“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci
With the old year ending, and a new year beginning, several of you have asked for an update on my 50 Things challenge. I’m happy to oblige and have done my best to incorporate answers to some of the questions I’ve been asked along the way.
Stuff In
From January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016, I accumulated 46 personal items. You may recall that my list excludes consumables and perishables. And to further clarify, it includes only items for my exclusive or primary use. For example, a replacement sump pump, purchased in October, was not included in the list because it serves the household.
Anything I purchased was subject to a short period of rumination to discourage impulse buys. Then, if I truly needed or loved something, I bought it. Similarly, if I was given something that was neither useful nor loved, I passed it along. It’s surprising how little a person truly needs.
Most (91%) of the items I acquired (you can view my list here) are directly related to my sports/fitness-related hobbies. My husband Alan and I place a high priority on our health and lead active lifestyles outside of work. I think my list reflects that. What would your list of 50 Things say about you?
Because Alan and I typically don’t spend much money on “stuff,” we feel so much freer spending it on experiences. We look forward to poking a stick in lava; paddling an outrigger canoe; zip lining over waterfalls; snorkelling near sea turtles; and hiking through a volcano crater next month, when we make our second trip to the Big Island (Hawaii)!
Stuff Out
You may recall that I also undertook a parallel challenge of getting rid of 365 items, be it by recycling, donation, sale, or disposal. Unfortunately, I fell short and removed only 199 items from our home.
Things started off well, but I confess that I lost momentum in the summer and fall when we were particularly busy with training and races. Notwithstanding, I can honestly say that I don’t miss any of the items I let go of, which makes me wonder why I held onto them for so long in the first place!
So in that spirit, Alan and I recently agreed that we’ll no longer keep things out of guilt or perceived obligation (i.e. gifts). We’ll be listing an assortment of kitchen wares on Kijiji – brand new wedding presents that have been occupying real estate in our basement for the last seven years. For my part, I will also bid adieu to some birthday presents that have also been languishing in their original packaging.
I hope other will enjoy these items and that I can add a few dollars to my “shoebox of cash” for Alan (it currently sits at $255.50). In 2017, I’ll get back on the decluttering track. Three hundred sixty-five items is still the immediate goal, but simplicity is the ultimate objective.
P.S. If you are interested in doing some year-end decluttering of your own, here are some resources from a few of my favourite blogs devoted to minimalism/simple living: 10 Creative Ways to Declutter Your Home (Becoming Minimalist); 18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess (Zen Habits); Let’s Play a Minimalism Game (The Minimalists); and 10 Articles on Decluttering to Help You Simplify Your Life (Be More with Less).
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