Minimalist Monday: The 10 items a day challenge.

When 2011 started, I decided I wanted to really get serious about my stuff: how much I had versus how much I needed. This journey actually started in Spring 2011 when we moved to the new house (moving is such a great time to go through and purge things!), unfortunately I was 9 months pregnant during that move so I didn't really have the energy to go through and organize things as I went as much as I would have liked...

Last month, I took the challenge to take a week and purge 10 things a day, for a total of 70 items that would have to be recycled, given away, donated to charity, or thrown out (if no other way to repurpose).  Here is how I did (and yes, my house is 70 items lighter!)...

Sunday: (boys room):  Ten things included 2 pairs of shorts and 2 shirts to take to consignment shop, 2 belts (donated), sponge bob bingo game (donated), game with missing pieces (thrown out--box recycled), two stuffed animals (donated).

Monday (girls room):  6 clothing articles to donation, 1 puzzle missing pieces (thrown out), 2 stuffed animals (donate), 1 pair shoes (consignment shop)

Tuesday:  (My room):  4 clothing articles--mine (to be sold on Ebay), 1 purse (donate), 1 pair shoes (to ebay), 2 books (given to friend), 2 shirts --husband's (donate)

Wednesday:  (Craft/sewing room):  3 old craft catalogs (recycle), 7 stamp sets (ebay)

Thursday:( living room):  4 cookbooks (take to second hand bookshop), 3 knick knacks (donate), old magazines (count as one item--recycle), 2 jackets (in closet off living room--donate)

Friday:  (my room--again):  10 more clothing articles: (3 ebay and 7 donate)

Saturday: (Kitchen/Dining Room):  3 coffee cups (donate), 1 odd saucer type plates (donate), 4 Christmas wine stoppers (donate), tupperware pitcher (donate), really ugly platter--was a gift received years ago (donate)

I am 70 items lighter and I have not missed one of these items.  Since that week, I have went back and done this a second time for a total of 140 items that are no longer in my home. The extra money made from ebaying clothes I really didn't wear, paid  $50 into our savings account PLUS paid for my three girls new Easter/picture dresses for this year.

I am finding that my personal minimalism journey is a series of very small steps. This works for me, mainly because my time to focus on it is limited secondary to it now being tax season (our busy time since Mr. Darcy is a CPA). But with each day comes a drawer or a shelf or a closet that is cleaned out, organized and no longer cluttered with unneeded items and I love that. 

Here are a few benefits that I have reaped so far since starting this journey:

• areas of the house I have already done are easier to maintain; I am spending less time picking up
• Time I use to constantly spend picking up those areas is now available for actual, more thorough, cleaning. I am no longer feeling "behind" all the time.
• Closets, especially the kids, are organized. Outfits are easy to find.
• Once I cleaned out closets and donated many unwanted/unworn items a funny thing happened: less money was being spent on clothes. I can only attribute this to I am more aware of what everyone owns and everything is easier to find.
• saved $: through less purchases, consignment shop sales of outgrown children's clothing, and ebay sales of other clothing items.

I have a long way to go and would not call myself a minimalist by any means, but I am seeing positive benefits to my physical and mental space with each step of this journey. I am excited to see how far I will get in 2011.

If you want a great resource about how to organize your home via a minimalism approach check out this post for the best book I have read on minimalism and decluttering.

Have you started a new journey in 2011? Leave a comment and tell me about it!