8 months ago, Xav and I got serious about becoming more minimalistic in our lives. We were very far from it. Every drawer and shelf of our 110 squared-foot apartment was filled with stuff. We were organized hoarders. As such, discipline was necessary. I had begun listening to The Minimalist podcast and decided that it would be good for us to partake in the Minimalist Game.
The rule is simple. For 30 days, we each would get rid of one item on day 1, two items on day 2, etc. By the end of the month, we would be giving away over 20 items a day. In total, we each gave away 465 items, totaling 930 for the household!
First round of the Minimalist Game
The structure forced us to ask tough questions on why we still hold onto the stuff. So often we were reminded of what we own in this exercise, and were so tempted to say, “oh, I’m going to use it now”. 30 days later, we felt lighter both in our physical and mental space. A good starting point to our marriage.
After the game, we began to look at our lives differently, and examining the purpose and whether each item or activity is bringing us value. In May, We decided to push for another round of the game after my coding camp. And it feels like that quote:
“luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
Halfway through May, when the opportunity came to decide if a job offer for Xav is worth staying for, we were ready to say no. I am not sure if we would have been able to make this same decision 8 months ago, but here we are.
The decision to leave kicked that Minimalist Game into high gear. It’s one thing to pick and choose items to rid around the house, it’s another to decide we will part with just one carry-on and a backpack, and everything else must go.
Round 2 of the Minimalist Game.
By the final week, we stopped counting items because everything gotta go!
In the end, I’m leaving with a suitcase slight bit larger than a carry-on. Still baby steps to this whole lifestyle, but am mighty proud to get my entire year-long wardrobe to just 45 items. The toiletries and the others, that’s an area for future improvement.
Habits take time to develop and refine. Our upcoming voyage will force us to continuously evaluate what matters most, and how much possessions we are willing to trade for experiences.
My 45-item year-long capsule wardrobe
This blog (first published on June 20, 2018) was posted with the permission of Wendy Lee, to view more blogs by Wendy, click here.