I'm a person who works best when I have a specific goal to motivate me. Last year, I set a goal to grow 1000 kg of produce in my backyard, starting from scratch (I blogged about it at www.kiwiurbanhomestead.com). I surpassed that goal, and am still growing food for my family. But meanwhile, I've been busy, and haven't keep on top of another desire of mine - to live more simply, with less stuff.
I want to have more time and energy to focus on what really matters in life - and too much stuff just slows me down. To much stuff makes it harder to keep the house clean, and wastes time, energy and money.
So I'm setting a new goal - to let go of 1000 things over the next 8 weeks. Here's the plan:
My intention is that the "1000 things" will be the "good stuff" that I give away or sell - stuff good enough to be used by others.
At the same time I'll also be decluttering junk that goes in the trash or recycling, so really I will be getting rid of more than 1000 things!
And I've decided that the "give away" items will be placed in a box outside my house with a "Free" sign attached, so people in my town can help themselves to anything they need. Anything not taken will later go to a local charity store. I'm going to make it my aim to put out about 20-25 items per day, Tuesday to Friday.
Each day, I'll also aim to advertise 5-10 items for sale.
That's 40 days over 8 weeks; 25-35 items per day will add up to about 1000 items. But, that is really just an arbitrary number to aim at. The point isn't to deprive my family of anything they need or love. The point is to identify the dross - those things we don't need or love any more - and set them free to bless others. You know...
The movies we won't bother to watch again....the books we never read.....the clothes that don't fit......the knick knacks that have lost their appeal.....the "useful" items we don't use....the projects we'll never finish......the educational books we're done with.....the toys/games outgrown......the furniture we don't need......and so forth.
1000 seems like a big number...until I realise just how many items are in a house. On one bookcase I just counted 125 items - and we have 6 of those bookcases. And then there are the cupboards, the drawers, the piles.....I have a feeling 1000 items won't be that hard!
And I expect it will feel good! Lighter! Free-er!
Each day (Tu-Fri) I'll post what I'm letting go of, along with some thoughts on decluttering, and any blessings that occur along the way.
Got anything YOU need to let go of??
I want to have more time and energy to focus on what really matters in life - and too much stuff just slows me down. To much stuff makes it harder to keep the house clean, and wastes time, energy and money.
So I'm setting a new goal - to let go of 1000 things over the next 8 weeks. Here's the plan:
My intention is that the "1000 things" will be the "good stuff" that I give away or sell - stuff good enough to be used by others.
At the same time I'll also be decluttering junk that goes in the trash or recycling, so really I will be getting rid of more than 1000 things!
And I've decided that the "give away" items will be placed in a box outside my house with a "Free" sign attached, so people in my town can help themselves to anything they need. Anything not taken will later go to a local charity store. I'm going to make it my aim to put out about 20-25 items per day, Tuesday to Friday.
Each day, I'll also aim to advertise 5-10 items for sale.
That's 40 days over 8 weeks; 25-35 items per day will add up to about 1000 items. But, that is really just an arbitrary number to aim at. The point isn't to deprive my family of anything they need or love. The point is to identify the dross - those things we don't need or love any more - and set them free to bless others. You know...
The movies we won't bother to watch again....the books we never read.....the clothes that don't fit......the knick knacks that have lost their appeal.....the "useful" items we don't use....the projects we'll never finish......the educational books we're done with.....the toys/games outgrown......the furniture we don't need......and so forth.
1000 seems like a big number...until I realise just how many items are in a house. On one bookcase I just counted 125 items - and we have 6 of those bookcases. And then there are the cupboards, the drawers, the piles.....I have a feeling 1000 items won't be that hard!
And I expect it will feel good! Lighter! Free-er!
Each day (Tu-Fri) I'll post what I'm letting go of, along with some thoughts on decluttering, and any blessings that occur along the way.
Got anything YOU need to let go of??