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:

I’m so done emotionally but since I’m still days behind here is
Day 24:

• 6 baby night gowns ,5 to charity and 1 to rag bank
• 1 baby pyjamas to rag bank
• 8 baby hats
• 5 pairs of baby socks
• 4 pairs of baby booties all to charity shop

I hope you manage a good rest after that lot @Nordicmom - definitely well deserved!

@YupIFreakilyHave Inspired by your posts I got out a box of unsorted family photos. I couldn't throw a single one out in half an hour so I clearly still have a long way to go with this minimalism mindset! But I figure it's OK to do baby steps and I put those away to concentrate on things I AM ready to say goodbye to, I'll get there eventually with the photos. Your posts about your journey are really helpful, thank you, and have helped me feel like it's ok not to feel bad/put pressure on myself if I'm unable to do it all at once. Thanks again.

Day 28 for me - more assorted jumble!! It includes an ancient first aid kit and chocolate coins that I think are from 2 Christmases ago found in the depths of the present-hiding box.

Plus another 30 bonus items including some kitchen glassware, a teacup and saucer set that was a gift and I've been holding onto because I love the person who gave it to me (but the cup itself unfortunately does not spark joy), a desk clock I've had since childhood but really don't need, and various bits and pieces from odd places around the house that I collected as I wandered around. So I've exceeded 500 bonus items - now at 526. I'm quite excited as it looks like I am now very likely to make it to 1000 for the month - even if I still do have 1000 unsorted photos at the end of it!

@Cadburycup77

Sack the game off and ditch all of it in one go.

We did this when we moved house. It's great.

This. There is more satisfaction in just getting rid all in one go than dragging it out day after day. Just gey rid. Easy.

@AdultingAvoidance

I think you all have so much to declutter because you don't sort and tidy on a regular basis, Saw the broken claw clip, that should have been binned when it happened not left as a triumphant declutter day item. It's so unnecessary to live like that (yes judgy)

Agree. Just bin a broken claw clip. No need to photograph it 🤷🏻‍♀️

28th October.
I hit the packing drawer.
Most of this is stuff for travelling to festivals and and hospital stays I don’t think I will need them again. ( I certainly don’t need the old promotion t shirts that we had to wear when working!)
So..
1- 4 TShirts

1. A really heavy weighted eye mask
2. A random pinafore

7-14. Knickers I don’t like. ( I think they were there from hospital stays so they could be discarded without a pang) 15. Tatty luggage tag. 16. 3 teeny tiny pots 17. Padlocks 18. Coloured pegs. 19. Tepe brush ( yuk) 20. Broken battery fan. 21. Horrible wooden comb 22-26. Plastic folders 27. Old curtain used as dust sheet 28. A tiny gold ring. No one has any idea where it came from.

We are all different, with different ways of living our lives. This month has been interesting for me. We have lived in our house for nearly 30 years and have had space to keep things we don’t need and ,indeed, don’t even notice any more.
Even the act of ordering items and photographing them has been interesting to me.
If a huge cathartic clean out suits you then you do it your way.
Live and let live, eh ?

I'm loving the pictures OP. x

@lljkk thank you 🙏 I appreciate the positivity. 😊

Gosh that broken hair clip has really triggered some people, eh @Trumpton? I'm glad you've enjoyed the experience, including the photographing the items. It's quite good to photograph or to list items so you can see what you have let go of. I also like how @Nordicmom has been taking pics of her cleared spaces.

@Declutterclogs there is a reason why sentimental items is the last category to look at. Don't worry about it yet. Remember I've been on this journey for a few years. No rush. Marie Kondo was the first inspiration as she helped me to see the decluttering as a thoughtful process. Joshua Becker is my current guru.

@Nordicmom you are doing so well. I am amazed at your progress, especially with all the baby items as they are so emotionally connected to a particular time of your and your children's life.

Day 28

Still on the sentimental items

16 negatives.
3 of DS clothes, thank you 🙏 and👋🏼
9 more cards. Thank you 🙏 and 👋🏼

Total: 406 items

Days 27 and 28: 48 books, 14 clothes items (mine) and a spice holder thing my mum made. More than 55 but DH might rescue a couple of the books 🙂

I think this is a great game. I have done the big clear out when I first read Kondo a few years ago. A week ago I would have said I would struggle from Day 26 onwards but actually the game has pushed me to be more ruthless. We have done books multiple times and we were down to one bookcase. I am now down to my 9 favourite books and a small pile I’m yet to read (all of which will be passed on once read). We asked for “your favourite book or favourite bottle of wine” for our wedding gifts. We had kept all the books but I’ve realised that like the wine the books can be enjoyed and then set free. We had also kept lots of classic books. If I want to read those again I have a library card! Now there is space on the bookcase for my ‘to read’ pile so I have a nice clear bedside table and also space for some photo albums that are no longer hidden away in a cupboard.

So for me this game has been better than a simple declutter it has pushed me to decide just how minimalist I want to be. I imagine for those just starting out and finding letting go of things difficult it is also a good way to start. So for the thread party poopers I fart in your general direction!

I am 3 days behind since on Day 25 here so I’ll have to do two days on 3/4 next days to finish on time . If DH finds me more kids clothes boxes from the attic I’ll make it I’m sure without too much physical effort just emotional but I think now I’ve done most of their old clothes that are in this house since I decluttered a bunch of them just before moving . Much more is in the storage locker I need him to go to to get me stuff from in general . I would like to continue next month though if others are interested ! The kids are back so they can watch the dog and entertain themselves luckily and I can attack the clean laundry mountain finally . Might find old clothes to go from that ! Tomorrow DS is meeting a friend for a movie and DD is going to a new school friends for a play date . In The weekend I’ve booked them indoor climbing with DH and we’ll celebrate Halloween but I’m hoping to get more unpacking etc done too . I’ve ordered more organising plastic bins for the rest of my pantry they should arrive tomorrow then I can organise the other big tall cupboard which will be a huge job just with what’s in it now plus I found a big box of more food a while ago . All of them have been checked for dates at least I have what I packed so there shouldn’t really be outs there . I’ll be glad when it’s done though .
Now it’s lunch then I’ll do my laundry folding and find those 25 items for today !

@Nordicmum you're doing really well, please be gentle with yourself.

I'm coasting today. Day 28, 3 items. 2 children's books from the car and a gift bag from the understairs cupboard. Later I'll have another rootle through the cupboard, and decide whether to freebay or charity shop my excess wool collection.

26th was a raid of DS2's sock drawer for pairs with holes plus 3 sets of waterwings, a dummy, and a plastic case for swimming goggles.
Day 27 and 28 (done today) was achieved by clearing a junk drawer that I've been meaning to do something about for ages... 40 duff pens, penciks,crayons etc plus c.70 items of complete rubbish. Two days plus bonuses, photo attached.

I'm finding this decluttering lark very tiring now. Still playing catch up.
Day 26.
I have 29 items. After I took the photos my kids took the toothbrush which I thought was broken along with the case and a hair treatment. I hated getting rid of the hair brushes as it's such a waste but no one is using them so they went in the recycling. Although I'm finding it difficult I'm actually enjoying it too and feel quite proud of myself. Oh and all you lovely lot too.

@mrsjackrussell it is a lovely people thread isn’t it.

Day 27 - contents of old beach bag complete with sand (might need to start counting grains for day 31). I’m surprised at how big my items still are this late in the game.

I kept that bag because it was 40 Euros when I had to buy an emergency bag on holiday 10 years ago. It has been used on every pool/beach outing and holiday for 10 years but a good example of me paying out and not chucking out as it was expensive.

I’ve done all the other clean laundry folding except the sock pile which is next and I’ll get a bunch of outs from that for sure . Got some from the rest of the pile already so might be able to two days today and catch up more !
Day 25:

• 8 pillowcases
• 1 face towel
• 3 DS old t-shirts
• 1 pair of DD old shorts
• 2 fabric masks
• 10 pairs of kids old socks from the pile today

Great work everyone 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

We only play this game for 30 days as them the rules @RedCake. Day 31 is for Telford-reflection or catch up, I guess.

Telford? 🤣 self reflection.

30 days it is

Day 28 - a cute little herd of tiny paints.

I googled Telford reflection thinking it was a term for a clean up after a major incident or something

And heres Day 26:

• 1 moisturising face gel I won’t use since I have a few creams I prefer
• 1 more fabric mask
• 2 pairs of DS old pants
• 10 more pairs of DS& DH socks
• 1 more bath towel
• 1 lonely useless glove
• 10 more items of baby clothes ; hats , baby sleepsuits , booties , a bib

I hadn’t properly folded all the laundry for ages so it was a huge job took me hours but now it’s done and others can put their stuff away themselves ! Also sorted out all the recent deliveries I do all my shopping online so the cardboard mountain is the result and another trip to the dump for poor DH But it won’t be like this in the long run we are just trying to sort out rest of our house.

That is an enormously cute paint herd @RedCake

I can't believe we are on day 29!! My 29 items today include some old treasures like soft soapstone boxes given by loved relatives, some empty shoeboxes I'd been keeping for unspecified 'might be useful' reasons, empty and cleaned cosmetics and creams bottles ditto (i used to do home-made products so could potentially have used them... but didn't), baby slippers, old costume jewellery that I no longer want/need, etc.

Bonuses of 17 including a duvet cover, whisk, spatula, bamboo steamer, various other pantry and kitchen items and 3 folders of sheet music. The music was the hardest. I can't use it any more for various (unalterable) reasons and it used to be a big part of my life and identity so it's sad to see it go on a number of levels. BUT bonuses now 543 so feeling good about that

(Full disclaimer - I have kept 5 other folders of music. Just couldn't do it all at once. Baby steps!)

*disclosure, even