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

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

Very well put.

Thanks for the ideas on children's workbooks, @redcake and @yupfreakilyihave

Day 22 :
-1 plastic dog slow feeding bowl that isn’t used anymore

• 4 more old dog bowls , I am replacing a few of them not all
• 1 box of puppy pee mats I was keeping just incase of some horrible diarrhoea but they are just in the way and we’ve managed without them before
• 1 old Oyster card
• some old dog and human food from the pantry I just organised half of ( only did the dog food and treats and biscuits , kids snacks etc still have the whole other big cupboard full of cans , pasta , spices ,baking stuff , cooking ingredients, coffee tea etc to do but need to order more of the excellent home edit bins I’ve been trying out they make organising and using the deep shelves so much easier
• old fridge food , ocado came DH put it away and cleaned the fridge before that
• 1 packet of drinking straws made out of real straw we won’t use ,we never use straws really have a packet of paper ones and a few metal ones too so these can go to charity shop
• 1 book from my stash finished last night , 21 more to read ,I don’t keep them generally and buy most on kindle for this reason but I do still also enjoy reading a physical book, newspaper or a magazine not just digital versions occasionally
• 1 small bag of coins from DS room will join the 2 big sacks waiting in the car to go to the bank , of course DH forgot to take them the last time he went despite endless reminding him and we never physically visit the bank anymore . I will try to make him go when he picks up my meds and takes charity shop stuff near our old house at some point . He has actually never used the coin machine there just me so had to explain to him about it .
• 1 old style kindle I have a new one I don’t think I need to keep this too !
• 9 items of baby/ kids clothing I will itemise a bit later I am trying to go through more

I’m enjoying these home edit idesing boxes in the larder and pantry I’m still in the middle of organising both . I need to order more and possibly label larder ones for DH / kids sake but having some order is giving me a lot of satisfaction !

Here they are

Still organising my wardrobes but found out these baskets made of the same material as in the linen cupboard fit perfectly on the top shelves of our built in wardrobes for accessories etc so got a bunch . I am spending money on organising but I think it’s an investment and I really enjoy having things put away nearly in order it’s a lot of work so having it look nice is a reward I think I deserve for that ! DH couldn’t care less of course he doesn’t get my excitement about the plastic bins and the baskets etc but then he is enthusiastic about his garage he’s in the process filling up with machines and gadgets and little screw drawers etc he will organise and label

Still 4 days behind but hopefully I’ll catch up before the end of the month ! If you guys continue this next month I’m sure I could find enough items to do another month’s worth considering I have more boxes in the storage locker to look through and move into the attic here on top of what’s in this house !

Your baskets and bins look lovely @Nordicmom! I aspire to something similar in the future. Just need to shave a few more layers of clutter off first!! So yes I think I'll definitely still be going next month too.

Various bits and bobs for my 27 today, mostly things outgrown by the DC.

Big extra push on bonuses today with 27 menus / flyers / cards selected for disposal from the pile on top of the fridge, 15 assorted bits of ribbons, string ends, and other 'useful bits' that aren't really useful from one of the up high shelves that rarely get touched, and 5 folders of tax documents etc dating back 15-20 years. Definitely way past time for them all to go!! Bonuses total 496

Thanks Declutterclogs !
I just briefly entertained the idea of selling while looking at a few new / practically unused lovely designer clothes of DD but the truth is I just do not have the energy or the time to do it . After all these years the volume of all the clothes I’ve kept is so big and I have so much to do as it is and so little energy most days that there’s no way I can do it . Now that I’ve psyched myself to be able to let go I just want to save a few bits and pieces for possible grandkids / myself and the rest can go . I will just think that the few chosen charities who’s shops we like to take things to will benefit and someone else can enjoy them hopefully . I can’t see them not selling in their stores !
So here’s the list of 9 kids clothes to finish up day 22:

• 1 long girls down coat
• 1 girls padded gilet
• 2 girls summer dresses
• 2 girls summer top and skirt sets
• 2 girls lacy summer tops
• 1 boys button down shirt

More tomorrow ,here I come day 23 maybe 24 on catch up …

… and I saved one lovely broderie anglaise dress of DD I couldn’t depart with !

October 27th.

I came across this quote today, ‘Tis our mantra…
“The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.”

So today’s offerings are from the drawer of doom.
Perished rubber bands galore,
Paints,,
Brushes
Protractors,
Hole punch (we have others),
String,
String holder (You ain’t got a thing if you don’t have string). It was my dads but I can let it go with a glad heart now.
Empty sellotape holder.
Empty reel of yellowed sellotape.
Small wooden man from toy.
Door Alarm, bought for hostel stay. When I got there the door opened outwards so wasn’t any use! I used washing line to tie door handle to bed!

That's really lovely @Trumpton. I haven't seen that before. Thank you for sharing it

@dexlutterclogs more than 465 bonus items! Well done indeed. And @Trumpton the Drawer of Doom! Extra bonus points for that

Day 27, 4 items plus an extra 6. Ancient bits of clothing pulled from the understairs cupboard. There's so much still to do there, but something is better than nothing.

Day 25

3 rulers (I'm sure I did another ruler earlier in the month)
3 too small underwear
17 pencils and pens
1 dried highlighter
1 rubber

Total: 325 items

Day 26

Some of the stuff were from the memories boxes. I am able to say thank you and goodbye to these items that once brought me joy or at least a happy memory. I looked at the same stuff today and I either had no feelings towards them or negative feelings.

1 scrapbook from my time at uni - I took out a couple of photos to keep and a couple of messages from friends but the rest has all gone
1 stack of cards from ex- husband from years ago.

1 stack of letters from ex-husband. No idea why I kept these. I think I kept these became at first it was too raw and didn't want to regret throwing them out and then it was because it was part of history and finally, through inertia. Am finally ready. 👋🏼
9 various ticket stubs, restaurants I went to etc. Thank you and 👋🏼
1 jewellery roll I kept cards, letters and the other items in
3 DS books, no longer wanted
3 toys DS made, no longer wanted
1 set of wooden blocks, from DP who no longer wants it.
2 artwork in frames that are so faded that it needs to go
1 DS craft that is also too faded.

Total: 351 items

Day 27

Some more from memories boxes:

8 baby clothes. Thank you 😊 🙏 (Have kept some) and 👋🏼
1 pair of shoes, thought they were first shoes but have smaller ones
2 shoe boxes
1 scarf from Thailand
1 lovely evening bag, has water stains on the other side.

14 cards, thank you 😊 and 👋🏼

Total: 378 items

Pic

Hello, Iv been away so catching up. @YupIFreakilyHave your photos are so neat and tidy . Here's day 24.

1. Some hair accessories nobody uses. These are going to my niece.

3 empty plastic pots. 1 old toothbrush cup. 1 bauble shower gel came in. 25 bottles out of the bathroom all out of date. Mostly sunscreen.

Day 25

20 items of clothing and socks from my daughter.
Another 5 items from the bathroom.

@YupIFreakilyHave you've done so very well going through your memory boxes.

Thank you @mrsjackrussell. I enjoyed going through the memory boxes. I think I may go through them again next month, possibly and let go of a few more items. I need to organise my photos properly as they are all over the place, date wise I mean.

I enjoy doing the photos, actually. I find it quite therapeutic and go into zen like state setting it up and photographing the items. For me, it's also a way of giving the belongings a proper send off. All these items were a part of our lives. They were useful, sentimental or important so they deserve a bit of a final bit of TLC as they leave. Marie Kondo, eat your heart out. 😁

@YupIFreakilyHave I'm dreading photos when I get round to them. Are you photographing them and throwing them away?

No, nothing has left the house yet. I was planning on doing a group photo of all 465 items first. I'm not sure if I will do that, depends on whether I have time and space.

Also, @mrsjackrussell don't worry about the photos. You will know when you hold them which makes you instantly happy and which don't. Just keep the ones that make you happy and, of course, get rid of multiples. It takes several attempts (over the years) but each time, you will know which ones to let go of at that point. I have only a small box of photos now. I enjoy holding the photos when I look through them as opposed to putting them in an album, scanning them or making a photobook. It's a bit like real books versus digital books or actual LPs and digital music. Yes, the latter is more convenient for sure but something is lost. Well, that's my view.

@YupIFreakilyHave mmm yes it must be nice having a small box of photos instead of piles of them to look through. It sounds very satisfying. Well done

Too tired to get on with it earlier today but now
Day 23:

• 2 old kitchen towels ( in the light of day I might decide to get rid of more also have to make sure no more bath towels will go now that we’ve washed more of them )
• 10 too small long sleeved T- shirts of mine to clothes bank
• 1 girls white denim jacket
• 1 girls sweater dress
• 9 baby vests all but 2 to charity shop and those to rag bank due to stains I hadn’t noticed before