The 1000 Item Minimalism Challenge

In September 2015, I opened my heart and mind to the concept of minimalism. For years, I had cringed whenever I heard the word, not truly understanding what it meant. For some reason, September 2015 was a turning point, and I decided to embrace it. I cursed myself for not trying it sooner. In 2016, to celebrate a full year of developing a minimalist mentality, and paying off 30 percent of my debt, I decided to celebrate by giving away more.

I donated/sold/threw away 1,000 items.

The Minimalism Challenge

When I started this challenge, I thought it would be tough. However, after the first weekend, I had already surpassed 700 items. By that point, I had fooled myself into thinking it was going to be easy. As you can see by my numbers below, I began to struggle. The object is to only have things in your home that serve a purpose or that bring you joy.

Days:

1. 265 items
2. 226 items
3. 283 items
4. 5 items
5. 80 items
6. 97= total of 956 items
7. 12 items
8. 0 items
9. 2 items
10. 22 items
11. 0 items
12. 0 items
13. 0 items
14. 1 item
15. 4 items
16. 3 items

I felt like I’d donated or thrown away everything I could at this point without letting go of something I needed or cherished. There may be things that I don’t wish to give up now that I’ll be fine parting with a year later. But the whole point of minimalism isn't giving up things that you love. It's about giving up things that fill your space "just because," or "just in case."

Starting out, it didn’t feel like a minimalist challenge. In the course of one year, I hadn’t acquired a lot of things, but I had learned to let go of things that didn’t matter; things that mattered to me last year that I wasn’t willing to part with, this year I could. It shows personal growth. It shows a lack of need for a life filled with stuff.

Keep donating!

What are some of the things I was willing to part with this year that I couldn’t last year? Here was where I got the largest amount of "stuff" from.

Craft supplies: Old paint, beads, soap-making dyes and molds, candle-making molds. Every craft had become a distraction from the real craft I wanted to pursue—writing.

Clothes and Jewelry: There are always clothes to donate, old bed sheets, a blanket. Jewelry that I don’t wear. I've never been a huge jewelry person yet I had tons of it! Most of them had been gifts from people who didn't know me too well... Believe it or not, clothing and kitchenware were my two biggest culprits next to books and half-used craft supplies.

Kitchenware: Bakeware that is unused. Extra handfuls of silverware, baking trays, Tupperware that was missing lids. Old mixing bowls from a deceased relative...

Some of these items are more geared towards females, but where I had too many craft supplies, you may have too many old car parts that need to be fixed… that you know you haven’t repaired in five years, and you're not going to. I also know a number of guys who have more pairs of shoes than I do writing utensils…

... A Caveat

By default, females are going to have more things. Think about it, a man’s underwear consists of one garment. A woman’s consists of two. In addition, women have more styles of clothing, and it's socially acceptable for us to have more jewelry, make-up, hair products, because society pressures us more about our appearance. These societal “norms” have been (thankfully) crumbling within the last few decades. Men and women are slowly, but surely, becoming more and more equal. It’s possible I’m being biased. Do you have old action figures that have been taken out of the box and aren't worth anything? Golf clubs that never get used and can be sold for spare change?

Keep Letting Go!

As we enter the “giving” season, the season of sharing and being thankful, I challenge all of you to purge the clutter. It doesn’t have to be 1,000 items. Donate five shirts to charity, or two spare blankets as the weather begins to chill. If there are only two people living in your household, do you really need three different sets of plates (each a set of eight+)?? How many coffee mugs get used at one time? Drinking glasses? Spatulas? Soup Ladles? Do not be afraid to let go. You don't have to become a minimalist. I'm not asking you to join a cult. If you're not sure where to start, pick a single drawer (like the "junk" drawer in your kitchen). Empty the contents and sort each item, deciding then and there if you truly need 50 chip bag clips.

Every day or every week, pick a new drawer, cabinet, or closet, and just focus on that one area. A clutter-free home can make a world of difference in things from stress-levels to freeing up your time (since you won't be cleaning so much, and things you need will be easier to find). Good luck out there!

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