Less is More - Conversion of The Pack-Rat

I'm not a Minimalist.

Quite the opposite, really. I call myself a Curator. My minimalist, neat-nick brother, A, is too polite to say it, but he would honestly call me a Pack Rat. And I was okay with that, really. Until this weekend, when I realized that I was tripping over boxes of stuff that I haven't used in five years. When I realized that holding on to it wasn't just physically keeping me in place (the idea of packing and moving all this junk terrifies me), but mentally holding me back, too. Every item calls out for my attention, whether it is for storage consideration or dusting or 'why won't you wear/play/read/work with me today?' Everything I had that is not currently useful is becoming an energy drain. And I'm exhausted.

It's like these material things are holding me hostage. If there's one thing this proud, stubborn, Irish girl can't stand is the idea of being held back.

So this June, I'm accepting the Minimalist's Game Challenge: I'm getting rid of 465 things in this month alone. That's 15.5 items a day, but I've gotten a head start - today, I've already gotten rid of 24. Only 441 to go.

I'm not a Minimalist. But if the freedom I felt returning after boxing up and tossing out those items is any indication, I will be by June 30th.



Are you doing the Minimalist Game this month? If so, comment and let me know! 

For more information about the Minimalists (and you should definitely check them out: so inspirational), here is their website. 

For another take on minimalism as a lifestyle, check out Joshua Becker's Becoming Minimalist site.

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