Minimalist In A Day

This blog is not about a journey towards simple living. This is a hardcore challenge for someone who wants their life to change today. This is one full days work. Also note that if you have a spouse, family member, room mate, or children living with you, You cannot do this in entirety. You must respect others desires to live as they please. However, You can still do most of it! It's just like moving. You may not have done it before, but it can be done.

#1 Start with the bathroom

Set a timer for one hour, try to accomplish this task:

The bathroom is the smallest and most used room in your home. It is the ideal starting place because you know exactly what you do and do not use within a weeks span of time. Take everything out of the shower, wipe it down, put your 1-3 everyday products back in. Everything else goes into a box. Pick your favorite towels, 2 per person, the rest in a box. Remove things like decoratives, candles, pictures. Box. (You can go shopping in your boxes later if you want to make the room more inviting, or if you run out of conditioner.)

Now take everything off your counter, out of your mirror, and dump your drawers into a pile. Put back only what you use every week. The rest...Box.

Make a place for these boxes. Label them. This is not about your emotional attachments right now. This is about experiencing a new lifestyle today.

Take a 15-minute break.

#2 Your Closet

Set timer for one hour, try to accomplish this task:

Capsule Wardrobing is the way to go, and I will post a separate blog about that but today is about progress. Grab everything you wore in the last ten days. (Most of that is probably in your hamper.) Set it aside. Now take everything out of your closet. EVERYTHING. Clothes in one pile, Shoes/accessories in one pile, and everything else in another pile.

Pretend like your packing for a trip. Put only what you need for the next ten days back into the closet. Everything else, yup, Box.

Take a 15-minute break

#3 Kitchen

Set timer for two hours, try to accomplish this task:

Take all things, (cups, plates, forks, utensils, knives, gadgets) out. I would have a trash bag because you will likely find stuff right away that you would rather toss than box. Then put back Enough dishes for one per person. You know what cooking utensils and gadgets you used this week. (Double kids utensils, sippies, bottles, if necessary) Box the rest up. Take the trash bag out immediately. (Do food separately)

Remove all boxes from your living space. Take a 15-minute break. Don't give up!

#4 Office

Set timer for one hour, try to accomplish this task:

Locate, separate, keep: Seven years of tax records. Personal papers (birth certificate, social security, voters registration). Mortgage paperwork or rent agreement. Health Insurance paperwork. Vehicle Paperwork, and Vehicle insurance paperwork. Box up all other paperwork. (This box will go neatly back into the closet, Don't be anxious. It's still there.) Now pull out a few pens, notebooks, necessary chargers, and essential office accessories, (maybe you do need the three-hole punch, I'm not judging). Put everything else in a box and remove the box from that space.

Put back and neatly organize the pulled paperwork and other chosen necessities. Store extra paperwork in a safe place (not with all the other boxes) for now.

Take a 30-minute break.

#5 Extra Closets and Storage Spaces Include Laundry Room (not garage)

Set timer for 30-minutes, work as fast as you can.

Box up everything in the closets. You need to keep out your winter wear. ( I mean one coat, one hat, one pair of gloves) Your vacuum, broom, and mop. Your Laundry Essentials.

Remove boxes from space. Take a 10-minute break.

#6 Bedroom

Set timer for 45-minutes, work as fast as you can.

Box up everything but your bed, journal, current book, and device chargers.

DONE!

Leave your house. Get a meal or a coffee (by yourself). Take a deep breath. Write down how your feeling.

Now get back to life for a month. Take better care of the things you have out. Organize your spaces a little. What works? What doesn't? If you need to pull something out of a box, note that. Remember, you don't have to live this way forever. But I can guarantee you that you won't go back to the way you lived before.

If you have young children and want to go through their rooms and belongings, I recommend you take that more slowly and let them be involved. Odds are within a week they will want their rooms to feel like yours.