become a minimalist

Yesterday I gave away the books and clothes I couldn’t have sold for a profit. All other books are up on half.com, so I just have to wait and adjust prices every now and then. I now have 2 boxes full of random items I was planning on selling, but now I think I should give away all but a few of those for free. If I have fewer items to post on ebay and CL, I’m more likely to get it done.

My goal is still to be able to fit all my possessions into my Chevy Cavalier, but I don’t think I’ll be able to achieve this by mid-December.

New goal: Accomplish this by the time I get a job, and therefore have to move.

I want to be able to fit everything I own into my tiny Chevy Cavalier. I have sorted pretty much everything I own according to what I want to sell and what I want to give away. After that’s done, I’m going to go through my stuff again to weed out the unnecessary and figure out what I still need to buy (minimalism isn’t all about getting rid of stuff!). My goal is to be done by January 1st, 2010, after my last semester of college ends!

Okay, today I had to minimize my inventory of shoes. Thought I was going to have to call the shoe support center. No kidding!! I had a hard time on this one. But I finally just made up my mind. Wanna know how? You can only wear one pair of shoes at the time. I had to decide on functionality, casual dress, casual everyday, spring, summer, winter, fall. Color and style. It was hard. What made it easy was the question, “Have I worn these in the past year?” No? Get rid of them. And I did. Then I had to hurry to get rid of them. And I did. They are gone, the bottom of my closet is back in control and I feel 100% better for doing so. Only one more thing to do, but I have to shop around for a hope chest to be used for a blanket chest. That one more thing is really stuff that I use during the cold months. But have no storage for.

I still have to clean out two corners of my bedroom and the bottom of my closet where all my shoes are. I will get it done by this weekend so I can take most of it to the dump.

Then it will be on to my office space. Oh boy, now that will be a challenge.

Today I eliminated 75% of my wardrobe and I have to say that it was very, very easy. Why? Because 75% were clothes that I hung on to for the “just in cases”. LOL

Just in my closet alone I cannot believe the space I have left. I am soooooooooo happy. I have also made myself a promise that for every new piece of wardrobe I acquire, 1 old piece goes out.

I feel so relieved and free. I can tell you that what I have left in my closet are clothes that I always wear. Always. I sure hope that doing something like this will be as easy for others.

My next goal? My dresser and vanity. That will be tomorrow.

After taking the time to figure out what clothing I need for my particular lifestyle I have finally made a list:

1. 7 Skirts
2. 1 pair of jeans
3. 5 Work T- Shirts
4. 2 Camisoles
5. 1 Suit with matching skirt and pant (for funerals, meetings, etc.)
6. 1 Casual blazer
7. 2 sweaters
8. 3 dresses
9. 1 formal dress
10. 1 All-purpose coat (with lining)
11. 1 Formal Coat
12. 3 Fun tops
13. 2 Sets of Sweatpants (1 set = 2 pants + 1 hoodie)

My list is 30 pieces.

From this list alone my wardrobe will be minimalized by over 50%. And that is what I am striving for. My clothing essentials fit my lifestyle.

Today I have learned what steps are needed to become a minimalist. I, like others, am not interested in the survival type of minimalism. But I am wanting the less clutter, less stuff so I can clean better and faster. The main reason I am overwhelmed with my home is because I have to much stuff and not enough space. And as others have said, I have stuff to use later, only to find out that I can’t find it, then have to go to the store to buy it. After a week or so, guess what? I found it and now I have two of them. This is crazy. Not only do you now have more clutter, but you have wasted money. Arrrgggh. So, I am going to start on Thursday 8/13/09. My day off of work.

Been working hard converting to minimalism. I am not becoming a full blown minimalist in the pure survival sense, but a form of minimalism adapted to modern culture.

I’ve been working on this for a while now and I am nearing my goal, but I have hit a will a little.

fatstupidamerican.wordpress.com

Less is more guys!

I can’t believe how much staff we accumulated over the years. As I was going through it I found things I intended to use when I store them, but instead of looking for them I went out and bought them from the store. Most of the things I forgot I had. I will never do this again. Everything must go so I can have some space for the things I actually use and can find easily when I need them. I only have couple of rooms left and this goal will be complete.

I am half way there