Does counting your stuff add up?

-By Lisa

Lately, I've noticed a trend in simplification towards counting your stuff. There is an experiment going on right now called The 333 Challenge, in which you wear only 33 items of clothing for 3 months. Some encourage minimalists to participate in a 100 Things Challenge, where you - obviously - purge to the point that you own a mere 100 items. 

Colin from Exile Lifestyle has taken this is to extraordinary lengths and owns just 51 things. You can see all his possessions here and he is not kidding around - he actually counted his passport. His philosophy of life is very interesting and I love that he moves to a new country (dictated by his readers) every four months. The site is worth checking out and as an added bonus - Colin is super duper hot. But I am slightly suspicious that he doesn’t include “hair product” as one of his things...

The point being, blogs and websites are full of methods for counting your stuff to de-stress your life.

But this stresses me out.

In theory, I love this idea. I love getting down to the nitty gritty with your stuff and realizing it’s all just time consuming crap you don’t need. I always feel a sense of freedom when I get rid of excess. I can only imagine that going to these lengths would be a real high.

Then I look at the logistics of this idea for myself. I look at the random things around my house that offer me joy in one way or another. I have sewing things and knitting things and a box containing all of my marked-up college essays. I have framed photos of far-flung friends and lots of plants who all have names. I have a cool rock I found in Mozambique and a glow-in-the-dark ring Husband gave me when he was only Boyfriend. I do my best to shed the excess, but I am so far from 100 things that when I started I counting, I immediately felt like a failure.

I totally applaud those who can get their lives into a backpack. I kind of wish I could become a turtle, too. However, I think it is important to also remember that minimalism is foremost an intention and a mindset, which can be hard to quantify.

Counting your possessions, while a great eye-opener, is not the be-all and the end-all of simplicity. You could potentially only have 100 things, but you could live without consideration of your impact on the planet or you could make mindless decisions that complicate your life and cause chaos for others. 

Perhaps someday I will shed most of my possessions, but I can’t beat myself up because I currently own more than 100 things. I have to be content with the simplifying path that I am on, which includes bringing a critical eye to the stuff that is allowed to enter my home and my life. For now, I cheer on those who dramatically pare down while feeling reassured that acquiring stuff has zero relation to happiness.

And I keep my fingers crossed that cutie Colin posts more photos of himself in his "minimalist" clothing choices.

For more from Lisa, check out www.justherejustnow.com

Comments

[Lisa]

My home contains far more than a hundred things too. Maybe it's a "Lisa" thing! ;-)

[Simplifying the Simple Life]

Perfect! I can blame it on my mother.
: )
Thanks for stopping by!

[Leslie Michele]

Clearly never had the time to count all my stuff. Planning on taking a weekend to do so. Hopefully I wont get depressed with all the things I have to throw out.