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:

Today was so hard. I did 29 and 30. I cleaned my junk drawer a few weeks ago and my mindset must've changed as lots more stuff came out of there.
Then started on the kitchen and with 2 cupboards got the rest in half empty crisps and snacks. The mug cupboard made up the rest. I have 2 reusable cups. One I can't get the lid off it keeps getting stuck and one leaks. Does anyone know if I can recycle these? I hate chucking them in the bin.

Here they are.

@Nordicmom I have been following your progress and you have done very well. I hope that this has somehow helped you.

Thanks mrsjackrussell, yes the thread has certainly helped me to get on with more clear out I was already doing . We are now emptying the storage locker we hired while waiting to buy a new house as well as unpacking and further decluttering in the process in the new house . I dream of everything in order but am probably too tired and sick to do it . Any progress is a plus though and I have to give myself props of doing really well in the last two weeks on this thread ! Well done to everyone here !!! Im keen to continue in November if anyone else is …

Yeah DH arrived with at least 6 boxes of more kids clothes from the storage locker now I’ll hopefully get my 59 more items in no time . He still has to cart them to a charity shop after but my work with them will be done !

A bunch at least are jeans etc I don’t have trouble letting go …

Thank you so much to OP for this inspired thread! After 30 years in the house we had plenty to get rid of and having both completed the challenge we have got rid of close on 1000 items of clutter! Still a long way to go to a minimalist house but on the way!
Many items freecycled
Others to the Charity shops
Others to clothes bank
and some out and out rubbish to the tip
Now looking forward to our day of rest tomorrow :)
Thanks again OP

Day 29 :

• 3 pairs of kids jeans
• 11 pairs of DS and DD trousers
• 1 pair of kids sweatpants
• 7 pairs of kids shorts
• 1 DD skirt
• 2 DS jackets
• 3 kids sweaters
• 1 kids hooded sweatshirt

Now a well deserved shower and a bowl of ice-cream but then I reckon I’ll blast through the last day 30 since DH has brought me a few more boxes ! My bed is covered in piles of clothes and more in boxes on the floor . I think it’ll take us a while to unload these to the charity shops but what I’ve kept are really nice good quality clothes so I think They’ll be happy to have them !

And here we go Day 30:

• 7 pairs of kids trousers
• 5 pairs of DD leggings
• 1 sweatsuit
• 3 dresses
• 1 coat
• 2 sweaters
• 5 turtle neck shirts
• 1 long sleeved top
• 1 cardigan
• 3 T-shirt’s
• 1 boys button down shirt

Phew , now I’m very tired and still sitting in the middle of clothes piles I’ll have to clear of my bed to sleep ! When I start I tend not to stop but I need to sleep tomorrow we’ve got a lot of unpacking etc to do and Halloween to celebrate with the kids we normally decorate the night before but not this time it’ll be with the kids after breakfast .

Wow, well done everyone I'm so impressed with the work you have all been trucking on with.

Just catching up on the thread now after a week away. @Declutterclogs you did so well on the sentimental stuff @Nordicmom what hard work you have undertaken and managed to catch up too...

@YupIFreakilyHave thanks so much for starting the thread! It's been so inspiring.

I can't remember (or be bothered to find) where I got up to in posting my decluttering progress. I also guess as most of you are out now there's not much value in sharing.... But my notebook says I got up to day 25 so I'll pick up on day 26 tomorrow as I'd really like to finish and also share with the remaining ones of you still here.

I'm looking ahead to January to repeat the process. But I also like the idea of a digital focus for the next month..... I have SO MUCH on the computer... We'll see.

Happy reflection day every one, and hopefully see a few of you in the week

Day 31

Reflection day. It's been fun for me. Mostly. The dresses thing was hard, the sentimental stuff was surprisingly easy. I consider my home to be relatively minimalist (I go for cosy minimalism) and everything has a place but I was surprised how many items I had sitting around in cupboards and drawers that I did not use or even look at and, even, how my feelings around the stuff had changed since I last looked through them (sentimental items).

We have less things to take care about, and still enough. As said by Jolita, I think we have all achieved this, or begin to achieve this. Well done everyone for taking this journey. It's been wonderful to have such a lovely, supportive, humorous lot of people to do this with. 🙏💕🥳

Pic of all my stuff that I decluttered. They have gone their various ways to recycling centre, friends, family, charity shop, old nursery and just a small black bag into the bin. Thank you to them all. Yes, even the broken clip that I kept using to put my hair up in the shower until I finally got a new one to replace it.

October 2021: Total 465 items

@YupIFreakilyHave

Love your final picture. Thanks for starting the thread I have enjoyed it and surprised myself. DH said last night that if I had said 1 month ago that I was going to throw 465 things away he thought the house would be completely empty but actually it is just a small change.

DH also mentioned a new book out that he wanted to buy. I had a look on my library app and there is a copy free at the library about 200m from his office. He promptly signed himself up for a library card so he can get it tomorrow. Saving clutter and money! There will definitely be a change of mindset going forward.

Hi everyone and happy reflection day!

Day 30 for me included 7 bonus items, taking bonus total to 171. Today I'm planning to find another 14 items, which will take my overall total to 650.

I would love to say our house is transformed. It isn't, it looks much the same on the surface. However, multiple hidden "sticking points" have been addressed, so we now have space in drawers and I am definitely feeling less overwhelmed. The layer underneath the surface is more relaxed, if that makes sense.

I have been reflecting that for me, it's ok to count items that have been replaced. I'm terrible for keeping the old one "just in case", so for me it's a victory to get rid of the old ones.

@mrsjackrussell

This blog explains how and where the bottles can be recycled or re-used:

notlost.com/how-to-sustainably-dispose-of-a-reusable-water-bottle-blog/

@YupIFreakilyHave your last photo is really impressive! Thanks so much for encouraging us all along on this journey

Is anyone still here?

I somehow managed to catch up to day 29! Obviously the half term break did me some good and I rediscovered my decluttering mojo. Just 30 to go - hopefully tomorrow.

Is anyone still here?

We've started again. Today was one of DW's books that she won't read again. Starting again at one feels effortless

As a reflection I found this a really useful way to approach decluttering and it made October zoom past! The help and support on Thai thread made a huge difference to how I felt about getting rid of things.

I still have bags full of stuff in the garage as the charity shops near me are all full!

Today i got rid of a couple of small things - not a huge stretch after day 31

I’m still here. I am doing digital this month and have deleted a couple of apps off my phone today.

I’m also carrying on with one in one out so I have put 2 toys in the charity box to account for 2 new ones I have bought as stocking fillers.

I may be biting off more than I can chew but I am doing a room a week. Going round getting everything out, decluttering, doing a proper clean and writing down any jobs that need doing or things I want to buy. I am doing the living room this week and did the sideboard today. Just an old TomTom cable in the bin. Paperwork files moved to the new space on our bookcase so all the games and puzzles now fit in the sideboard. All very satisfying.

I'm here. Just been busy. Thankyou so much for the link @YupIFreakilyHave very helpful and also for starting this thread. Not being dramatic but it's really changed my mindset and still looking for stuff to get rid of. I started again today aswell. Got rid of a small novelty Xmas thing from last year. I might sort the Xmas decs soon.

Oh good! Hello again everyone!
Good going those of you starting again!

@SandwichDistraction
You are really going for it by the sounds of it - three different attacks on clutter! I like them.... I may copy the room a week idea in the run up to Xmas.... I feel I need more of a focus now to get the next level of stuff.

Hello I'm still here too! I discovered I was totally exhausted after finishing last month and had a couple of rest days but I'm starting again now - did old telephone directories and ancient magazine for days 1 and 2.

It's so great that there are so many of us still going! - we be feeling super decluttered by December which hopefully will make for a much calmer-feeling Christmas season!

Hurrah! I'm done!

30 pieces of paperwork from our files.

I did meet the required daily amounts so total must be (at least) 465 items out! Unfortunately we did have a few things coming in, but we still have far less than when I started.

It definitely makes me more mindful about purchases, and I can't help but wonder what I can keep getting rid of!

Hello again everyone. Well done @freezerdinners and the epic @nordicmom for your stalwart efforts finishing the challenge. Well done too to @grumpyoldpersonwithcats and wife, and @SandwichDistraction and @Declutterclogs for kicking off again this month.

We have managed to get rid of a few bits of furniture and DH has just mooted getting rid of our sideboard so I do feel we're moving forward.

My focus for Nov is ticking off DIY jobs that have been hanging over me. However I had a migraine Sun and Mon so I'm not off to the best start.

I started again too . Day one was a plastic strapping basket I used in DD room in the last house , we found one more the rest are gone already . Day two a wheeled lidded basket we had DD large encyclopaedias etc in now they’re in the sideboard and I had been thinking about getting rid of it for a while .we had 3 and two had gone in the move already , item 2 was one more IKEA plastic container I had food in the last pantry .last night we unpacked and cleared the rest of the open plan kitchen dining family room and found it so out it goes . Odd to be doing such tiny numbers again but I’ve got much more to go the rest of those kids clothes for one and stuff from our storage locker we’ll empty next after getting rid of our rental house end of this month . There’s a charity shop load in there still DH has to take away never mind my piles of sorted out bags here ! Lucky this is a big house so I can sort and put aside to the top-floor attic room until he can take them. Taking a load this sat hopefully .