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 determined to catch up and today I made a find in DS cupboard ;a hoard of now too small new socks and pants I’d kept aside for trips . Also noticed the 3 bed valances I’d kept just incase in the attic and they are going . Then I have the clean laundry to fold so there’ll be some out from there I’m pretty sure . I had a peek into the attic ( don’t normally go up there DH hangs laundry in the top floor guest bathroom and the spare bedroom if we need to ) and omg it’s a mess luckily a lot of it is sorted out labelled boxes so it just needs organising and one storage cupboard of mine building . I’m sure there’s stuff to throw out though there always is ! Atm we are working on the other remaining rooms that need to be unpacked like rest of the dining room and we need to put away a few boxes I’ve now showed in the study , also have to sort out the rest of the kids clothes boxes which are still in my bedroom with now Christmas stuff and atm clean laundry baskets . Lucky it’s a big room ! I think I’ll have to consolidate kids clothes boxes and put in the attic soon and continue after our trip and Christmas I’ve got too much else to do now and they’re annoying me !

Day 19:

• 2 plastic storage boxes and one lid
• 1 hanger from DS new coat
• 4 bags of dog treats and chews to food bank with the tins he doesn’t like
• 7 pairs of DS too small pants
• 5 pairs of DS too small trainer socks

Day 20:

• 3 bed valances I’d kept just incase but one

look at the full attic and they are going ,I need to make some serious space if we ever want a gym there ,I still have a storage locker to empty as well ideally

• 7 pairs of DS too small trainer socks
• 10 more pairs of DS too small different socks ,glad these will be all out since I’ve got him bigger ones already just forgot these were still hiding in a box in his wardrobe , it’s all adding to getting out the crap that’s just not used ,big and small things make a big pile so it all counts !

@mrsjackrussell I bet your total over the month has really added up. A few half hearted or missed days don't detract from all you've achieved.

@Nordicmom you continue to put me to shame!

Day 21:

• 1 DS too small fleece
• 1 pair of DS too small shorts
• 1 pair of DD too small shorts
• 1 pair of DD old tights
• 1 DD stained school shirt
• 2 DS old sport socks
• 8 DS old school socks
• 2 more DS too small pants
• 3 DD spare new black t-shirts for drama to

charity shop ,keeping two others

• 1 pair of DD spare new black leggings also to charity I had to buy a cheap multipack when I forgot to get them in time …

Pheeew now caught up but prob done for the day

As in next is day 22 which is today but probably won’t get that done today …

@MissCreeAnt thankyou . I am a bit hard on myself. I hope that you're feeling a bit better

My bookshelf collapsed a few months ago and they're in a box waiting for a new bookshelf but today I went through the books again. 6 Favorite cookery books have gone in the kitchen. I managed to declutter lots more as they've sat in a box for months and I haven't missed them.
So day 22 is books.

mrsjackrussell, inspired by you I had DD look through her books and she managed to extract exactly 22 books when I counted them upstairs afterwards . Ones she’s read or just will not ever read . I think she still has the most in our house and she will get a few more at Christmas ones I know she loves and reads quickly always . I’m still one day behind but here it goes …

Day 22 :

• 22 DD old books to charity shop

Thank you @mrsjackrussell. I am having a good day.

Another 64 items done today.

• garden junk - flowerpot, old mop, rotting footballs
• facemask that doesn't fit
• 31 items cleared from neglected kitchen cupboard, making way for a box we can use to store soft plastics for recycling
• broken drona box
• a couple of DD's unwanted gifts. Bless her, she'd kept them ages out of obligation.

Total 229/361.

I also did one job from my DIY/deep cleaning list

@Nordicmom my theory is that you can only read one at a time. I can't believe I got rid of most of my recipe books but I can only make one recipe from one book at a time. I'm keeping 6 in my kitchen and then rotating.
Recycling box sounds useful and good you feel better today. @MissCreeAnt

I finished the rest of the books and had a crack at the saucepan cupboard. I keep thinking maybe I will run out of stuff to declutter and then panicking but I think I'm fantasising

Day 23
Pic attached.

Day 24.

7 out of date condiments from the fridge
A tie belt with no owner.
16 hangers.

No photo today.

I’m way behind and starting to believe I won’t finish the challenge.

Decluttered today:
(244) lip balm
(245) deodorant
(246) girdle type thing
(247) eye mask that slips down my face, the elastic is so stretched
(248) tablet/iPad case with tags on
(249) unopened Liz Earle gift set
(250) bio oil still in plastic packaging

The last 3 things added to one of the many charity shop bags that are piling up.

A few more items this evening:
(251) carrot shredder shaped like a pencil sharpener
(252) sandwich bag ties
(253) rusty craft knife
(254) Toni Macaroni cookbook
(255) hairdryer attachment for a hairdryer I no longer own

Out today:
(256) mascara
(257) face powder
(258-260) dcs spoons and fork that got paint on them.

I went shopping for presents today and did not impulse buy anything for myself or others. I got what I went into town for and that was it. That’s not really something I’ve managed to do before.

I'm behind aswell @BeefSupreme . Haven't done today then I'm away until Sunday so will have some catching up to do. Oh and I bought 20 hangers so will need to deduct those.

21 books out yesterday. 250/361 done.

How on earth is it so nearly December

Went to a thrift shop and bought 7 books, a Christmas tree ornament and a gift bag Altogether it cost £1.60 so it could have been worse.
I started out so well this month.
No items decluttered today.

I'm very behind too - been horribly busy at work this week. Our last day completed was 20, so we need 168 items today to get us back up to speed.
Wish me luck

So we've started - 35 down. 133 to go.
A fridge clear out (please don't judge us too harshly ) has yielded
9 small sauce pots that came with carryout pizza
4 sauce pots from a carryout Chinese meal
2 small lumps of cheese too far gone even for me (blue cheese a year out of code )
1 Brandy butter 2 years old
6 other very elderly food items
8 coffee pods for a machine we've never owned.
5 small cartons of OJ - sell by date Feb 20. Tried one - not pleasant .

Good luck grumpyoldpersonwithcats

I might have a look through kitchen drawers today. It’s always amazing to find out how many useless things I have managed to cram in there, potentially 100s of stuff that can be thrown out from kitchen drawers alone.

potentially 100s of stuff that can be thrown out from kitchen drawers alone
Thanks that's what I'm hoping for..
Another junk area cleared has found another 42 items to dispose of.
Now only () 91 to catch up.

I'm rather embarassed because I hate food waste, we don't worry too much about best before dates, and we always use up leftovers.
BUT....
We have got the outstanding 91 items by clearing out our food cupboards.
Without going into too much detail we have disposed of
21 packs of spices, some of which were 12 years out of code and all of which had lost their savour.
45 jars and bottles of chutneys, jams, vinegars etc. up to 17 years out of code.
22 packets of dried food, all of which were at keast 5 years out of code
6 old (empty) coffee tins.

Back on track

Fantastic work @grumpyoldpersonwithcats and MrsGrumpyoldpersonwithcats. Better out than in, and all that. And you've freed up all that cupboard space just before Christmas too.

Day 23

• 2 plastic baskets I used in the old house bathroom cupboards
• 5 other baskets from utility and kitchen
• 1 spare ceramic tissue box holder
• 1 annoying DD stress ball that’s gone all yacky so it’s going
• 2 metal wardrobe systems DH had forgotten in old house wardrobes
• 1 small stack of magazines
• 1 big old bin
• 1 kitchen floor brush and dust pan
• old freezer food from rental ,we were able to save some
• 1 plant I don’t want to keep
• 1 plant pot
• 1 packet of bad eco cleaning rags that just fall apart
• 3 toilet brushes I thought DH had thrown away already not sure if I mentioned these on the last months thread already
• 2 packets of old Christmas cards to charity

Decluttering a bit stalled here although I might be able to gather up another days worth today . Another room is getting there though ; the tv room . The new sofa finally arrived and now that I see how it looks I’ve ordered a matching foot stool arriving on Friday . Will take a while to decide what I’ll put in the cabinet etc but we will keep it simple and clutter free . Outside these pictures it’s got a matching media unit that the tv sits on with shelves for kids games consoles and cupboards for their games so they stay tidy .

(261) sons yoghurts that were accidentally left in shopping bag next to radiator all night 😤
(262) dress I sold on Friday posted today
(263) pack of cigarettes haven’t smoked in 3 years. I had been keeping them “just in case” whatever that means. 🙄
(264) mascara

And that’s all I’ve managed today.

Day 24:

• 2 white lidded ikea plastic boxes I noticed left in the garage ,I will decant contents into a clear clippy lidded boxes we already have most stuff in there in
• 1 awful ugly blue handled storage box will also be replaced with another one we have already
• 1 old mop cloth
• 1 old mop bucket
• 1 doormat we don’t need it doesn’t fit anywhere doors open into it so it’s useless and front door has a built in black mat
• 1 ds too small fleece he has bigger ones
• 1 more old dog towel DH found from the old house
• 3 of nearly empty detergent etc bottles consolidated to exiting ones and then bottles to recycling

This is 11 written down so I won’t forget , I will add another 13 later !

Hello everyone, I'm very behind. You're all doing very well.
Iv got lots of items that I'm selling or planning to sell online. I'm only counting them when they're sold. What are you all doing with things that you need to sell?

Day 25

Pack 4 chopsticks
5 pairs scissors
Empty bottle of gin found in cupboard
4 pens
Photo backdrop bought from eBay load of crap.
2 remotes
3 manuals/leaflets.
Plastic bag.
Wire.
Elastic thing.
Coat and cardigan sold on eBay.

20 items to replace the 20 hangers I brought in.