What I Let Go of during Week 2 of the 30 Day Minimalism Game - Mar 8

Alright... we are into Week 2 of the 30 Day Minimalism Game. Week 1 seemed to go by very quickly and was super easy. But... as this week wore on, I found that it got progressively harder.  I have no idea how Week 3 and Week 4 are going to play out... but I am already wondering how the heck I am going to make it to the end!!

Day 8

I went through my bathroom cabinet and found several items that were an easy toss. A number of expired medications (grouped by type) - so 5 of those, all given to the local pharmacy for disposal. Then  body wash that I won in a contest but that isn't to my liking. That will go to a thrift store. A hair brush that has seen better days (much better days) and is losing all of its bristles (garbage). Finally one of those daily vitamin/pill holders that has lost two of its lids (garbage). Done!

Day 9

This day too wasn't too bad. I even got generous and counted a bundle of magazines as one item (I might regret that later!). Then there was an old stained mouse pad. A cookie tin that can go to a thrift store. An expired bottle of Vitamin E capsules, a honey-based soap that I picked up in England which isn't my thing (thrift s tore). There were a couple of round-screw together vitamin/pill canisters that don't have lids. A bundle of paint chips that are no longer my vision for my office. A sleep mask that doesn't work unless you are completely still. And a little notebook with 2 pages in it... All gone!

Day 10

I had to dig deeper on this one, but it was still not too bad. Two puzzles that I have no intention of doing. They can go to a thrift store. A weighted sleep mask that you can put in the fridge/freezer or heat up. Was a gift, never use it - off to Marketplace. A bundle of old Christmas cards from the college I graduated from in 2004. I really debated this bundle. The building no longer exists... should I send the bundle back to the college (which does still exist)... should I mail them to my fellow alumni? Ahhh... just let them go. Then a bundle of Pantone colour stickers that came with my blank notebooks. A little incense holder. A bundle of instruction manuals for things we no longer own. The pair of removable insoles from my hiking boots - I use my own inserts. And some file folders that were cut up for dividers but are no loner needed. Done!!

Day 11

This might seem a bit chintzy... but... There are two puzzles, two watch straps, two ratched (wratched?) pairs of jeans (one for painting, one for garden) with blown out knees and patched back pockets, a sweater I never wear and 4 bookmarks that I don't use (e-books don't use them). I debated those bookmarks... do they count as one thing? Or 4 things. On this day, I needed them to be 4 things!! And I had to deliberate over each one, cause I did keep 3 sentimental bookmarks... Sigh.

Day 12

The days are getting harder. Today we have... a set of stickers that we never use cause they don't stick. A tube with my cat's ashes (she passed in 2019). We buried her ashes in the garden. A little bracelet that blew apart as I handled it. Two armbands (counted as one thing) from our favourite all-inclusive resort. A bracelet, a number of old broken silver necklaces (ziploc bag), and several necklace items. An old Starbucks card that is empty. And a couple of watch straps for my fitness watch that either irritate my arm (silicone) or cover the heart sensors. Twelve!! Done!!

Day 13

Today... it was 3 puzzles, 4 pieces of decrepit undergarments (not showing you those (they are behind the calligraphy set), 1 calligraphy set (I tried it... but it doesn't work well and you have to keep dipping it into the ink well - I've got a better one), 1 2007 Word program (waaaay out of date), and then 4 travel guides. Total of 13 things. The puzzles are really helping things along!

Day 14

Okay.... let's be honest here. This is getting harder and harder! Although it might seem that I have doing these day after day... in reality, two weeks have gone by since "Day 13". Life gets in the way and it's hard to focus on decluttering things. With Day 14, I actually had 9 things for quite a while and then 13 things and it took forever for me to get that last 1 thing into the pile. Ugh!

So for today's selection we have 2 puzzles, 2 piles of extra (small) envelopes, 2 books on dementia (from when my Dad was suffering with it) and 8 different maps from various countries, cities in Europe.

I am kind of dreading the next two weeks!! I haven't really touched anything in my closet yet, so I'm hoping that's going to yield a few things. And if I get really desperate, I'll head out to the shed, because there are sure to be a bunch of things out there that can go bye-bye!!