Today’s your last day to get a copy of Sticky-Note Love for 1/2 price!
At midnight I will be taking it off the market for two weeks. On November 15 I will make the updated version available, at the full price. If you’ve purchased it at half price, you will receive the updated version at no extra charge.
You can read more about it here.
I easily lived with only 100 personal things for the Month of October. The 100 Thing Challenge ended up not being a challenge at all. There were only a couple of things that I missed, and a number of things that I never used.
Two things. I can think of only two items all month long that I missed. And really, I didn’t miss them. I just used something else in their place after remembering that I “couldn’t” because they weren’t on the list. The two things that I missed?
If I thought I was surprised by how few things I missed, I was amazed at how many of the things I kept out never got used.
Transportation
(I haven’t used these yet, but with the temperature dropping, it won’t be long now.)
Eat
Other
17 things that I didn’t use all month long, and there are at least a couple more that I only used a time or two (swim trunks, handkerchiefs, most of the tools, and second doo rag). I could easily drop about 15 things, bringing me to a total of 80.
I’ve got far too much stuff, “just in case”. Books that I once read, or tell myself that I will read one day, knick-knacks held on to for the memories they are supposed to provide, decorative items, tools that “I might need one day,” and far too many clothes. All things that I don’t need, and that are just taking up space in my apartment and cluttering up my life.
Removing these things from my life didn’t affect it in a negative way at all. In fact, I didn’t even notice their absence.
However, I also realized that I could get rid of so many things that it would be inconvenient. For this project, I kept out 5 days worth of socks and underwear. The way the laundry works out, that was just the right amount. There were only two times that I “had” to do laundry because I was going to run out. So, while I could live with only two pairs, at this point in my life it is not worth the inconvenience of having to wash them every night in order to have a clean pair the next day.
Definitely! It might not have been as much of a challenge as I expected it to be, but I am certainly glad that I gave the 100 Thing Challenge a try. I’ve learned a lot about my relationship with my possessions, and about how much I really need. Now I can more easily get rid of some of the things that I have allowed to stick around, just because.
What about you? Has this project helped you in any way?
A lot of the reason that I’m undertaking the 100 Thing Challenge is because a minimalist lifestyle will help me to complete items on my Life List.
There are a number of names for a life list: bucket list, Things to do before I die, 43things, etc. No matter what you call it, the basic idea is the same. It’s a list of things that you want to do before a certain time-frame (generally your death, but some people are more specific.)
I always find it interesting to look at other peoples’ lists. Some have items that I want to add to my own list, some have things that I would never have any interest in trying. No matter what, it always provides an interesting insight into the author’s personality.
And so, I thought that I would provide a round-up of some of the life lists that I’ve read recently.
If you don’t already have a list of your own, now’s a good time to sit down and write a list of your own. The directions are simple, so don’t delay. With all of the inspiration above, you might be over-whelmed. Here are some popular life list items and 525 ideas to get you started.
One of my goals has been to write an ebook. I’ve mentioned this before. Even though I’ve had a number of ideas, and written a number of outlines, it has taken me this long to finally finished one, and here it is!
It’s about keeping the romance burning in your relationship. It gives you a simple way to create some daily romantic adventure. The simple system that I describe is not only easy to follow, but can greatly improve your relationship. I know because I’ve been using this exact system for over 2 years with my wife.
The guarantee is simple. If you don’t love Sticky-Note Love, then you get your money back. Pure and simple.
I’ve used the Sticky-Note System in my own life. I know that it works, and that it can have profound effects on your relationship. Try it out for 30 days, if it doesn’t strengthen your relationship, let me know and I’ll send the money your way.
If that guarantee isn’t enough, then you can get Sticky-Note Love for half price until October 29th. At that time I will be taking it off the market for two weeks to turn it into a more complete resource; adding videos, worksheets, and more! Then it will be available again, at the full price. If you purchase it now, you will receive updated version at no extra charge.
Want to know more? Check it out.
It might seem foolish for me to try the 100 Thing Challenge, since I’m not getting rid of my non-100 things, but only stashing them away temporarily. My closet still has more clothes than I actually wear, my patio storage has quite a collection of tools and camping gear stashed into it (more impressive because of how much there is in such a small space than the scope of the collection), and I have more books than I need. Basically, I have more than I need to live comfortably.
However, I wanted to experiment and see what, exactly, I do need to live comfortably. What areas of life will I end up realizing that I use more than I thought, and which will confirm that I have extra stuff just for the sake of having it? (I talked about this just a few days ago.)
One of the main reasons that I decided to try the 100 Thing Challenge is because it was not a new concept to me. Many is the time that my mind has wandered to the idea that I have too many things. I would start to mentally walk through my daily routine, examining the items that I used on a daily basis. “Why then,” I would wonder, “do I have all of the other stuff?”
My daily routine involves only a few items: clothes, cooking/eating utensils, computer, materials for current project, transportation. All of the extra stuff? It’s basically decoration.
These thoughts have been floating through my head before I ever read about the 100 Thing Challenge that others undertook. Reading about their experiences just helped to increase my interest. Now that I’d seen that it could be done, and how others went about it, my interest was piqued even further.
Of course, I started slowly. The Minimalism Experiment helped me to get moving in the right direction. I took a look at the things that I used on a regular basis, and got rid of the rest. Even after this paring down, however, I still ended up with more things than I used frequently. I continued to discover that I had an extra box of books in the closet, a shelf of clothes that hadn’t been touched since I moved, and more. So it was time for another experiment, one where I pushed even further.
And so, I’m trying the 100 Thing Challenge.
I’m not anti-stuff. I like having nice quality things around me. I enjoy my motorcycle, I get a lot of use from my laptop, and I’d love to have a really nice digital camera. However, it can seem that way, since I’ve been eliminating things from my life during the Minimalism Experiment and now that I’m taking the 100 Thing Challenge. Much of the focus of these experiments has been getting rid of the clutter that I’ve filled my life with. However, those actions are uncluttering, not minimalism.
The definition of minimalism is actually quite short (minimalist, you might say).
Eliminate the unimportant from your life
so that you can focus on the important.
While plenty more has been said about it, this is the heart of minimalism. Because everyone will define the important things in their life differently, everyone’s implementation of minimalism will look different. The key is giving yourself permission to remove the clutter from your life in order to really focus on what really makes your life worthwhile.
I have a lot of interests, as well as pack-rat tendencies. Over my life I’ve managed to build a lot of clutter based on changing interests and just-in-case thoughts. I have discovered that this clutter interferes with my actual life. It takes me longer to find things that I need, packing to move takes far longer with all of this extra stuff around, and the clutter in my house not only means that cleaning takes longer, but it generally stresses me out. Clutter makes it harder for me to achieve my goals. It distracts me from the important things in my life (this is not only physical clutter, but other forms as well.)
Looking at my Life List, there are at least a few goals on there that will be a lot easier to accomplish after I’ve cut out the clutter from my life. The experience of the 100 Thing Challenge will help me prepare for a few of the others.
I know that my minimalist journey far from completed. It will be a lifetime spent tweaking and adjusting. But I’ve started the path, and am excited about the progress that I’ve made so far.
I’m currently undertaking the 100 Thing Challenge, and I worked through the Minimalist Experiment earlier this year. However, this doesn’t mean that I have gotten rid of everything that I own. While I enjoy reading about people who only live with what they can fit in their backpack, that is not my goal. I DO enjoy having a clutter-free home (which is sort of odd, since I am more likely to create clutter than my wife is), and I like not having to worry about getting the newest thing.
During the Minimalist Experiment I eliminated a lot of the clutter from my life. I cleared out clothes that I don’t wear, paperwork that I don’t need, and other things that I don’t ever use. Because of this, I had extra room in my closet and in my dresser. This means that packing everything away for the 100 Thing Challenge didn’t take very long. Once I made my initial list, I was able to separate what I was going to use from the non-100 things. The non-100 things were separated and hidden away, out of sight.
I didn’t take the time to find boxes or other packing materials. I had no need for them. That’s one of the good things about only having 100 personal items, is that they generally don’t take up much space. I didn’t need a whole closet for my clothes. I didn’t even need a whole shelf! All of the clothes that I would not be wearing were hung in the back of the closet. The clothes that I was wearing are hung on the shelf closest to the door. My dresser has three drawers. Two of them have the socks and underwear that I won’t be wearing this month, the top one has my limited selection (which has been more than enough). I haven’t opened those bottom two drawers since the middle of September!
I still have everything that I started with. Since the beginning of the 100 Thing Challenge, I don’t remember getting rid of a single thing. It has simply been hidden away. My clothes are all still in the closet or dresser. The odds and ends that were on my desk are stashed in the office closet. Extra school supplies are also stashed in the office closet. All of my books are on the shelves. Just because I’m not using it doesn’t mean that I sold, donated, or threw it away. This makes the challenge so much easier to undertake, mentally. I know that I can go grab something if I wanted to change items on my list. I won’t miss something because I got rid of it just because. It’s such a relief to know that it’s still available should I need it.
My apartment is still fully furnished. No decorations have been removed (except the few that were specifically mine), all of the furniture is in its place, and the kitchen is still well-stocked.. One of the appeals of the 100 Thing Challenge is that I was only dealing with my personal items. My wife isn’t affected by my choice to undertake this experiment, the common items in the apartment aren’t affected…. only me and my stuff. I didn’t have to decide if we have too many books, movies, or knick-knacks, because they’re ours.
I just wanted to let you know that I still have stuff in my apartment. I’ve received a few emails asking about the drastic changes. In reality, though, it’s not that different from before, except that I’m consciously deciding to pay attention to and limiting my choices in what I use. In fact, unless someone reads my blog, the only way that they would know I am undertaking this challenge would be to notice that I’m only cycling through a handful of outfits each week. But I did that anyway! If you walked into my apartment, you still couldn’t tell that I’m only using 100 things. You *might* notice that my side of the dresser and my bedside table have less stuff on them than my wife’s (for the first time ever!) but those would be your only clues.
No, my life is not drastically different. It is, however, more relaxed and less cluttered. Life is good!
I’ve been living with the 100 Thing Challenge for about three weeks now. I thought there would have been more to write. My expectations included at least a couple of update posts by now. However, my life hasn’t actually been affected all that much. My day-to-day routine hasn’t changed any, except that it’s easier for me to make decisions regarding what to wear for the day.
Even though I’ve made a few changes to My List, most of the things discussed below are more observations about how I use the things that I do have.
I think it’s interesting to realize how little I actually use on a regular basis. Furthermore, I’ve been surprised at how little my day-to-day life has changed upon undertaking this challenge.
The main reason that this has been easy for me is because I’ve built up to it slowly. During the Minimalist Experiment, I eliminated much of the stuff that I didn’t use on a regular basis. This preparation allowed me to get everything in place in less than two hours. Because I didn’t get rid of anything but only stashed it away, I have no fear that I got rid of something important to me or that I would need. Since I’m only focusing on my personal items, nothing that my wife and I share or jointly own, I eliminated much the stress of having to include someone else in my decision making. Perhaps most importantly:
Unless someone reads my blog, the only way that they would know I am undertaking this challenge would be to notice that I’m only cycling through a handful of outfits each week. But I did that anyway! If you walked into my apartment, you still couldn’t tell that I’m only using 100 things. You *might* notice that my side of the dresser and my bedside table have less stuff on them than my wife’s (for the first time ever!) but those would be your only clues
This fact is comforting. It’s nice to know that I don’t have to explain the experiment to everyone I know (not that I’d mind, just the repetition of having to do so over and over would get to me).
So that’s my update for the first two (official) weeks of the challenge. Not a lot to report, other than the discoveries about my habits. I’m happy with that, however. I would be worried if I’d realized that I needed twice as many things just to get by on a daily basis. So far so good, and onward we go!
When I announced the 100 Thing Challenge, Rebecca commented about the lack of soap or shampoo on my list. (Toothpaste I share with my wife.) Instead of responding in a comment, I thought that this topic deserved its own post.
Some time ago, I ran across this article about not using soap or shampoo. That made me think. And so I dug a little deeper. After reading numerous articles about the subject, including this one, I decided to try out this experiment for myself.
Since the end of June, I haven’t been using soap or shampoo. I shower daily, but simply don’t add man-made chemicals to the process. I have continued to use deodorant. Washing of hands with soap occurs after using the restroom and before any food preparation.
My first reaction after reading about the concept was that it would end with me feeling dirty, and those around me agreeing. However, this was never the case. My wife didn’t even realize that I had started the experiment (though I’d told her about it) for at least three weeks. I feel just as clean, if not more-so, than before.
The articles above both mentioned a normalization period of about two weeks (a time for your body to adjust to the lack of chemicals that attack it). I think it took me about three days. My hair felt greasy for couple of days, dry for one, then felt better than normal. Nice, soft and almost never greasy.
This experiment was not conducted while working in an office, then spending the remainder of my day in my apartment. Instead, I spent the month of July living and working outside at a summer camp. 28 of those days saw record-setting highs. We swam in pools and lakes, went rock climbing, spent a night a week in a tent, and generally had a great time. I sweated, a lot.
I noticed only three times when I needed to use something extra in the shower, each time on my hair. I skipped a shower one day, and the next day I only felt better after washing twice, using shampoo the second time. After spending an absurd amount of time in a chlorinated pool each day for nearly a week, I noticed my hair drying out and threw some conditioner in there for two days.
After having avoided showering with soap and shampoo for over three months now, I doubt that I will return to using it. Not only have I saved money, but I can now shower faster. More importantly, I actually feel cleaner. My hair stays clean-feeling throughout the day, and doesn’t scream for attention after only a few hours. My skin has become less oily (which was always an issue before). I am generally cleaner-feeling over all.
This simple experiment has shown me not to blindly follow life rules just “because I always have” or “because you should” or any other reason that is not meant to be questioned. Make your own decisions and test things out. See what works for you, and do that. See what doesn’t work for you, and stop doing that. For me, soap and poo don’t work.
Since I recently listed what I carry in my pockets and on my keychain, I thought that I should detail my wallet as well.
I love my wallet, and have been carrying it for over 3 years now. I received it as a gift, and thus am not sure where it came from. In fact, I don’t even know what it is. The closest match that I can find is a business card holder at Office Depot (which I can’t seem to find online). This thing is tiny. If you take a brand new wallet that is empty, mine is still smaller than that, even when it’s full.
So, here’s what I carry:
I used to carry far more than this in my wallet. It used to be huge (I barely notice this on in my pocket); it was packed with photos, papers with notes and random information, business cards, and more. Once I realized that I never used all of the things that I carried “just in case,” it was easy to cut back to only the essentials. Not only is it now easier to find what I need, but my wallet fits easily into my front pocket (when I’m traveling) and is far more comfortable to sit on.
I’ve tried a number of different wallet styles: 3-fold, bi-fold, duct-tape wallet, paper wallet, rubber band, binder clip. None work as well for me as this one does.
What’s in your wallet?