Want to see what 465 items looks like?
For the month of November, my mom and I played a simplifying game together. On day one, we got rid of one item each. On day two, we got rid of two items, and up to day 30, when we got rid of 30 items each. Every day, we texted each other pictures of the items and in the end, we each tossed 465 things.
I’m a little exhausted, but we’re going for it again this month. After all, I’ve barely touched the attic yet. The house could probably burn down and we wouldn’t even remember what was up there.
From March (when we began simplifying) to October, we had probably gathered up about 4 or 5 dozen garbage bags full of stuff. And that was all before the game. I can say with confidence now, when you think you have one or two things you can get rid of, you probably actually have 1 or 2 hundred. As always, it feels so good to have that stuff out of the house. Each item gone makes it that much more peaceful. Think you could make it all the way through the month?
Karen
December 3, 2013 at 9:02 amWhat a cute idea! I need to force myself to purge my basement clutter, I might need to try this
Christina
December 5, 2013 at 9:55 amYou’ll love it if you do!
Leena
December 3, 2013 at 9:12 amWow! What a good idea before the holidays when usually more stuff comes to our homes.
I’m not sure I could do that, but I want to try.
You could make another contest from this! Flickr gallery from all the things tossed.
Christina
December 5, 2013 at 9:57 amYou should definitely try, that would be great! I’d love to hear how far into the month you got. 🙂
Oh, a Flickr gallery is a good idea…
Tammi@1914house
December 12, 2013 at 1:09 amI could NOT make it through the month. I would have too much anxiety. I become ridiculously attached to some things. It’s a process for me: I hold on to things for a while and then eventually I’m ready to let them go. But I’ve learned that I can’t push it, I just have to wait.
Christina
December 16, 2013 at 3:16 pmIt’s great that you know that about yourself, I think so often that’s why we fail at things we try: we just don’t know how to work with ourselves yet. 🙂
I would not have been able to start our simplifying project with this challenge, I started out slow 6 months ago, and it has just gotten easier and easier.
Mama
December 19, 2013 at 7:14 pmI did not start out slow as you did. You made the suggestion and I jumped in with both feet. I guess you could say I started off slow in a way because on November 1st I got rid of one thing and so on. By the end of the month I couldn’t wait to start over! I am really not even a “collector” of things but boy did I ever have enough to get rid of!!! I still do. It gets easier and more fun. Really. I set before me a bag for garbage, a bag for Good Will and a bag to give to friends/family that I know can use what I want to free myself of. It has been so great. I am much more relaxed and feel accomplished! I walk around my house and open drawers and cupboards just to look in them! I see how much neater and organized I have become and it is so satisfying. Now I just have to convince my mother-in-law to give it a go. I know she would be so much better off. It would go from daughter (Christina) to mother to grandmother. What could be better?