365 days, 1000 items

Update, day 1: I've created a progress bar for myself, but for now at least I'm only adding it to the main page of the site: http://www.the-deblog.com -- See also my progress list.

I've been on a decluttering kick lately. In the last couple weeks I've cleaned the downstairs hallway (which may not sound like much, but you should have seen it before), my study, and the living room. Things are being organized. Stuff is being abandoned. So, notice of decluttering movements like the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge and the 100 Thing Challenge have sparked my interest. Now that Clare Dudman has jumped on the decluttering bandwagon, I feel like giving it a go myself. I'm not going to adopt Clare's approach: she'll be blogging everything she discards for the next year. I don't want to require myself to blog things because (1) it would take a lot of effort, (2) I worry that very many of the things I discard would not merit a blog post, and (3) if I get rid of something someone gave me I don't want to publicize it! Instead, I've decided to try something different: Starting tomorrow, 6/22/2008, I'm going to endeavor to get rid of 1000 items over the course of the year.

Some ground rules:

1. Item must not be replaced. For example, a broken lamp that's to be replaced by a new lamp is a wash. Doesn't count. However, old clothes would count if they're not immediately replaced.
2. Items may be recycled, thrown out, given away, traded (e.g., via Bookins), or sold. Books are problematic, because there are forever more coming into my house. Still, they are not replacements per se, so I'm going to count getting rid of them.
3. Items count when they leave the house (e.g., they're shipped out or given to Good Will, etc.) or are ready to go and need only to be dropped off somewhere (e.g., Good Will, post office, library for donated books). and not before. (Going into the car trunk in preparation for a trip to Good Will will count as leaving the house, however.) Books that I have already listed on Bookins or Amazon will count when they go out.
4. I'll probably Twitter my off-loadings, and may blog a running tally weekly or so.
5. Like Clare, I'm unsure of what to do about stuff coming in. Should I be required to offset it by getting rid of something? I'm tempted to think not.... I don't get very much to begin with--except books. The justification of not doing so would be: But for my decluttering, I would have 1000 more things in the house on 6/22/2009 than otherwise.
6. Can I get rid of the kids' stuff and count it? Yes, I think so.

If only I'd started this a couple weeks ago! I'd be well on my way. But this will make it more of a challenge. Care to join me?

Comments

[Clare D]

1.

Yes, I agree about the no. 3 being a problem. Going to have to think of a way round this one. May be difficult.

I also agree about kids' stuff - I think this may prove inspiring.

Have just thought of a slight problem: I sometimes get accused of throwing 'valuables' (=rubbish) away. They will be able to check up on my blog. So I'm going to have to be careful!

[Clare D]

2.

Yes, I agree about the no. 3 being a problem. Going to have to think of a way round this one. May be difficult.

I also agree about kids' stuff - I think this may prove inspiring.

Have just thought of a slight problem: I sometimes get accused of throwing 'valuables' (=rubbish) away. They will be able to check up on my blog. So I'm going to have to be careful!

[Karen]

3.

What constitutes a "thing"? Is a pair of beat-up sneakers one thing or two? How about a dozen quart-size yogurt containers with lids? I could do 1000 things TODAY if I itemized carefully...! But I like the idea. I've been on a de-cluttering rampage lately too. Damn kids.

[Debra Hamel]

4.

Well, it's of course subjective to an extent.... I think a pair of shoes has to count as one thing. As for the yogurt containers. My gut feeling is to count it as one thing, but I can't really defend that. What do you think?

[Medbie]

5.

Great idea--I'll have to think about joining you. Would boxing it up and putting it in the attic count, I wonder. That's what we've been doing. . .

Hmm. . . I must muse on this.

[Debra Hamel]

6.

I don't know. I think the attic shouldn't count! But it's up to you.

[Suzanne]

7.

Hello Deb, thanks for throwing a nod to the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge. We appreciate it.

Congratulations on beginning your own Decluttering Challenge!

Although we all started at different times and might not be following the exact same challenges, we are right there decluttering alongside you.

Decluttering physical objects can become a bit addicting, as well as decluttering the mental clutter that was with it. A journey starts with a single step. Congrats, again, on taking this journey with us and getting rid of unwanted, unneeded, unused and unloved items in your life!

[Debra Hamel]

8.

Karen, if you're still hanging around: in practice I seem to have landed on the side of counting those yogurt containers as separate entities. But sneakers I'd still count as one.