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You are here: Home / Homekeeping / Turning simplifying into a game

Turning simplifying into a game

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Homekeeping, Simplifying

Want to see what 465 items looks like?

465 items

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?

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  1. Karen

    December 3, 2013 at 9:02 am

    What a cute idea! I need to force myself to purge my basement clutter, I might need to try this

    Reply
    • Christina

      December 5, 2013 at 9:55 am

      You’ll love it if you do!

  2. Leena

    December 3, 2013 at 9:12 am

    Wow! 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.

    Reply
    • Christina

      December 5, 2013 at 9:57 am

      You 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…

  3. [email protected]

    December 12, 2013 at 1:09 am

    I 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.

    Reply
    • Christina

      December 16, 2013 at 3:16 pm

      It’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.

  4. Mama

    December 19, 2013 at 7:14 pm

    I 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?

    Reply

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  1. We're back - Little Victorian says:
    January 3, 2014 at 10:01 am

    […] We do plan, however to do it again in February.  Maybe I’ll make a Flickr gallery for it as Leena suggested.  Anyone want to join […]

    Reply

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Update: the MCM is officially sold! We did eventua Update: the MCM is officially sold! We did eventually finish most of our restoration/renovation projects. I'll share the updates in the coming months as we get settled in to our new place. 😁
House update! The realtor is still confused about House update! The realtor is still confused about why "it's such a popular house." When she arrived yesterday for a showing, there were 8 cars in the driveway. 😃

We had three offers the first day, one of whom hadn't even seen the house in person yet.
Surprise! The house is going on the market today. Surprise! The house is going on the market today. (Long story that I'll fill you in on when I have more than 2 seconds.)
.
But we're once again with a realtor that calls our house "unique" instead of calling it a Mid Century Modern. 🤦‍♀️
.
We can't count how many locals came into this house and mentioned that those windows should be removed and walled up and the beams cut off. And then it would be a "normal" house. 🤯
.
Still can't really identify with people in this area. 🤷‍♀️ SO happy to be going back home to the East coast TOMORROW!
Right? We're getting back into the house restorat Right? 
We're getting back into the house restoration and we'll be working on the powder room in the master bed. 
Guys. It's bad. Swipe to see.
And we're going to try to make it pretty with a super tiny budget of $100 in 4 weeks and we're joining the #100roomchallenge to keep us (me) motivated.
The bedroom design is starting to come together th The bedroom design is starting to come together thanks to Craigslist and Goodwill. 
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