Community Bucket List

As Part of Project 51, I initiated Project Minimalism. I’m going to get rid of 3 things, every day, until my 24th birthday. You can find out more about projects at My Bucket List page.

Pre Project Minimalism I donated/recycled around 6 to 8 boxes of stuff after I came back from my 2 month East Coast trip where I only traveled with a back pack and a small carry on. I realized that I didn’t need a lot, but it’s hard to get rid of stuff.

Some things hold sentimental value, others remind me of projects I want to do “some day”, but all of this just holds me back, so initiating Project Minimalism, where I only get rid of 3 things a day, is helping me to continue towards a minimalistic lifestyle. Just 3 things a day, it’s a small step that over time will lead to a huge accomplishment.

My Purpose

The reason why I’m initiating Project Minimalism is because I want more focus in my life. If I get rid of all the things holding me back, I’ll have less distraction, less clutter, and I’ll only be surrounded by what’s important, which will help me to focus on what’s important in my life. Also, I envision myself traveling soon in a backpacking fashion, and I don’t want to bring a lot with me.

Start De-Cluttering

If you want to have less clutter, feel more organized and more focused, then start de-cluttering your space. Go through your clothes and throw away what’s stained and donate what you don’t wear. Go through your papers and recycle what you don’t need.

Start by just getting rid of 1 thing each day. It will definitely add up.

Leave a comment and let me know about de-cluttering projects you are working on, that you want to work on, or that you have done in the past.

My De-Clutter Log

7/9/11 - 7 Internet Marketing/Social Media books from my library that I have already read. I’m giving them away in a contest. Look to the side bar on the right, scroll down, and you’ll read how you can donate $5 to Community Bucket List and be entered to win these 7 Internet Marketing/Social Media books.

7/10/11 – threw away 2 (really old) shirts and a pair of socks with holes.

7/11/11 – threw away some undergarments, donating pajama pants and thermal pants that I never wear. I probably wore them last a year or more ago. (I have a box of clothes I’m donating that’s sitting in my room. Once it’s full, I’ll take it over to GoodWill.)

7/12/11 – I’m donating white thermal pants I never wear, and am throwing 6 socks that have no match.

7/13/11 – I threw away 3 pairs of socks that didn’t match, were too small, or had holes.

7/14/11 – I threw away another 3 pairs of socks that didn’t match, were too small, or had holes.

7/15/11 – I put 3 shirts in the donation box that I never wear.

7/16/11 – I threw away a stained shirt, a shirt with holes, and an old bra I never wear.

7/17/11 – I threw away 3 stained shirts.

7/18/11 – I threw away a stained shirt that I really love, and had since the 4th grade. I loved the color on me, a cool blue, but tis be stained, a lot. I threw away a long sleeve white thermal shirt that was very stained. I returned a really nice shirt that wasn’t mine to a family member.

7/19/11 – I got rid of an R-MWC sweatshirt that was too big for me. I’m going to wash it, and if the stains go away, I’ll ask my sister if she wants it because she likes to wear it, and if not, I’ll trash it. I threw away this old polo shirt that I really love, but I stopped wearing it because it has all of these holes in it. I’m donating this polo shirt that I used to wear all of the time, but I stopped wearing it because I stopped liking the style, and it’s really heavy, and I’ve realized that I like lighter clothing better.

It’s cool that my shirt and sock drawer aren’t stuffed anymore. Same with my pants, shorts, etc drawer. And now there’s extra space in my hanging closet. It feels nice.

7/20/11 - I threw away a green college shirt that had a toothpaste stain on it. I threw away an R-MWC sweatshirt that was too big and had stains all over it. I thew away a red bandana with black stains and gum stuck on it.

7/21/11 - I put a sun hat in the donation box, as well as a camouflage cap, and a blue/white long sleeve sweater.

7/22/11 – I put a beanie that I never wear and 2 wrist warmers that I haven’t worn since middle school into the donation box.

7/23/11 – I put a light blue and a dark blue button up in the donation box, as well as a green zip up sweater.

7/24/11 - I’m donating 3 Spanish novels that I read in college that I won’t read again.

7/25/11 - I’m donating 2 more Spanish novels that I read in college that I won’t read again, and another book that I won’t read.

7/26/11 – I’m donating a Buffy book, a thick glass frame, and I recycled a plastic grocery bag of papers. (Five of my shelves and some corner floor space house about 7 stacks of papers, etc: written work, Spanish resources, old work papers, important papers, tons and tons of papers. I’m organizing, recycling, and throwing them away.)

7/27/11 – I’m donating a small black frame, and a small purple frame, and I recycled another plastic grocery bag of papers. I now have one shelf organized into things that I want to put into a scrapbook. I have another shelf dedicated to Spanish resources: text books, language guides, Spanish/English dictionary, etc.

7/28/11 – I’m donating some baseball cards, running ear muffs, and a mini statue.

7/29/11 – I’ve gotten rid of a bag of smarties, a pretty looking small purse from South America, and a bag of push pins, paper clips and thumb tacks.

7/30/11 – I recycled a stack of cardboard art that I don’t like, I threw away an old medicine bottle I’ll never use for anything, and I put a bottle of sea salt in the kitchen cabinet because I no longer need it to clean my lip/lip ring. (I got my lip ring removed today [8/1/11] because it didn’t heal properly.)

7/31/11 – I recycled an old cell phone box. I put some really cool sun glasses into my donation box because they don’t fit me right. I put a cool wood carved, painted flute from South America into the donation box.

8/1/11 – I threw away my favorite Pride bracelet because the thread has been falling off for a while. I put a green key chain into the donation box. I threw away a broken umbrella that I was only holding onto because it was the umbrella I puffy painted in my 1st year of college and carried during a parade/protest against the co-ed decision.

From going through my shelves, papers, etc, I almost have all of my shelves organized: a writing and film making/editing shelf, a web design/social media shelf, a Spanish shelf, a business/lifestyle design shelf, a movie/fiction book shelf, and a scrapbook shelf. I now just have a few more shelves to organize, then I’ll have gotten rid of all the unneeded papers etc, and everything will have a place.

8/2/11 – I put a colorful rectangular glass box made from Honduras into the donation box. My dad has some stuff he wants to take to Goodwill today, so he’ll grab the couple of boxes of stuff that I want to donate, and it will be out of my room, and out of the house! I’m also donating 2 portable cd players.

8/3/11 - I’m donating a cool green cell phone case with a palm tree on it. I don’t use it, and it will inspire me to work towards getting an iPhone quicker, which won’t fit in the case. I went through a shelf, threw away an old cd, relocated some cds out of my room that weren’t mine, and semi-organized my cds. I also found a “behind the scenes/meet the cast” video I filmed and edited when I was producing LQ (a show I put on for my Senior Project in high school). How cool!

8/4/11 – My dad went to Goodwill yesterday and dropped off my two donation boxes, along with stuff that he wanted to donate. My room is two boxes free of clutter, and it’s noticeable. Also, in the spirit of de-cluttering and taking in my suggestion, my brother went through all of his clothes and donated 6 to 7 paper bags of clothes. De-cluttering is spreading family-wide.

Today I am starting a new donation box or garage sale box. I’m not sure yet, maybe both. My sister is going through all of her stuff and is going to have a massive garage sale, and my other sister is going to join her. I may throw in some of my stuff to the garage sale. Like this rain jacket that I’ve worn once or twice, that I really don’t use, but it looks brand new. And this coffee travel mug that’s really cool and that I envision myself using, but that I don’t use and have never used. It’s a photo collage travel mug, super cool, but I’ve been drinking less coffee.

Those are two of the things that I’m getting rid of today. The 3rd thing, I’m throwing away a pair of socks, that I love, but that are worn and hurt my feet when I wear them.

8/5/11 – I’m throwing away two pairs of socks that used to be my most comfortable socks, but now they are so worn that they hurt my feet. I just threw away an old bracelet that I really liked, but that’s broken.

8/6/11 – Today is the 5th, but I’m in a de-cluttering mood, so I’m going with it.

I’m donating an old student government shirt from college. On the back there’s a quote from Pearl S. Buck ’14, an R-MWC alumna and author. “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.” On the front it has a Randolph college seal. I don’t really wear the shirt, but I love the quote on the back. It’s just taking up space, and now it won’t.

I’m recycling 2 bra hangers that I don’t even know why I hung in my closet because they have no purpose.

8/7/11 - I’m recycling 3 more hangers that have no purpose and that I never use. I think they’re also bra hangers.

8/8/11 – (I have more socks I need to throw away, but I first need to buy more socks!) I’m throwing away 2 pairs of old earplugs for my ipod. I got a new pair, and I can hear my music so much louder! I went through a bag of stuff that wasn’t mine and recycled, threw away, and put the various things in their right place, outside of my room.

8/9/11 – I threw away my lip ring that I had in a little baggy. I took out my lip ring two days ago because it hadn’t healed properly. I’m donating a rubix cubesque toy that goes over emotions and feelings. I threw away a fairy earring that I really liked. I lost its pair and I haven’t worn it in 3 to 5 years since my ear piercings closed up and scarred.

8/10/11 – I have this watch that looks in great condition, but isn’t working. I’m not sure if I should throw it away, or donate it because it could probably be fixed. hmm, anyway, I’m getting rid of it. I’m throwing away a broken necklace chain. I’m donating a crucifix that goes on a necklace chain.

8/11/11 – I’m donating a beaded bracelet. I’m donating a rainbow “smirnoff” wrist warmer. It looks cool, but I don’t wear it. I’m throwing away an old worn bracelet that my two best friends in Spain bought me the day they surprised me in Madrid. It’s harder to get rid of the things that are tied to good or strong memories, but even positive memories of the past can weigh me down and take me away from the present.

8/12/11 – I got rid of another bag of recycled boxes, papers, etc.

Today is still the 5th, I’m just getting ahead of my getting rid of 3 things each day.

I have gotten rid of a lot, and it shows. I have a lot more space in my room, but I still feel so cluttered. There’s still stuff I don’t need. There’s still stuff I keep thinking, “maybe I’ll use you some day”. There’s stuff I’ll rarely use or never use but hold onto for sentimental value, and it’s all weighing me down.

I if I get rid of the “some day” stuff, then I won’t have these projects and things that I should be doing or may do some day weighing me down. I’ll be free to focus on what I’m doing in the moment, and I won’t feel like I’m falling behind with this huge list of things that I should be doing. Maybe this is an indication of more stuff I should get rid of.

I threw away a black shoe lace that was just chilling on my desk. I don’t know how that got there or where it came from.

Somehow, over the years, some free weights and ankle/wrist weights got located on my bedroom floor. I relocated them to a hall closet where other free weights live.

8/13/11 – I found some toilet paper rolls chilling on my floor in the plastic they came wrapped in. I moved those to the bathroom. I threw away an old bag that a friend made for me in college. I held on to it for that reason, but it’s looking pretty worn now, so I trashed it. I threw away a pair of sandals that I really liked, but hadn’t worn in about a year because they’re old and began to hurt my feet.

8/14/11 – I had some bubble shipping paper in my room because I was shipping books out that I was selling on Amazon. I moved that to the freezer room where we store that kind of stuff and art supplies and the like.

I’m looking through a box of stuff, and it’s hard to get rid of the fun costume stuff, like bunny ears, or a witch hat, or a leprechaun hat, or a couple of Halloween decorations that were my grandmas. I think these are things I will keep for now. I still get good use out of them and they are fun. I’m wearing the bunny ears right now.

I have this Super Cool wizard/bear figurine. It’s this wizard bear holding a crystal ball, and he has a bag to his left that says, “Potions”, and he’s holding a cute wizard bear doll in his other hand. And to his side is a scroll that says, “Wizard College Diploma”. I don’t usually like figurines, but this one is really cute. I love the coloring and the vibe I get from it. But it’s broken. The bear’s head broke off, thus – I’m throwing it away.

I set aside two paper grocery bags, a donation bag and a garage sale bag. I just put a shell necklace, with the tag still on it, inside the garage sale bag.

8/15/11 – Today is still August 5th, and I’m getting ahead of schedule with de-cluttering because a de-cluttering/organizing wind took me over. I got rid of a plastic container that held some liquid, sitting on my desk. I got rid of another bag of recycled papers, etc. And I threw away about a bags worth of trash.

In the process of de-cluttering today, my room is looking very spacious and not only clean, but organized. Just about everything has its own place. It feels good.

8/16/11 – I threw away a pair of socks that used to be my favorite for their comfort level and now they are so worn that their comfort level has dropped to -10.