And so it begins...

Yesterday, I added a post to my Whole30 blog about starting something new. Yesterday's plan was to get rid of one thing a day until the end of the year. And I actually did start yesterday like I said I would. I dropped off a bag of clothes that I was planning to donate at Value Village. So my day one was a success!

But you know what... I've been rethinking my plan. I don't want to get rid of one thing a day. I don't want to limit it to one thing a day. I know it would mean 318 things by the end of the year as of yesterday. But that doesn't seem like enough. And how do I figure out what counts in those 318 things? Would trash count? Purging paperwork? Getting rid of old receipts? Does it have to be things that can be used by others?

So instead, my plan is still to de-clutter, organise what I keep, and set up a system to keep things organized, simple, and try to live a minimalist type of lifestyle in as many aspects of life as I can.

Today, I bought a few e-books:
  • Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify - by Francine Jay
  • The Minimalists: Essential Essays - by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Necodemus
  • Simplicity: Essays - by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Necodemus
I'm considering a few others. But for now, I'll concentrate on reading those and see where it takes me.

I've been considering this for a long time. I've fantasized about giving EVERYTHING away and starting fresh. But that wouldn't be the most convenient nor financially sound way of getting to where I want to be. Also, it probably wouldn't address the reasons why I got to this place to begin with. I want this to be a lasting change.

Why am I doing this?
  • Doing a Whole30 in January 2015 made me realize that I'm a stress eater. When I simplified my meals to what was acceptable on Whole30, I was happy. I felt empowered. I felt healthier. I had more energy and more self-confidence. It made me want to continue my self-improvement.
  • I've been fantasizing about an organized simple living environment for years! There is so much stress in day to day life that if I can at least get a handle on my home, it should minimize the stress.
  • I want to be a good example for my daughter so that she doesn't fall into the same consumerism traps as I did. If she can get a handle on this as a teenager, she'll more likely have an easier time of it as an adult. At least, I'd like to think so.
  • I don't want to run after money. I mean, I spend so much time running to and from work. It seems that I spend the majority of my awake time at work. And most of the money I make there goes to buy stuff. Stuff I have to clean. Stuff I have to organize. I believe that if I simplify my life, and spend less money on stuff, it should free up some of my time and money so that I can do other things. I'm hoping that I will be able to take advantage of the time off that I can book as a federal government employee. I'll be paid less, but if I need less money, that's fine with me!
  • I don't like cleaning. Really! I know, most people don't. But I find it ridiculous that we spend so much time cleaning and organizing the stuff that we have, instead of living the life that we have. I'd rather live.
  • And of course, all of this will be good for the planet, right? The less stuff I buy and own, the less space and negative environmental impact I'll have on the planet. And that seems like a no brainer to me.
Now don't get me wrong. Like I've mentioned before, I am no where close to being a hoarder. I've gotten rid of many many things in my life, and I'm totally fine with that. I just know I could be better, have less. We should keep improving, right? So this is what I choose to address now.

I'm not quite sure how often I'll write a blog post. I don't expect it to be a daily thing. That would just be too much and would contribute to clutter on the web. ;)
Perhaps weekly, or monthly. Or maybe when something somewhat significant happens. I'll figure it out.

So tonight, I will start by reading Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify. I hope it will be inspirational and practical. I don't just want to be inspired, I want to learn how to live it!

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