A lot of people talk a good game about living as simple as possible, but not everything is really dedicated to the idea.
After all, is a simple system for reading 100 different blogs a day really simple? Is a simple system for maintaining a wall full of filing cabinets really simple? Are you really living a simple life if you own a thousand things, but which are arranged in a clean manner? One of my favorite challenges to test your conviction to the simple lifestyle is the 100 things challenge.
Essentially, the 100 things challenge is an attempt to pare down your possessions to only 100 things.
Before I go further talking about how to complete the challenge while maintaining your sanity, there are a few things to keep in mind.
People who remain strict to the challenge say that you can only have 100 things total.
For the rest of us, there are a few exceptions that help the process by eliminating a few common items from the count.
First, anything shared with a room-mate or spouse is excluded, so you don't have to count your dishes and flatware.
Most people who talk about the challenge let you have as many books as possible.
The same with tools, and items that are necessary for getting important things done.
Finally, collections (like CD or DVD collections) are counted as one item- provided they are efficiently stored, such as in a disc binder.
I am actually more of a purist about these things.
I don't think it's necessarily simple to have a collection of a thousand books, for example.
I count each book as an individual item, and try and only keep the books that I love the most and regularly read or refer to.
The same with DVDs.
There is no reason to have a CD collection, as most collections can fit comfortable on your computer.
I try and minimize the number of tools and items that I require in my life, so I like to count tools as separate items, though because a small toolbox can contain 50 items in it, I understand counting the whole box as one item.
While it's nice to have a fully stocked kitchen filled with appliances, most of us don't really use more than a couple of items, so there's no reason to have three types of citrus zesters.
If you're looking to take on the challenge, whether strict or not, then there are some important steps to take.
The first thing I like to do is spend a month where I mark everything that I use.
When I use something, I put a small piece of colored tape on it.
I only do this for the first use.
At the end of the month, I'm able to see the items that I actually use, and see what I don't really touch that often.
This is part of the initial inventory process.
Once you know what you use regularly, look at what's left and with each item try and remember the last time you used it.
If you use it often enough to keep, but just didn't happen to touch it over the last month, then put a piece of tape on it.
If you can't remember the last time you used something, or if you can't remember EVER using some of your possessions, then leave them unmarked.
Please note that there are going to be some things that you don't use in the same way that you use a screwdriver.
Pieces of art and other decorations can be marked when you notice yourself actively appreciating or enjoying them.
Now count everything that is marked.
If there are less then 100 things, great! You can add more items to keep if you'd like, but try and fight the urge.
If you have more than 100, then pare down to the essentials.
Once you know what your 100 things are, take everything else and box it up.
Put a date on the boxes.
In 6 months, if you haven't even had to open the boxes, then open them up and give away or throw out everything in them.