After 16 months, I have finally finished the 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!
When I started this challenge back in September 2019, I watched a few YouTube videos and read a few articles…but I felt like I needed to go about this challenge in a different way. My goal was never minimalism and it was never about seeing how fast I could accumulate bags and bags of junk to drop off at the thrift. Rather, the goal was to become intentional and take an active role when it comes to rehoming our unneeded things.
I continued to share my progress of this challenge here on my blog because I hoped it would start a conversation about stuff and the effects of it in our lives. I don’t think that I’m unique in the way I’ve accumulated things as an adult. The effects of social media, the inexpensive and constant cycle of new things to buy…I’ve fallen into that materialism trap many times throughout the years. But what’s that old Oprah quote? When you know better, you do better. And that’s what I set out to do with this challenge. Here are a few things I learned along the way:
1 // When they say that decluttering can be an emotional process, they are right.
We have been married for 15 years and the tiny baby clothes and decor items from the beginning of our marriage were surprisingly hard to give away. I had to remind myself again and again that it’s just stuff. The memories last forever, the photos are priceless and that’s what matters the most. It also helped to know that someone could enjoy them right now versus keeping them tucked away in a bin or the garage.
2 // Kids don’t need a lot of toys.
When my oldest kids were little, we often went to Target to browse and way too often left with a little something for the boys. Thankfully, by baby number four, we got our act together and quit that habit! As my kids have grown, I’ve learned that too many options aren’t always a good thing. We still have way too many toys in the house, but our wooden blocks, train tracks, Legos and little action figures…those are the workhorses that are played with almost every day.
3 // It’s easy to tidy up at the end of the day when there is less stuff to put away.
A great side effect for both me and the kids! I’d also say the same could be said for having less clothing. Sure, I’m doing laundry every other day, but they are manageable loads and it never seems to spiral out of control.
4 // Some of our environmental problems might be solved if we just stopped buying so.much.stuff.
This idea has come to me over and over again. All of a sudden, I’m hyper-aware at the way we’re inundated with subtle ploys to make us buy: the memes praising the thoughtless spending at Target, the influencers that suddenly “love” and “have to share!” tons of different products, the glorification of fancy coffee drinks, that handy two-day (sometimes one-day!) shipping, the fashion trend that’s in one day and out the next….We all say we want to leave the planet better than we found it, but what are we willing to give up? I don’t have any real answers, but I do know that I’m convicted to really think about my spending habits and choose my purchases more wisely.
5 // When I do purchase things going forward, I want to choose better.
One lesson I learned right away was that I had so many things, but they didn’t feel like the “right” things. I felt like I had accumulated a mishmash collection of hand-me-downs and inexpensive finds that I bought because they were on sale. Being on a spending hiatus (due to our debt reduction process) and doing this challenge simultaneously really helped me narrow down my style and what I really should be spending my money on. I started thinking in terms of “I could really use a basket in this area” or “A pair of candlesticks would look beautiful here” or “I don’t have a chunky black cardigan to go over my dresses”… An intentionality to my spending has emerged, a well thought-through purpose and practicality. Life-changing.
6 // Decluttering is an on-going process.
Somewhere around the middle point of the challenge, I felt like I had looked in every closet and dresser and drawer. I started again (just to see…) and lo and behold, there were more things that could go! Kids grow up, toys and clothes are no longer needed, holidays come and you realize you never display this décor or that…it may vary in intensity, but it’s always a process.
7 // If you take good care of things you own, there can be money to be made when you’re done with them.
I’m sure I could have finished this challenge in half the time if I had just filled a box and dropped it off at the local thrift store, but I really wanted to see if I could reduce our waste in a more proactive way. My purchases, for better or worse, are my responsibility and I wanted to put most things in the hands of people who needed them. And while I did give many, many items away on Trash Nothing, by putting in a little extra time photographing and listing, I was able to make $1,578.20! That’s huge! That money has gone toward debt and is now beefing up our savings account. It’s helped us purchase items we really needed and allowed us to pay for a day trip adventure in cash.
8 // I’m more tapped into my community and am happy to help meet the needs of others when I can.
Throughout this process, I posted a lot on sites like Trash Nothing and my local Buy Nothing group. Through these avenues, I’ve made connections with so many people from my community and have been honored to hear their stories. We have met a handful of young pregnant moms trying to prepare without breaking the bank. We met a woman collecting clothes for a family recovering from a house fire that took most of their belongings. We passed on décor to a woman starting over and looking to spruce up her new space. We gave outgrown pajamas to a grandmother who was helping out with her granddaughter’s care and virtual schooling due to the virus. I never would have run into these lovely people without this project and I know I’m better for it.
This challenge has filled me with gratitude and I am much more content than I was 16 months ago. I highly recommend the journey.
Videos/TED talks/books that inspired me along the way:
- The TED Talk that inspired my challenge: Getting Rid of 1000 Things by Liz Wright
- These books were the catalyst behind actively seeking new homes for my things. I had no idea how much of the thrift store donations actually get tossed in the trash! Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter and Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline (affiliate links)
- The Minimal Mom has tons of playlists for specific rooms/things to declutter. Really helpful when you’re in a funk or don’t know where to start.
