21 Day/Step Journey into Minimalism, part 2

So this is really going to take me more than 21 days.  With my schedule being what it is, that is no surprise.  I think it will take a bit more determination for me to finish this just because it would be so easy to ignore something that can't be addressed everyday and something that is entirely voluntary. But I will persevere.  So, I have decided to see this through and I have made my Must List.  Now it's on to day/step 3.  

The Packing Party.  

What a brilliant idea.  Pack it up and really see what you actually use and need daily.  A great first step to stopping the hoarder mentality of 'one day I might use this'.  Planning for future uses is one thing, but collecting things with no specific need for them has led me to feeling overwhelmed by some of my stuff.  I have things everywhere.  It looks like a hot mess and makes me feel like one too.  The work of tidying and organizing seems never ending and that makes me want to bring back my old procrastinator ways and just ignore the problem entirely (not that that ever really makes it go away).

  

Once again, my schedule conflicts are going to alter my methods of going about this.  With everything else I have going the idea of spending 8 or so hours packing up all my things and then living out of boxes for a week does not seem feasible.  So over the past few days I have taken a critical look at just what I do need and use everyday.  It is a shockingly few number of things.  So, now to determine what should be trashed or donated...

Let's start with my books.  Admittedly, the idea of getting rid of a book makes my stomach hurt.  But I have a pile of books that I have read once and have no desire to read again.  So why do I still have them?  Perhaps there is a difference between fiction and nonfiction when it comes to reference material, but if I know that I'm not going to read it again, why not get rid of it?  The county library is always taking donations.  I'd rather see something be made useful than collecting dust on my shelf.  So this is going on my (never ending) to-do list.  And not just some imaginary time in the future, but tomorrow (since it's a holiday and I have a slight reprieve from classes).      

Next, my yarn.  I have begun to sort through my  yarn and get them organized for specific projects.  It seems like a good way to organize it all.  I go through skein by skein and determine just what I can do with each.  This task will be more time consuming than going through my books but if I attack it in little bursts, I think I can get it done in a reasonable amount of time.  Say over the next 30 days (I really do have A LOT of yarn).  

Next, the kitchen.  Scariest damn part of my house when it comes to trying to downsize.  Mismatched Tupperware and unused utensils clutter every drawer and cabinet.  I'm not really sure how the kitchen came to be such a problem, but then one little thing here or there adds up so quickly.  So, my plan for the kitchen is simple. If it hasn't been used in the past few weeks, it has to go.    

My clothes will be next, and I have a specific plan for those.  I recently saw a Tedx video about having a ten item wardrobe.  It will require some tweaking for my life but I think this is a great idea.

So I really have some work cut out for me.