A few days into the New Year I came up with another resolution to add to my list. I think goal setting is a thing of champions, so why limit it to one day in 365? I also think that goal setting is most successful when you share your goals. So here goes.
I am going to get rid of 100 things every month from now till June!
I just feel weighed down by stuff. And I know I'm not alone in this. I've talked to friends about it, I've read other blog posts about it. The burden of stuff is real. And the battle is difficult for many reasons. For one, hanging on to things seems financially sound. Only the wealthy can afford a minimalist lifestyle. Another, we were taught not to waste -- reduce, reuse, recycle. Nowadays there are DIY projects for your kids broken crayons, so you obviously can't through them away, upcycle them! Confession: I feel guilt when my garbage bin fills up too quickly. Which is probably why my generation has become the sharing economy. Meanwhile our actual economy is still driven by consumerism. The end result is stuff. Too much stuff.
And I'm determined to rid myself of some of it.
So far this month we (Ben knows about my goal and is willing to help) are at 85-ish items (I may not do an exact count, but I'll do my best to near 100 each month). Our list includes two bags of baby clothes I'm going to pass on to a friend tomorrow. A dozen of Ben's size XXL clothes that I sold on line today for an easy $7. Some DVD's we no longer watch. A few of my own old clothes. Little boy hand me downs we were given but I never put on Reid. Random kid items I don't enjoy (I had to be extra sneaky while throwing away a raggedy old Tinkerbell dress up Nell loves).
You'll notice a couple things about my list. First, the theme seems to be clothing items. Next month I'm moving on to papers. I'm not talking 100 pieces of papers, but old magazines, old manuals, old bank account info. I'm going on a special date with our filing cabinet, and I'm bound to find at least two dozen items I can trash/burn/recycle.
The second thing you'll notice about my list is the various ways I'm ridding myself of this stuff. I'll sell some of it online, I'll donate to goodwill, hand down to friends, recycle, trash -- whatever it takes. I'm going to have 600 less things in this house come June 2015. Wish me luck!
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| This image was my inspiration. |
I am going to get rid of 100 things every month from now till June!
I just feel weighed down by stuff. And I know I'm not alone in this. I've talked to friends about it, I've read other blog posts about it. The burden of stuff is real. And the battle is difficult for many reasons. For one, hanging on to things seems financially sound. Only the wealthy can afford a minimalist lifestyle. Another, we were taught not to waste -- reduce, reuse, recycle. Nowadays there are DIY projects for your kids broken crayons, so you obviously can't through them away, upcycle them! Confession: I feel guilt when my garbage bin fills up too quickly. Which is probably why my generation has become the sharing economy. Meanwhile our actual economy is still driven by consumerism. The end result is stuff. Too much stuff.
And I'm determined to rid myself of some of it.
So far this month we (Ben knows about my goal and is willing to help) are at 85-ish items (I may not do an exact count, but I'll do my best to near 100 each month). Our list includes two bags of baby clothes I'm going to pass on to a friend tomorrow. A dozen of Ben's size XXL clothes that I sold on line today for an easy $7. Some DVD's we no longer watch. A few of my own old clothes. Little boy hand me downs we were given but I never put on Reid. Random kid items I don't enjoy (I had to be extra sneaky while throwing away a raggedy old Tinkerbell dress up Nell loves).
You'll notice a couple things about my list. First, the theme seems to be clothing items. Next month I'm moving on to papers. I'm not talking 100 pieces of papers, but old magazines, old manuals, old bank account info. I'm going on a special date with our filing cabinet, and I'm bound to find at least two dozen items I can trash/burn/recycle.
The second thing you'll notice about my list is the various ways I'm ridding myself of this stuff. I'll sell some of it online, I'll donate to goodwill, hand down to friends, recycle, trash -- whatever it takes. I'm going to have 600 less things in this house come June 2015. Wish me luck!
3 comments:
I expect your garage to look totally different next time we visit!
P.S. I will believe it when I see it!!!
Honey, you should have turned Mom and me lose! We'd have had a heyday, but you'd have needed to rent a semi!!! You are quite the Hector Collector, if I dare say so!
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