The Minimalism Game – Week 2 & 3

I’m now well and truly into the Minimalism game and I’m so proud of myself for how much I’ve got rid of. I still have some struggles, mainly now it’s getting rid of the kid’s toys and the clutter that’s accumulated in their bedrooms.

I find it so hard to get rid of their stuff, even the toys they don’t play with. I worry what if they want it later? It’s one thing to get rid of your own stuff but when it’s someone else’s it’s very different. I feel disappointed in myself for letting the amount of stuff in their bedroom get so out of control. I mean I either bought it or allowed them to have the sheer volume of stuff they have. My kids are 8 and 2 and share a room. Over the years the amount of toys has just built up.

I get really stressed about how much of a mess their bedroom always is. They have toy overload. Last year I really cut them back at Christmas and I did the same for their birthdays. I was so worried they’d be disappointed, but they weren’t. I don’t think they even noticed I’d cut back on how much I got them and they were both the super excited hyper kids on their birthdays and at Christmas that you’d expect from a child.

Going forward I’m just going to make a conscious effort to cut down on the number of items I  get them at Christmas and for birthdays and teach them its quality, not quantity. I want to teach them that happiness isn’t about stuff and to cherish few not like lots. To create a home and a life of happiness, not based on material items. Don’t get me wrong I’m never going to be an extreme minimalist. I still like having nice things, but what I’ve realised is excess and clutter is no fun. If something doesn’t make you happy, don’t have it.

So here’s what I’ve got rid of in weeks 2 and 3 (if you’ve missed my week 1 click here) :

Day 8: A load of old stationery, felt tip pens that don’t work & rubbers that have seen better days etc.

Day 9: A load of girls clothes my daughter had grown out of for a friend (way more than 9 items so doing well woo hoo).

Day 10: An attempt to get rid of some of the kid’s stuff they don’t use or are broken/seen better days. Mainly old bath items and broken toys.

Day 11: More items from the bathroom including 5 old toothbrushes, as if you’ve watched my latest video you’ll know I use them for cleaning.  I decided 7 was very excessive purely for cleaning so I  got rid of 5. Then just an old razor and stuff we don’t use from the bathroom.

Day 12: A random day. More flyers from my old business (I keep finding them, must have been breeding them!) and mainly kitchen items we don’t use/totally rubbish or that’s broken.  Plus a few other random bits.

Day 13: Nail items that are either worn out or I have an excess amount of. Plus a broken camera tripod.

Day 14: Another charity bag day. If you watched my latest minimalism video you’ll know I’m doing a charity bag challenge. Anyway, this was filled with old School uniforms as my daughter has switched Schools. It was 14 items exactly. I normally try to put in more, but to be honest, I’d forgotten about it until the morning of the collection, so was trying to think what I could put in quick before the collection.  School clothes were the most obvious items at the time as my daughter had just moved School and it was pure luck it was 14 items exactly.

Week 3:

Day 15: More random items. 3 stained lots of bedding (felt tip, kids eh), loads of odd shoes I was keeping encase I found the other ones but it’s been years now I think I need to give up hehe. Then just other bits and bobs we no longer need.

Day 16: Two old pairs of Summer shoes that aren’t going to be any good next year and 14 out-of-date business catalogs for my NYR Organic business.

Day 17: More random bits (over 17 items go me!), mainly stuff I was keeping to make craft stuff with and DIY gifts but they’ve been there forever so it’s time to admit I ain’t ever going to get around to it.

Day 18: Over 18 adult hangers. Still have more to sort yet, when you start getting rid of the excess clothes you soon start feeling like your breeding these. Hanger anyone?

Day 19: More out-of-date catalogs! I keep finding stashes of these lurking in cupboards that I’ve kept to make vison boards etc, but just like the art and crafts stuff sometimes you just have to admit your probably never going to get around to doing it.

Day 20: Now kids hangers. Same story as day 18. If you need a hanger or two then do shout, I have like a million I’m sure!

Day 21: Another charity bag day and this time I managed to fill the whole bag and made a good start on decluttering the kid’s room of stuff they don’t need or play with☺

Wish me luck in the final stretch of the challenge,

Kirsty xx