Tag: minimalist challenge

Minimalist Challenge, Day 10

Ten days into the minimalist challenge and I haven’t even come close to running out of things to discard. Today’s destash is a mashup of items found in various closets at Doright Manor. There is no theme for today, just a big “buhbye!”

(See the poem below the photo for a list of the items.)

I can write a poem about today’s purge, but it won’t be pretty!

Three frames I see, yet they sit empty, and a vaseless bouquet that’ll never decay.

Essential oils in a tiny vial, and an eye liner tube I tried on trial

A spent toothbrush not fit to be used, and a broken cow ornament without any moos.

Finally two empty bags, old and sad, who knows why I kept them? Perhaps I’m mad.

Peace, people.

Minimalist Challenge Day 9

I attacked my stash of hardly ever worn, barely used shoes for Day Nine of the Minimalist Challenge. After consulting with the czarina of the challenge I learned that a pair of shoes counts as two items. So rather than wait until day 10 and offer up five pairs of shoes, I stuck with four pairs and threw in the bath mat that matches the rug I discarded on day one of the challenge.

On a related note, I’m not sure why I bought any of these shoes to begin with. The ballet type flats never fit my feet quite right. Good riddance to bad bunions.

Peace, people!

Beware the Green Rug, or Be Careful What You Ask For

On the first day of posting about taking part in the Minimalist Challenge I included a photo of the one item I’d be purging on that day:

This green bath mat needed a new home, and I had planned to take it to Goodwill. Then a Facebook friend commented, “John, we need this.”

I told her to send me her address on Messenger, and I’d send it to her. As soon as I had the address I put the rug in a box, taped it all up, and sent it off to Texas.

On Wednesday morning I received this message in Messenger. I’m still laughing.

Leslie – the box came today. Thank you. And now a hilarious confession. When I commented on your rug post, I said “John , we need this” ( tagging my husband) Which caused you to offer to send it and so on. What I really meant was “John, we need to do this challenge”. I literally thought you were sending me some kind of booklet or instructions for the challenge. Until I opened the box. I literally laughed until tears were streaming down my face. I never once thought you thought I wanted the rug. Until I opened the box! I am sorry for your trouble to get it to me! I definitely owe you one. And now I have the first item for MY 30 day challenge. I hope you find this as funny as I do! 🤣😂🤪

Honestly I had been curious as to why she NEEDED this particular bath rug, but I don’t really know her other than through Facebook, and who was I to deny her something she needed? Maybe this bath rug looked like one her grandmother had owned or maybe she couldn’t find this shade of green at her local Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Mine was not to question why, mine was just to send a bath rug.

Oh man. Life is good.

Peace, people!

–Leslie

Minimalist Challenge, Day 8

I’m beginning to think I might fit the profile of a hoarder. These boxes were stashed in various bathroom drawers. There isn’t anything inside any of them. Completely empty.

I’d like to blame some of this foolishness on Studly Doright. And that’s exactly what I’ll do. Brilliant.

“Studly, you got some ‘splaining to do!”

Good riddance to empty boxes.

Minimalist Challenge, Day 7

Today wasn’t a very exciting purge, and it’s not going to free up much space in my closet; however, I’m not sure why I was hanging onto these seven shopping bags:

It’s not as if I was going to use them as gift bags. That would just be tacky. Right?

Back when I worked full time I sometimes carried my lunch in one of the small shopping bags, but I no longer have to do that. And while in the past I’ve used such bags to tote a change of clothes to the gym, I own a perfectly good gym bag. So these bags are going into the recycling bin unless someone can give me a good reason to hang onto them.

Peace, people!

Minimalist Challenge Day 5

Five items for day 5:

Odds and ends–a dot to dot book, a deviled egg dish, an art book, a bottle for oils, and a cosmetics bag. The only thing these items have in common is that they must go.

I’m always baffled by the items I’ve thought worthy of purchasing. That egg dish is ugly beyond imagining, but it was on clearance. The oils bottle might’ve been a gift. I’m fairly certain I bought the art book at a thrift shop, along with the cosmetics bag. I have nary a clue about the dot to dot book. Truly, a mind boggler.

I’m feeling lighter by the day.

Peace, people!

Minimalist Challenge Day 4

Arts and crafts are not my thing, but for some reason there are a great many doodads and thingamajigs scattered about Doright Manor that would be found in one’s local crafts store. Since today is day four of the minimalist challenge and I had exactly four rolls of ribbon, I thought it the perfect day to rid myself of them.

Four rolls of ribbon that I’ve never used, but that are not brand new. Hence, I believe I might’ve purchased these at a garage sale thinking that I’d create something cute or use them to make a gift prettier. Instead, they’ve crouched, hidden among all my other lonely arts and crafts items, waiting with baited breath for me to notice them. Alas, they were relegated to a spot in my home where cobwebs dwell.

Goodbye ribbon. May you go to a good home where you’ll serve some greater purpose.

Peace, people.

Minimalist Challenge Day 3

None of these things is just like the others.

A ball of twine, an empty souvenir cup, and a fake flower are leaving my life today. I believe the cup and the flower have been taking up space at Doright Manor for four years, having come into my possession on an anniversary trip to the beach.

As for the ball of twine, I haven’t a clue. Had I planned on tying Studly Doright up for sexy shenanigans? Was I going to truss a turkey? It’s a mystery that I doubt will ever be solved.

Some things are better left to the imagination.

Peace, people!

Minimalist Challenge Day 2

Today I have to rid myself of two items in keeping with the rules of the minimalist challenge group I’ve joined on Facebook. Yesterday I had planned to take a green bath rug that didn’t match anything I owned and hadn’t been used in years to a charity run thrift shop, but someone in the group said she needed the rug, so I’m sending it to her.

For today I’m cleansing my home of this container of unsharpened colored pencils and a random piece of purple gingham fabric. I bought the pencils a couple of years ago unaware that they weren’t pre-sharpened. I don’t own a sharpener and don’t plan on buying one. Okay, that makes me an idiot, I know. As for the fabric, I have absolutely no idea why it was in my arts and crafts supply box. Aliens? The GOP? Who knows?

Technically I suppose I could count the pencils individually and use them later in the challenge, say, on the 48th day of February (!) or so. But they were sold as a set and thus count as one item.

Minimalist Challenge

I joined a minimalist challenge group on Facebook. Our goal is to declutter our lives by getting rid of a specific number of items every day in February. On day one, we have to get rid of one item, on day two, two items, and so on. By the end of February each participant will have discarded a total of 424 items. I think. I might’ve forgotten to carry a two in one or more of my calculations. I know there’s a formula that might’ve made the process simpler, but my algebra days are far behind me.

Participants can send items to the trash bin, donate them, or give them to friends as gifts. Additionally, no items that are merely “wants” can be purchased during the month unless an additional four items per want are discarded. There are other rules, but these are the main ones.

Frankly, I’m not sure I have what it takes to complete this challenge. I can see that the first 10 to 15 days will be fairly easy. Just sitting in my recliner next to an end table stacked with papers, magazines, and coupons I can see at least two dozen items that need new homes. I guess if I get stumped for items to dispose of I can send Studly off to live with the gypsies.

Wish me luck. You may all be sick of this before the month is over. I’ll try not to be too obnoxious. Who am I kidding? Obnoxious is my middle name.

Peace, people!

Item #1: a green bath rug is headed to a nearby charity-run thrift store.