Letting go-my September Challenge

There is a Netflix Documentary titled 'The Minimalists' which is about a couple of  friends who share their stories of how they worked really hard, were super successful, made a lot of money, had a lot of material possessions, and came to realise they weren't fulfilled and that stuff just wasn't important, so they started eliminating massive amounts of items from their homes.

Now they share with others what they did, how they continue to live, the way they make decisions about items, etc. They also recommend a Minimalists Challenge where for 30 days you eliminate items from your home. Day 1 = 1 item, Day 2 = 2 items, Day 30 = 30 items. That's about 465 items. They recommend reviewing each of your items to see if you've used it over the past 90 days and if you'll use it over the next 90 days. If you love the item and if it sparks joy for you. If not, then it's time to let the objects go. I am going to adapt this challenge to let go of one item per day. I have started on the 1st September and at the end of the month I will take 30 items to a local Charity Shop.

It's time to let stuff go. I chose to not hang onto stuff because I might need it some day or because it's attached to a memory (the memory is actually in our minds and hearts, not in the items).

While I am not a shopaholic by any means and my home is rather neat and organized.... I still don't need so much stuff.

One of the behaviour patterns I would like to change as a result of this challenge is to no longer purchase items just because I love it, just because I can afford it or just because I think I want it. My intention is to be even more purposeful with my purchases and what I bring home.

One of the magical things about decluttering is that it forces you to ask a wonderful question:

What is important to me in my life?

As you tackle a pile of clothes, a cluttered countertop, a shelf overflowing with books, there’s no way to get rid of clutter without answering that question.

And maybe just like our cabinets and wardrobes, our minds too would benefit from tidying up from time to time :)

Decluttering 2.0: how to clean the shit in your brain | Nathalie Bouts | TEDxYouth@Groningen