Minimalist Game Day 17

The rules are simple, you get rid of things from your life, either by selling them, throwing them away, or donating them. On the first day, you remove one item, and then on the second day, you remove two items, you keep on playing until it’s the end of the month, or whenever you run out of things to remove from your life. It is okay if you can’t make it until the end of the month. Personally, I would rather see items get donated, or sold to someone else. If you must throw something away, I hope it’s because it isn’t fixable. Even if you have removed three items from your life, you should still be proud of that, because it is three more things you removed before the challenge. But if you are able to complete this challenge, you would have gotten rid of almost 500 items! That’s a lot of stuff.

If you are participating, I would love to know what you are parting with, feel free to let me know in the comments. This is such a fun way to welcome Spring cleaning.

This is from Wednesday March 17th.

Expired lip care (lip balms and lip sticks).

A photo album, and a notebook. I plan on giving them to my cousin.

A Christmas present from my Dad. He bought me a box of cookies.

I had parted ways with a lot of clothes that I haven’t worn in a really long time. It is best for me to pass them on to someone who will enjoy these items than I ever did. I like to give them to my Grandma, because she knows a lot of people and neighbours that always need clothes. I feel fortunate enough to be able to help others.

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Day 57

This lesson is from Friday.

While we were waiting for dinner to finish cooking. My Grandma and I were helping my mama organize her stuff. She just moved not too long ago. So we were helping her with some organization. I have been trying to help my mom organize her things for the past few years now. But I feel like she is slowly starting to get organized. In the process, I hope that she can also downsize her items. She does have a lot of things. I am happy to help to help her.

I also help my sister organize her things, as well. Everyone always comes to me when they need help cleaning and organizing things. I am comfortable with living with less things. I like things in my life to be organized.

Today, I will see the beauty in helping others. Whether it is me lending someone my time, or my money. I will find ways to always lend a helping hand. I know that if I needed help, I would appreciate anyone’s help. There are benefits to the people receiving help, and the person giving help. It is important to help others when you can.

Day Seven

This is from Thursday (yesterday).

Never be afraid to ask for help, and never be afraid to give help to others. My Mama had asked me if I could help her pack for her move. I was happy to help. I made some beef soup for dinner, and I made it in my crock pot. I knew that when she dropped me off back at home that the soup would be finished. I was able to give her some soup. My mama enjoyed the soup.

I love helping people. I have helped out a lot of my family throughout the week, I baby say my niece the other day, so my sister can pick up a shift at work. And then I started helping mom with her packing. It was fun to spend some time with her, since we haven’t since the whole pandemic.

I sometimes feel bad asking others for help, because I know how busy my family is, and some family members I talk to, live far away. So, I mostly just ask for advice, or we just talk. But that’s okay. If I need any help, I normally just ask my boyfriend.

Today, I will not be afraid to ask for help, nor will I be afraid to give help to others. It is a freeing and powerful feeling to be able to help others.

How to Have a Merry but Stress Less Christmas

I know this is a bit late. But I know they are some people out there that start Christmas shopping right after Christmas, for the sales, and whatever else. Shopping is an addiction. I hope this helps other have a more cheerful Christmas with less stress, and more money in your pockets. These ideas can be applied to birthday presents, too.

Everyone knows how stressful Christmas can be. And yet, everyone we swear next year will be different, it will be less stressful. But the cycle just continues and things become more extravagant than the year prior.

If you are sort of in a holidaze from the stress, or from the mess of Christmas. I have solutions for you!

Cut Back on Gift Giving

Instead of going into thousands of dollars in debt, like some do. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can have a family discussion via Zoom, or Skype, depending on your restrictions. What I am trying to do is keep it simple as possible, but still enjoyable for others.

Buy them the following;

• Something they want
• Something they need
• Something to wear
• Something to read

That way you just only need to buy four things for everyone, instead of your typical pile of gifts. This is a good solution if you are looking for ways to cut back on buying some many presents for everyone.

Or another solution is to have everyone pitch in money for one big present.

Cut Back On Presents

Or perhaps you want to cut back on presents completely. That way you just enjoy each other’s company. Perhaps it has become too much hauling all of these presents to peoples’ houses. Or maybe you just don’t want to buy people actual presents, and objects. Then perhaps an idea for you would be to give people an experience. I hope things are different next year, where more things are more available for us to do.

Some ideas of experiences are,

• Concert tickets
• Movie/Plays/Stand up comedy, etc.
• Spa Outing
• Wine tasting (depending on the age of the recipient)
• Other festivals if they are too young, or don’t drink

Give Others Your Time

Another solution is to give others your time, it’s free!

Perhaps you can offer a sibling, or a friend, or a neighbour a night off from their kids, so they can enjoy a night out. Or perhaps you know how to cook this delicious meal, you can teach someone else to make it. Or you know how to crochet, or knit, you can always offer to teach someone else how to do that.

By cutting back on giving out presents you don’t have to wrap any presents, which is a plus, too. Less work to do. And it also helps the environment, since most places don’t allow wrapping paper to be recycled, so all of that just ends up in a landfill. If you are still handing out gifts, perhaps you can use dish clothes, or scarves, or a blanket, instead.

Secret Santa

Secret Santa is when you put names in a hat, and you secretly place names of everyone in the group. Each person pulls out a name from the hat. That is who they are supposed to shop for. You would have a discussed budget, of how much money you want to spend, and you have to stay under that amount. You can discuss some things you would like to receive for Christmas, and your Secret Santa will buy you some of those things for you.

Don’t be a Michael Scott

I don’t know how many of you watch The Office, but there was this one Christmas episode, where they did Secret Santa, they had a $20 limit. Michael bought a $400 iPod, and got mad because Phyllis was Michael’s Secret Santa, and she knitted him an oven mitt. Please don’t be that guy that overspends on Christmas, especially when you know this person doesn’t have a lot of money. You don’t want the other person to feel bad that you didn’t get as many presents as much as you had given them.

Respect Their Wishes

Sometimes people say they don’t want any gifts. Please know they really mean no gifts. Some people realize they are already happy with everything they already have, and would not have someone go out and spend money on them. There is no secret language to “No gifts”, that isn’t their way to trick you, and making you wonder if they actually mean. Or if it means they just “don’t know yet”. If someone tells you no gifts, please honour their wish.

Shoe Box Ideas

I just heard of this idea not too long ago. You can fill a shoe box, filled with envelopes with different gift cards to different occasions for each month. You can only open an envelope on the first day of the month, and you make plans sometime throughout the month to do that activity. This works great for children, because they get the activity and the anticipation of not knowing which adventure they will be partaking in. I think that is an amazing idea. And if you can’t afford to buy all of the gift cards at once, you can just write a letter and letting them about each activity. That way you just have to budget this in once a month, instead of having to come up with x amount of money before Christmas.

Or another idea is that you can ask other people for money, or ask for mini hygiene products, and perhaps a backpack they no longer use (but it’s still in good condition). You can fill up a backpack with toothbrushes, toothpaste, money, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, etc. You can give this to a homeless person, or to a shelter. I suggest using the traveler size of things, so it is easier for them to carry around, and you can fit more stuff in the bag.

Christmas doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be memorable. Christmas is about helping others, spread love, and happiness. We should begin to refrain ourselves from the commercialization, that we have suddenly allowed to be the norm of Christmas.

Day 192 of 192

Wow! This is it! I am so proud of myself for finishing this project. I am about to ring in the new year with 192 less items than I would have. And I was able to help other people in the process. It’s a liberating feeling knowing that I did this.

Not everyone knows this, but I have had my things spread out in three other houses, four if you include the actual place I live at currently. Now, I only have things in three houses. My goal for the year was to bring it down to one, but I had to refrain from these houses because of the pandemic. But hopefully by the end of next year, I’ll only have my things in my house, the one I live at.

I still feel like there’s a few more things to give away. I hope I also inspired other people to go through their belongings, too.

This decluttering journey inspired me to write a short story, which is something I was planning to work on in the new year. That’s really exciting.

But here it is! Item number 192. It isn’t a big reveal, but it is still something.

I found this item in a container of my belongings. I have kept this way longer than I needed to. I plan on giving these to my Grandma, because I am sure she knows someone who would appreciate this.