When I tell someone that I want to get
rid of over 4,000 items, they are completely shocked.
Maybe its partially because many people don't even know
how much stuff they actually own.The truth is the average American household holds over 300,000 items. This number does not include the families with storage units full of stuff they hope to use in the future.
I believe the other reason is that many people are severely attached to their things and find it hard to imagine life without them.
Why Get Rid of So Many Items?
At some point, I got sick of things. Cleaning things, moving things, dusting things, watering things, storing things, and then finding someone who wants the thing when I’m done.
As a stay-at-home mom, I became the sole caretaker of many things. But, of course, there are certain items that we can’t avoid taking care of, such as our clothing, our cars, our appliances, etc.
Still, there are also lots of things that we spend more time on than we would like dusting, watering, and organizing. But, for the most part, those are the items that bring no value to my life and must go.
Right after my debt-free journey, I was introduced to the idea of minimalism. Minimalism sounded like a dream lifestyle. However, it wasn’t until a few years later that I decided to really declutter and de-own after many books and podcasts on decluttering and minimalism.
Not to mention I have a potential cross-country move in the next 18 months, and I will not be moving these things across the country.
My Decluttering Strategy
My decluttering strategy is a simple one.
Get. Stuff. Gone. Responsibly.
I’ll declutter the things that we have no attachment to first. These are things like the outgrown clothes and shoes, dishes and appliances, and stuff sitting in the garage.
In my first round of decluttering, I removed tons of Christmas decor that I’d held on to. I then went through clothes and toys that belonged to our kids when they were babies.
Afterward, I did a quick round-up of any dish or kitchen gadget that I knew we were not using. I put them in a box and allowed them to sit for a month to see if we would pull anything out of the box. When we didn’t, I donated the entire box.
I don’t dump everything all at once. I don’t do space by space or category by category. I don’t ask what sparks joy (although this has worked for many people), and I don’t start with other people’s stuff (that’s a disaster waiting to happen).
I simply start with an area that will bring me the most peace. If you follow the enneagram at all, know that I am an enneagram nine. You might see why this strategy would make sense for me. I started in a place where clutter was overflowing and driving me nuts. My workout room.
I recommend taking 15-20 minutes each day (I set a timer) and tackling one small piece of space that drives you nuts. This way it’s easier to build momentum in a short period of time.
I will make several rounds through the home tackling the easiest things to depart with to the hardest.
What about the items I bring Home?
I know what your thinking? What about the stuff I am buying and bringing into the home?
I am currently documenting the items my children and myself bring in.
My husband isn’t currently on board with minimizing his things and I completely respect that. Therefore, I won’t be counting any items he brings into the home or anything that he removes from the home.
As of now, I will not be subtracting what we brought in from the amount of decluttered items but I will keep track of both separately.
What counts as a thing?
Here are the rules I’ve set for myself:
1. Most consumables don’t count. If we use up the milk and throw away the container, that will not count; however, I have some hair products that I’ve had for years in hopes of using it up and never using it up. Same thing with specific cleaners. I will buy cleaners and then not like them but not get rid of them. Those will be counted.
2. Small items count. If I get rid of 100 hangers, I will mark 100 things decluttered. Super small things like push pens, I will count 1 item for every 10. If there is a puzzle that is 250 pieces that counts as one. Anything that goes together is one item, such as a pair of shoes or socks.
How I am Tracking My Items
I am tracking with a grid sheet that has 2000 squares on it. Once I fill up one sheet, I will start working on the other.
Four thousand items can seem like a massive undertaking. Still, once momentum starts building, I hope to declutter even more items at a more efficient pace.
Looking for ways to get started on your minimalism journey? Check out some of my favorite books and podcasts.
Minimalist Podcast
Minimalism Books
The Afrominimalist Guide to Living with Less by Christine Platt
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Minimalism by The Minimalists
More of Less by Joshua Becker
Outer Order Inner Calm by Gretchin Ruben
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
