Have you heard about the 100 Thing Challenge? The idea starts off as reducing the amount of things you own to a mere 100 items (or 1.5x per person), but in the end, you discover that ‘100’ is simply a number and not a mandate. The whole idea is to reduce consumerism for consumerism sake. To stop mindless buying and hoarding of things that serve no significant purpose or value. To acquire things mindfully and because you need/want/can afford them, and not because some obscure standard of society tells you to go and get them.
I thought I’d try it, but the more I looked at it, the more difficult it seemed. A toothbrush is an item. A pair of socks. Your wardrobe probably contains more than 20 items (mine tops at about 30). Then add in pots and pans, a few sofas, a dining room table set, a rug... you get the idea. Though the idea isn’t as concrete, I don’t think consumable items (soap, toothpaste, food in the pantry) count as individual items. Again, the number isn’t a mandate, but it gets you thinking.
Once you start listing your belongings, you can really see that you may have a lot of things, and quite a few of them, you can do without... so if you can do without them, why not get rid of them? I have seen a lot of posts dealing with decluttering and cleaning and getting ready for the new year, so I thought this would be tim
Could you write down and count everything that you own? How many individual items do you think you own in total? Last, could you downsize your belongings to 100 if you had to?
I've heard of this before. This would be impossible for me. The BF says that I'm a clothes hoarder (and I don't disagree).
ReplyDeleteMaybe one day...
Clutter and debt go hand in hand. People with significant debt problems are often crafty and talented. They buy and don't use. They buy on sale thinking they are getting a bargain only to throw it away later.
ReplyDeleteI would love to do this. But sadly, with the kids and even worse, Fred, I don't see this happening for a very long time. I've never heard of this challenge before but I will go check them out. Thanks for the link!
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Yes, I could pare my belongings down to 100 items, but I don't feel the need, nor any desire to do something so radical. I have been buying less, and decluttering a lot of "stuff" but I hardly think that owning more than 100 items makes you a hoarder. i think it comes down to being grateful for what you have & not buying loads of useless crap while digging yourself into a big hole! ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't think could pare down to 100 items. I've heard of people doing it, but I don't think I'd want to live that spartanly by choice. I am trying to declutter -- but that's a slow and laborious process.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a great thing to strive for. I probably could never get to 100. I like the way it makes you think about your belongings and what is necessary.
ReplyDeleteI've read of this too, an I couldn't do it. Maybe if I was single and living in a studio apartment. But, on a less drastic approach I have been paring down and organizing my things better the past couple of years and it has definitely helped save me money. I can now find where things are (like batteries just the other day) and not have to go out and buy more just because I can't find it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that even being single and by myself, 100 is a tough number, but again, the number '100' is only a number. If you focus on living on what you need, it doesn't necesarily mean you will be deprived of things, but I'd definitely want to try to live with as little as possible. It means more savings and less maintaining stuffs.
ReplyDeleteit would definitely be more than 100 things. I'm all about minimalism lately but I'm not into extremes. I'm fine with my version of what I think is just right : )
ReplyDeleteI am completely into owning less but I'm sure only owing 100 items would be very difficult for me. I have been cleaning out periodically (read: when the mood strikes). The bigger part for me now that I am on my debt free journey is not buying new items. Once I'm debt free I will make sure I put a rule in place for myself. Getting a new (needed) item means getting rid of an old one.
ReplyDeleteI joke with Michael that we have to get our belongings down to one suitcase and a laptop each for our move to PEI. Now, that will never happen but I do want to leave a LOT behind. I've made a start and will continue to reduce reduce reduce!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good Christmas challenge, maybe not getting rid of stuff but counting how much I own and see if I could bring it down. I think I'll try to at least count.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that sounds like a lot of work. Since we have a large home, it might take me until the end of 2012. I guess I have WAY too much stuff!!
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