The 30 days minimalism game experience.
By: Yaroslav Bedriy
Tags: Minimalism, Lifestyle, Self Improvement, Mindfulness, Happiness

What is this game?

On day one, you get rid of one thing. On day two — two thing. Three — three things, and it starts rolling. By the end of the game, you will get rid of approximately 500 things.

Week 1

In the first week, I got too excited and threw away much more than 28 things. It seemed easy initially, and I thought: why should I throw one thing if I can throw 20? I regretted it later.

I got rid of the stuff I thought was cool but was absolutely useless — the collection of beer cans, the pile of notebooks from my school years, etc. I got rid of the stuff I did not need and did not like. I felt like I lost mental weight.

Week 2

I got rid of most of my clothes. I had dozens of t-shirts I did not wear, pairs of jeans that were too small, and sweaters that I even hated. I gave it away to the local charity. I decluttered my closets and improved my karma.

I also had a vast collection of colorful socks. I love the colors., so I did not throw them away and bought all-black socks. I just left 14 pairs. All of them are amazing.

I used to have trouble with clothes. I had so many that I could not choose what to wear. Now, I love everything I own. It is comfortable, and it looks nice. I can fit in the little closet.

Week 3

I have already thrown/given away more than a hundred things. I regretted getting rid of much more than 28 things in the first week. I started to get rid of my technics and sentimental items. There were troubles with both.

I had an old laptop, which I could sell, old batteries, chargers that I did not use. I could make money out of it, but I had to spend time to sell it. I tried to sell it via the local online market, but no one wanted to buy it.

I gave away some of the stuff, and I felt like Bill Gates. And some of the stuff, like old coffeemaker or the chargers, I sold to a pawn shop and made a few bucks off it. Not very much, but I literally made it out of air.

Here come sentimental items: old photos, things that remind me about good old days, gifts from my deceased father, like the watch that already stopped working. I thought: yeah, it all brings me happiness, but only for 10 seconds, and only when I find these things. That happens once in a year. I decided that my memories should be in my head and not in the items. I threw it away. No regrets.

Week 4

I had no stuff to throw. Everything I had I either used daily or weekly or I have a love for it. I started to give away the books that I would never read or those I have read, and I do not think I would reread. I kept only those that I loved and will read again.

I started to declutter my phone. I thought it would be cheating, but I made a deal with myself. Yeah, one photo is not a thing, but the gallery is. I use it daily. It is cluttered, so it counts.

Then I decluttered my contact lists, my apps, my social media. I got rid of 400 things and had to get rid of 80 more.

I decided to stop playing the game. I remembered that I threw away much more than 28 things in the first week and forgave myself for not finishing 30 days challenge. I decided to play it long-term. Every Saturday, I get rid of 10 items. So I still declutter my life, and I am not limited to 30 days.