and a movement that has inspired people around the world to rethink their relationship with their stuff.
Courtney breaks down her famous Project 333 Challenge: dressing with just 33 items or less for three months. But as Brianna and Courtney explore, this conversation is about much more than cleaning out your closet.
They dive into the emotional reasons we hold onto things, how shopping can become a way of coping with discomfort, the influence of social media and algorithms on consumerism, and the surprising mental freedom that comes from having fewer decisions to make every day.
From designer handbags and kids’ clutter to online shopping and decision fatigue, this episode will have you looking around your house—and maybe opening your closet—the second it’s over.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
- How Courtney’s journey toward simplicity began
- Why reducing stress became the catalyst for changing her life
- The creation of Be More with Less and Project 333
- How the Project 333 Challenge works
- What is—and isn’t—included in your 33 items
- Why Project 333 isn’t about deprivation or suffering
- How having less helps redefine what “enough” actually means
- The emotional attachment we develop to clothes, handbags, and possessions
- A simple trick for letting go of items you’re emotionally attached to
- Brianna’s experience letting go of designer bags and simplifying her wardrobe
- How shopping can become a coping mechanism when other parts of life feel outside our control
- Why clutter isn’t always made up of things we dislike
- The challenge of managing clutter when you have kids
- How fewer choices can benefit children, too
- Reducing decision fatigue through a simplified wardrobe
- Why fewer possessions can create more room for creativity
- Managing your energy instead of constantly trying to manage your time
- Using services like Rent the Runway without falling back into overconsumption
- How Instagram, TikTok, algorithms, and online shopping influence what we think we need
- Why Courtney intentionally reduced her own social media consumption
- The surprising realization that most people aren’t paying attention to what you wear
- How simplifying one area of your life can inspire changes everywhere else
Memorable Quote
“One of the biggest benefits is realizing that nobody notices what you’re doing.” — Courtney Carver
Key Takeaways
Simplicity Isn’t About Deprivation
Project 333 isn't designed to make you suffer through three months with nothing to wear. The challenge is an experiment in discovering how much you actually need.
By choosing 33 items—including clothing, jewelry, shoes, and accessories—and living with them for three months, you get the opportunity to step away from the constant cycle of wanting more and discover what you genuinely enjoy wearing.
Sometimes You Need Space Before You Can Let Go
Getting rid of something can feel surprisingly emotional, especially when the item represents a memory, identity, accomplishment, or version of yourself.
Courtney suggests removing items from sight before deciding whether to permanently let them go. Creating distance can weaken the emotional connection and help you recognize whether you actually miss the item—or simply felt uncomfortable getting rid of it.
Clutter Costs More Than Money
Everything we own requires something from us. We have to organize it, clean it, maintain it, store it, think about it, or decide what to do with it.
Reducing what you own isn't simply about having a cleaner closet. It can reduce decision fatigue and free up mental energy for creativity, relationships, work, problem-solving, and the things that matter more.
Shopping Can Give Us the Illusion of Control
When something painful or stressful is happening outside of our control, focusing on something we can control—like what we buy—can feel comforting.
But that temporary relief can eventually create another source of stress through clutter, spending, and the constant pressure to acquire more. Recognizing why you're reaching for something can be just as important as deciding whether to buy it.
Social Media Is Constantly Telling Us We Need More
Instagram, TikTok, online shopping, and personalized algorithms have created an environment where we're constantly being introduced to the next thing we're supposed to want.
Courtney shares why she's intentionally reduced her own time on certain platforms and why becoming more conscious about what we're consuming digitally can help change what we consume physically.
Fewer Decisions Can Create More Creativity
When you remove dozens of unnecessary decisions from your day, that energy doesn't disappear—it becomes available for something else.
Courtney has found that simplifying areas like her wardrobe gives her more capacity for writing, business, problem-solving, and creativity. Sometimes creating more space in your life literally begins by removing things from it.
Nobody Is Paying as Much Attention as You Think
One of the unexpected lessons from Project 333 is discovering how little other people notice what you're wearing.
The fear that someone will notice you repeating an outfit or wearing fewer things is often much bigger in our minds than it is in reality. Letting go of that perceived judgment can create freedom far beyond your closet.
Ready to Try Project 333?
For three months, dress with 33 items or less, including:
- Clothing
- Jewelry
- Accessories
- Shoes
Items such as underwear, sleepwear, workout clothing used specifically for exercise, and special-occasion pieces aren't included in the 33.
The goal isn't to find the perfect 33 pieces. It's to experiment with less and pay attention to what changes—your mornings, your decisions, your spending, your energy, and potentially much more.
Connect with Courtney Carver
Courtney Carver is the founder of Be More with Less and creator of the Project 333 Challenge. Through her books, writing, courses, and The Simplicity Space Community, Courtney helps people live with less and let go of what's weighing them down.
📱 Instagram: @bemorewithless
🌐 Website: bemorewithless.com
📚 Explore Courtney’s books, blog, Project 333 resources, courses, and The Simplicity Space Community through Be More with Less.
Connect with Badass Basic Bitch
📱 Instagram: @badassbasicbitchpodcast
🎙️ Hosted by: Brianna Dunbar-DeMike
If this episode has you staring at your closet thinking, Okay, maybe I don't need all of this, send it to the friend who needs a decluttering intervention too.
Follow and subscribe to Badass Basic Bitch wherever you listen, and leave a review to help more women discover the show.
We'll see you next week!
