Taking Simplifying to the Next Level

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Some minimalism bloggers go beyond the superficial, and I so appreciate their writing. Some published authors really satisfy, such as Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez (Your Money or Your Life) and Duane Elgin (Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich). I’ve also found myself looking to religious texts for another level of simplifying.

But I’ve been simplifying, really, for most of my adult life. Now I’m wondering, what’s next? How do I level-up, go beyond “things” and dive deeper?

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How I decluttered 1,000 things in 3 years

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How I decluttered 1,000 things in 3 years

I moved to Vermont in 2003 with too many things, into a too tiny apartment. I had wall-to-wall stuff and when you constantly have to dust, step over, move or ignore things you don’t even like, it’s time to declutter.

Even when I moved to a huge apartment three years later, I still noticed the sporting goods piled up in the corner and the spare bedroom full of boxes of more stuff.

A bit like Goldilocks, that first apartment was too small, the second was too big, and my current apartment is just right. Nonetheless, I continue to develop an ethos and aesthetic that revolves around simplicity, utility and beauty in all areas of my life.

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A Long Way from Zero Waste

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A Long Way from Zero Waste

As I’ve simplified my life in many areas (by getting rid of 800 things, crawling out of debt, and living a voluntarily simple life), I’ve started thinking about trash. Garbage, plastic, glass, food scraps, paper, and so much more.

The complexity of my trash situation hit me as I was cleaning out and organizing my kitchen cabinets for the Reverse 100 Thing Challenge. Under the sink, I have my regular trash. In two other cupboards, I have recyclable soda bottles and cans and another bag of recyclable plastic and glass. Another cupboard holds only a paper grocery bag with paper and cardboard in it and then there’s the plastic bag full of plastic bags. There’s another small bin for garbage in the bathroom.

As I was trying to organize and minimize this mess, I wondered how much trash I actually create.

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Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: How I Decluttered 800 Things

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Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: How I Decluttered 800 Things

For the past 15 months, I’ve gotten rid of 800 items in my home. It all started with Dave Bruno’s 100 Thing Challenge and then Courtney Carver’s Reverse 100 Thing Challenge. I thought I’d never be able to part with so many of my possessions that I’d achieve Bruno’s goal of owning only 100 things. Even Carver’s goal of just getting rid of 100 things seemed slightly impossible.

But in one year (2012), I easily decluttered 500 items, while only bringing 100 new items into my home. And I just got rid of 300 more items in these first three months of 2013. Keep reading →

Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: 400 Things Decluttered

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Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: 400 Things Decluttered

Last year, I was intrigued by Dave Bruno’s 100 Thing Challenge, but could not imagine reducing all of my possessions down to just 100 items. The challenge seems more appropriate for digital nomads, travelers and, well, people who don’t have any art, books or photos. Nonetheless, it intrigued me, so I decided to do the opposite and see if I could give away 100 things.

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Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: 368 Things Decluttered

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Reverse 100 Thing Challenge: 368 Things Decluttered

The Reverse 100 Thing Challenge is well on its way to 400!

The 100 Thing Challenge is about simplifying your possessions and getting down to just 100 – perfect for full-time travelers and digital nomads. On the other hand, the Reverse 100 Things Challenge is better suited for those of us with full closets and full junk drawers – the challenge is to get rid of 100 things.

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Getting Rid of 100 Things of Clutter

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Getting Rid of 100 Things of Clutter

As a New Year’s resolution, I pledged to get rid of 100 things of clutter in my life. I figured there must be 100 useless things tucked away in drawers or closets, although I also worried that getting to 100 would be difficult.

Surprisingly, around March, I breezed past the 100 point mark! Some of the numbers were easy to come by: a big purge of cassettes, CDs and VHS tapes added up pretty quickly. As of today, I’ve gotten rid of 195 things and I have another 38 that I may donate to ReSOURCE in Barre.

Here are some examples of things I got rid of:

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