I can hardly believe that we are already in the holiday season and the new year is so close.  Yesterday I decided that I’d LOVE to start the new year much lighter by releasing the things I no longer use, need, or desire.  No I don’t have clutter “bursting from the seams” of my home, yet I do notice that I still have many things that I do not use daily, monthly, or even seasonally.  My definition of the minimalist lifestyle stems beyond counting every item I own, yet the amount of things I do own is still a part of this minimalist journey.

I’ve been paring down my possessions for four years now.  It started with clearing out all the excess furniture when my husband and I first moved in together.  As a result our apartment became beyond spacious and felt so much lighter.  I then moved on to releasing my past shopaholic tendencies to focus on paying off my debt, minimizing my wardrobe, making my own simple cosmetics, and finally looking through all of my own personal possessions.

I became overwhelmed counting my personal possessions in the past, but I do know that knowing how much I own is also recognizing how blessed and abundant I already live!

Over these years I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I no longer look at consuming and having things as a source of true fulfillment or happiness.  I haven’t lost my personal style to mundane clothing pieces or tortured myself with living with so little that I’m miserable.  Actually the exact opposite has happened!  I’ve found great pleasure owning only items that I truly love, releasing as much clutter as possible, refining my personal style with a capsule wardrobe, and freeing myself of the need to be shopping constantly and instead being more creative.  Now when I need something, I get exactly what I need without distraction, then move on to more exciting things that really bring me joy.

33 Days To Declutter 100 Things

Today is Day 1 of my 33 Days Declutter Project that will take me into the new year with 100 less items.  In the past I would take a full day usually on the weekend to go through a pile of things.  I would spend hours shredding old paperwork or looking through a ton of miscellaneous items.  My decluttering process would leave me satisfied with my progress afterwards, yet sometimes make me feel a bit drained.

I am due for a solid decluttering session and feel as if I’m ready to embrace a much more minimalist lifestyle.  I’m not sure if I will ever own only 100 Things, yet am open to finding exactly what number works well with my lifestyle and desires.  I never thought I could downsize to a capsule wardrobe, but I finally did and LOVE it!

For this 33 Days Declutter Project I will let go of three items each day.  Actually today is Day 1 and I’m choosing to release four items so that before the year is up I will have donated, recycled, or thrown away a total of 100 things.  I’m honestly not sure if this will be easy for me or not, yet I do think it is necessary and that the final outcome will be incredible.

My Plans

1. Let go of 3 things daily

2. At the end of each week take items to be donated to the allocated donation center.

3. Only go through paperwork once a week as not to torture myself.

4. Look for solutions to make decluttering easier each time, for example scanning documents and receipts versus filing them all.

5. Find more enjoyment in this process!

Every time I take the time to release the old, I am creating wonderful energy and space for new exciting experiences to enter.

I’m not sure exactly why this is true, yet I do know that everything is energy.  When I keep things out of fear I am only creating what I do not want versus designing my life to fit my dreams.  I also feel that decluttering is symbolic for embracing new abundance as well as success.  I am always excited about beginning a new year positively, and for 2014 I’m open to creating the space for beauty, joy, serenity, peace, abundance, and prosperity.

So what do you think?  Would you want to join this project with me?

If so use #33DaysDeclutter on Twitter and Facebook to share your thoughts and progress and/or simply comment below!  I’ll be updating my progress as well!

See the full list of the 100 items that I decluttered after this project was complete here as well as my thoughts about it all!

Peace & Sunshine!

(Image by Dawn Michelle)

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