Tod & I are planning to move house this spring and we are also striving to simplify and downsize. We've been in our current apartment for over 13 years, so even though I frequently purge things, moving is going to be painful. So I was sort of delighted when Tod agreed to play the Minimalism Game with me.
Every day for 31 days, you get rid of things. On the first day, one thing. Two things on the second day, three on day three until you are getting rid of 31 things on the final day for a grand total of 496 things removed from your house. Aside from actual garbage like wrappers and orange peels, you can choose to remove anything from furniture to clothes to supplies to food and you can count your items any way you want. A handful of hairpins could be one thing, or it could be 18. The only real rule is that each day's gleaning has to leave the house by midnight, or it doesn't count. So by the end of 31 days, Tod & I will have removed 992 things from our house - 496 each.
I mentioned this on Facebook and started a sort of support group, Minimalist Game Japan. In less than a day, over 50 people have joined. We're sharing our accomplishments day by day and ideas are flying, including doing it backwards - pitching 31 on the first day and ending with one item to remove. If everyone last the 31 days (in whatever order), we will have minimised by 25,296 unwanted items.
Today I got rid of two broken lights. Tod tossed two red gift boxes. I also lined up homes for about 35 small things from my jewellery box and other accessories, so I am rather ahead of the game at the moment.
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