Playing the Minimalism Game

[YupIFreakilyHave]

For the month of October I am challenging myself to playing the 30 Day Minimalism Game as described by various people on their YouTube channels including The Minimalists. I prefer Jolita Bartkus' video on this. I know October has 31 days but the last day is for reflecting on how the month went.

How to Play: On the 1st you declutter one thing, on the 2nd you declutter 2 things, on the 3rd three things and so on. By the end of 30th day, 465 items should have been decluttered. Well, that's the aim.

I've been on this decluttering lark for a few years now so it'll be an interesting project. I'll try to update everyday of what was decluttered and maybe a little story of some of the items. I'm doing this online as a way to hold myself to account but I would welcome anyone who would like to join me.

It starts tomorrow. Eek!

Jolita Bartkus' video:

@RedCake that is very heartening actually thank you! I somehow hadn't really considered before that getting rid of such a bit clutter layer of stuff this month will mean that that stuff will NEVER BE HERE AGAIN so it really is helping pave the way for an easier future of keeping on top of things. Thank you.

@Trumpton insomnia is awful isn't it!! I'm very impressed that you are using yours to declutter rather than scroll endlessly through the internet. And for tossing the post surgery bras. They must symbolise a huge emotional and physical journey. I'm really glad you are safely out the other side of the physical part of it at least x

@Nordicmom you are doing so amazingly with your saying goodbye to the baby things. Just incredibly well. Absolutely count them as individual items. Count each tiny bootie and glove as individual items if you want to - each of them will represent emotional value and it is absolutely worth accounting for that.

Welcome @LaMariposa and @BasiliskStare - looks like you have both made great starts already!

Days 24 and 25 for me attached. The dress up box is a bit lighter now!

Also some bonuses of 20 'artwork' canvasses done by my children over the course of more than a decade... bit of a difficult goodbye but I am finally accepting i can't keep everything! Also another 20ish bits and bobs from my study, 2 old library bags and 3 painting kits, so bonuses now 436.

Thank you Declutterclogs

@Declutterclogs
Oh I don’t find stuff in the middle of the night ! I generally do it the day before and just play with the collages in the wee small hours !

@Nordicmom wow you are incredible. Pushing yourself so hard both emotionally and physically at the same time.

Day 25, tackled the 2 electricals drawers.
44 cables & chargers, 10 USB charger plugs, 10 additional bits and bobs, 4 instruction manuals. I'm rounded down a bit but I'm counting them all, that drawer had been bugging me for years and I've earned it. So 62 bonus items today, bringing me up to date with 153 bonus things.

Welcome @LaMariposa

Hi @BasiliskStare and @LaMariposa

Great equation: stuff = money = time

@Nordicmom glad you are here and have some virtual buddies to help say goodbye to the baby bits.

Day 25 - the material box yielded 25 pieces of unwanted fabric.

I have come to the realisation that I actually have a lot of clutter but it’s all been squirrelled away in boxes.

I might tackle the loft in December when the Christmas decorations come down.

I’ve done lots of decluttering in the last two days but might try to do more today since still doing catch up ,I’m only on day 22 . First I’ll have to go down to check up on our dog he’s back last night and do laundry and unpacking hopefully will get lunch too . I have more kids clothes in my room and possibly the attic still definitely at the storage locker which has other things like the buggies a few bits of furniture , kids school books I haven’t had time to look through ( I did this y in the summer ) etc so despite decluttering before moving I could keep at this for a good while . DD bed has been built by DH last night and she’s got a new big chest of drawers and a trunk more for storage so I have that room
To organise too . I also have admin etc and I just feel mentally and physically too tired for any of it

When I did a massive declutter some years ago when we downsized to a smaller house house some of the hardest things were photos ( i.e. physically printed out ones and DCs art from school. The best thing was just to pick a few special ones and scan / photo the rest and put them on the computer , it got rid of bags and bags & I genuinely don't miss them , but know they are there if I want to look at them.

I feel like I had a "win" yesterday. We put together the second of 2 IKEA bedside tables last night (had in the box for the best part of a year) This means I can donate our old mismatched one and now we have 2 matching. I mean technically I have decluttered

Well done @torthecatlady, I bet that felt good!

@Trumpton that makes sense! I've started Christmas shopping in my insomnia windows. Not sure how sensible that is but I'll find out when it all starts arriving...

@basiliskStare that is useful advice thank you. Years ago a friend told me that instead of keeping every piece of kids' artwork, she had one really good piece framed each year. But I always wondered how she kept it up because with 3 kids, after 10 years you still end up with 30 framed artworks to deal with!! Electronic saving sounds very wise.

@MissCreeAnt omg the electronics cables drawer 😱😱😱😱 Well done!! I'm still too scared to go near mine and it's day 26!

I've done baby and kids clothes and toys for day 26 instead - 26+ items now in charity shop bags. Also bonuses of 2 backpacks, 5 towels, a jumper that I like but never wear as it makes me look like a marshmallow, some tea that was a gift that I won't use, an ancient pack of food storage bags found in the back of the pantry that seem to be biodegrading, and 3 lots of equally ancient ant / moth / rodent baits that appear to have fossilised. Bonuses total 449.

Day 26.

1. Paper bits from a kitchen drawer.
2. Pavement chalks, I have a lovely new box waiting to be used by the dgc.

3-15 Sewing drawer rubbish. Now looking a lot better. 16 A box file as I have started sorting documents and it is no longer needed. 17-19 More sewing bits. 20-21 From the wrapping paper stash. 22-26 Books

I have also listed a sink,toilet, and various bathroom bits free on fb but can’t really count them as decluttering as new ones are being installed.

Ah! Bums! Photo went awol.

Photo compressed.
Well that’s a new skill

Morning. Nicely squished @Trumpton. Everyone's totals are really ramping up now.

Day 26, 5 items
More holey boy's pants
Chipped pyrex bowl
TV licence that escaped the last cull
Fistful of receipts from purse
Massive chest of drawers

What do you do with children's old primary school workbooks? I know we will hardly ever open them again, but it's hard to throw away all that work. I don't want to photograph them, I'd rather have a box sitting quietly in the loft than something in virtual storage I have to manage and avoid losing.

@MissCreeAnt I've just kept the reception year and year six books So that you can see the progress I've made from when they started to when they finished

*they, not I. (Stupid phone)

Day 26 - the linen cupboard.

@RedCake it's funny, isn't it? You think you have run out of items and then you find loads more. I think it's because it's all put away neatly in cupboards and boxes. Well done, btw

5 days to go!

@MissCreeAnt my parents kept all of my school things in the loft and gave them to me when I moved out. My attitude changed from them being precious to junk overnight

Yep @YupIFreakilyHave the system of surfaces to storage boxes to loft to shed then out needs to be circumvented. Really enjoying the game thanks!

Glad I did days 23-25 before I went away. Got home today and did day 26. Looked on one shelf in a kitchen cupboard and found 14 egg boxes (save to give away eggs but we are down to 2 chickens so won’t be giving any away anytime soon) and then 10 things from the medicine/vitamin tub. Made it up to 26 with an old dog towel and a woolly hat.

Feeling very motivated after reading some minimalism/essentialism stuff!