In the beginning of January, Leo Babauta and I challenged you to dump 50% of your stuff. More than 2000 people signed up for the Clutterfat Challenge and made a commitment to clear the clutter.
Here are 2 remarkable stories of real people donating, selling and trading in their clutter for a better life.
Stevie Allen
I recently participated in The Clutterfat Challenge, where I agreed to go through all of my “stuff” over a 30 day period and attempt to get rid of what wasn’t needed or wanted anymore.
The goal was to dump 50% of my stuff. I, being special, hoped for considerably less. Why am I so special? Why didn’t think I had that much stuff? Because I’ve worked as a professional organizer for over two decades, because I just went through two major purges of clutter in the last 14 months, and because I like to think I keep a pretty sparse home anyway.
Pride goeth before the fall.
I counted all of my stuff to begin the challenge. I came up with 8748 items, but I guestimated the contents of my file drawers due to the overwhelming amount of stuff. I figured purging the file drawers would take the most out of my house, but I had no idea as to what awaited me during this thirty day challenge.
I began this journey according to the directions, downloaded the three page worksheet, and walking into the bathroom to begin counting every object in there. I opened the first drawer and realized I wanted to get rid of about half the stuff in that drawer right now! No — I can’t! I have to count them.
To say I was angry, depressed, overwhelmed, and maybe even a bit furious during the two days it took me to count all the stuff in my house doesn’t quite describe the emotion I felt. It was horrible. But it was a huge learning experience.
The final statistics
- My beginning total: 8748
- My ending total: 3841
- I got rid of 4907 items.
- Percentage of stuff exited from my house: 56%.
A breakdown of where my stuff was:
- Place where the most items were eliminated: my desk at 3580 less items, 71% less stuff.
- Place that surprised me the most: kitchen at 621 less items, 43% less stuff.
- Place that was the most fun: my closets and drawers — 321 less items, 60% less.
- Place with the least clutterfat: the living room.
- The hardest part: counting.
I’ve learned so much from this experience. The biggest benefit has been less clutter in my head. With less stuff, I don’t have to take care of so much. There is much less to clean! I also really appreciate my new view. My entire house is pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions that need more work. I love the look of wood floors and off-white painted woodwork with sunlight streaming in.
And now I appreciate the stuff I do have.
Katrina
A real life challenge came when I lost my dad unexpectedly when I was 24 (I’m now 26). I was his only child and he was single. I had a year left in school and was completing two degrees, music and landscape architecture which are rigorous degree programs.
With my dad’s death came everyone’s opinion of what I should do with all the ‘stuff’ and advice about how to live my life. It was pretty overwhelming hearing these opinions. I had my own clutter problems, and now had all of my dad’s things to make decisions about. I didn’t even know where to begin, what to think, or how to handle anything.
Almost every weekend I would go over to my dad’s house and begin sorting through things. Old papers were the easiest to begin with since I figured my dad probably didn’t even want them.
It became tougher as time went on and I began looking through more and more things. It was hard seeing all these things that reminded me of my dad and what was happening. Even how things were left sitting was sentimental. It was also tough because I was beginning to change the house that had pretty much been the same since I was 4 years old.
The stress of finishing school and deciding what to do with all the stuff really impacted my happiness and I began to resent all the people who were pushing me to do this and that. Inside I wanted all the stuff just to magically go away so I could live my life and be happy.
My dad had a lot of stuff, but so did I.
I have always had a lot of hobbies from gardening to sewing, and have had the tendency to collect things I might use in my hobbies. I also like clothes and vintage things which means I enjoy going to the mall, garage sales, and thrift stores. However, I began to get tired of always dealing with stuff that’s in the way and wondering why I purchased ‘this thing’ in the first place. I also get bad feelings when I have something that cost quite a bit of money but I don’t want it anymore.
After graduating from school, I made a commitment to declutter. I started with a garage sale and then started donating things, selling through consignment shops and listed items on Craigslist. I sold my first car my dad had bought me when I was 16 (which was sentimental!), five televisions, a couch, two dining room tables, desk, two bedroom suites, a doghouse & kennel, and much much more.
I got rid of so much, but still had way too much. I didn’t understand my attachment to stuff and was still putting too much importance on stuff. My wake up call was the end of a 2 1/2 year relationship with a man that I loved. The last straw was when I got really mad at him for breaking a Christmas ornament that I thought (at the time) was sentimental.
That’s when I decided that stuff was not as important to me as other people’s feelings and my relationships. What was important was happiness between people and being able to walk around my house easily. That’s when I took on the “Be More with Less” mantra “People over stuff”. The post made me cry and cry and realize how all this ‘stuff’ turned me into a monster.
That’s when I created my own clutter challenge at the beginning of December 2011. My challenge was to declutter my house, my email inbox, and my mind.
The steps I took
- If I saw something I wanted to buy, I just sat on the thought and let it pass
- I unsubscribed from shopping emails and websites
- I sold mismatched kitchen items
- I deculttered my mind by learning to meditate
When I joined the Clutterfat Challenge in January, I was ready to take my decluttering to the next level
So little by little I began again… Going through closets, drawers, and every room to find what else I had been holding onto. I even got my mom in on the challenge. It was important for me to do something with the items I wanted to get rid of right away. That meant dropping off stuff at the Goodwill at midnight, and even taking a whole day going around town donating various things to different charities.
I donated my father’s dress suits to a rehabilitation center which was hard for me because the memories of him wearing the suits and us going to church were still fresh, but at the same time, it felt the best. I remembered the Zen Habits thought of ‘people are not things and the memories are inside of me’. I began listing more items on Craigslist, in my Etsy shop, taking more items to consignment shops, and found more items to throw away and give away.
It has been a really exciting process and I have learned that I need to do things my own way so that I feel good about my choices. Happiness is within myself and I always have to live with myself. I feel like all the circumstances and the clutter has prevented me from being happy and doing what I really wanted to do.
So much has changed from my original plan of moving in with my boyfriend in another state and going to graduate school. It is a bitter feeling that circumstances involving clutter have been a factor in those change of plans. However, my plans now are to continue decluttering and to move to another city/state where I want to renovate a mid century modern home, (find a job), buy an Airstream to travel out West, and grow my blog.
I am really proud of much I’ve decluttered my home and my mind. I now feel confident in what I want and love that I continue to move closer and closer to my goals.
Read more from Katrina at Exscapes.
These 2 people have completely different lives, but they do have a 3 things in common.
- They both made the choice to change.
- They both took action.
- They are both happier on the other side of stuff.
For more inspiration to shed your stuff, see this post on Zen Habits featuring more stories about real people kicking clutter to the curb.
Leo and I wrote the Clutterfree book to help you understand the emotion behind holding onto clutter and to give you the motivation and momentum to let it go and live without it forever.
Love the stories! Thanks for sharing. It is so exciting to see how people can change their life and thinking for the better just by getting rid of some ‘stuff’.
We went through our ‘major’ cut back last spring and it was crazy to me how much we could get rid of…. it was way over %50…. and all the stuff I had was organized too.
It is addicting though, we still haven’t stopped cutting back. Less and less stuff each month!
Thanks Lorilee, The power of stuff is really amazing. Holding onto it is just as powerful as letting go, but in such remarkably different ways. These stories prove that!
I realized I was in trouble when I went through 4 moves in 4 years. I managed to offload a BUNCH of stuff along the way, but still had plenty. My fiance and I combined households (we were both 50+ years old so it was a significant event.) I thought it was my last move. But less than two years later, my (new) husband died suddenly from melanoma and reevaluating my “stuff” took on a whole new meaning. Plus, I now had to evaluate HIS stuff!
I have since gotten rid of a lot more stuff, and am slowly working my way to the simplest life I am comfortable with, on many levels. Thanks for sharing these stories. They will help keep me on track.
Bottom left photo looks almost like my place, even after I clean! I know I need to get rid of some things, but everytime I get rid of something I later find I need it and then have to buy a replacement. I need a bigger house with closets and a nice detached garage with a shop not some modern house and garage that has no storage and work spaces. Modern builders do not know how to build anything useful. I know I have owned 2 houses built within the past 20 years and they are junk compared to places where I lived and some I owned that were built pre WWII.
I have been working my way through my life and attempting to reduce the contents of my home by 75% this year. It is has been frustrating, overwhelming, freeing, challenging, etc. I did not start out by counting (I wish I had), but I have been documenting with before and after photos. It has been great to read your blog and the comments for inspiration and encouragement.
Stories like these are so motivating, thanks for sharing!
Katrina – I love your new rooms, especially the red in that bedroom, great work!
Thank You! I added the red to have the fire elements of feng shui!
Before leaving for Thailand a few years back, I had to get rid of near everything. It took a while and would repeatedly go back over the same areas time after time, each whittling it down some. I left the states with a mid sized roll on & a day pack, no regrets 2 years on I can even say I have to much stuff still.
I’m 65 and one of my goals is to make sure my kids are not saddled with having to go through my “stuff.” Another is to scan all my photos as well as my late parents’. I’m happy to report I am making steady progress on both projects.
My exact thoughts Grace! I will be selling my parents home and contents very soon and I feel like its going to be a overwhelming task that I never ever want to leave to my own children.
I have recently started purging every area of my home. I have sooo much to do but I feel just knowing and putting forth the effort to do something is better than nothing.
I, too, would like to share my purging experience. I live in another country and 2 years ago, my mother (who lived in my country of birth) passed away suddenly from natural reasons at age 65 (?!?). I was put on a plane 2 hours after I heard and was there within 12 hours. I had 2 weeks to deal with everything – the service (the prayers and readings, an eulogy, service booklets, flowers, enlarged picture of her, finding a minister, inviting everyone, etc.), the postmortem, seeing the body (hadn’t seen my mom for 7 months), the cremation, getting the ashes (not an easy feat in that country), going through her stuff to decide what to sell, give away to her friends, keep for myself (had to fit in a suit-case) and what was going to go to her sister (appliances, clothes, furniture, etc.).
I can’t tell you how quickly 2 weeks go by when you have to do all of that. Of course I didn’t have ANY time to process it emotionally, merely went through the motions like a robot. My point is: my mom was NOT a hoarder and was an excellent purger… she would get rid of anything she hadn’t used in 3 months and anything she hadn’t worn in 6 months. I didn’t inherit her genes, but here I had to go through her stuff – surprisingly easy, since she didn’t hoard… all her papers were in order, she didn’t file any bills or any paperwork, her will was there, her request to be cremated, etc. As if she knew she was going to die (she didn’t, but she didn’t want to be a burden on anyone). Everything had a logical place (she always said she wanted to be able to find anything if a fire broke out and not trip over things). I ended up taking only sentimental things (wall pictures, photos – which I also scanned, small items that she’d had 50 years, a shoe-box of the things she kept from my childhood, etc.) and I have to say that even though I agree with what was said above about memories and not material objects being more important, these are the only things that link me back to my mother – I don’t live in the same country, only have an aunt left in the world (dad died when I was 16) plus my kids won’t get to know her, nor will she be there for any significant life-cycle events… therefore I need those things to show my future family and to help them to feel closer to my mother who they’ll never meet. Sorry for the book-long comment!
Love this idea. I had already purged (well, what I thought) half of my stuff in December. I went through my closets and just filled 2 boxes full of clothes. I went through my Christmas items (since I moved from a big house to a tiny apartment) and got rid of 3 boxes full of stuff. I gave some to my friends, but mostly, I donated to Goodwill. It felt so good to get rid of some of that stuff. I still have Halloween and Thanksgiving stuff to deal with, but I will wait until later on to do that part.
I also remembered that I have this plate set from my marriage. It was the only plate set we got, but I didn’t undertstand why I held on to it. I loved it, but it was only one set and not a full set. It was just extra space in my cabinets. So, I finally got rid of it, too. I also got rid of my very large dining room set (meant for a big home) and just purchased another one. I know I shouldn’t want to fill the space, but I’m too OCD not. However, I’m proud of myself, because I almost bought a 5 piece dining room set. I ended up buying a 3 piece dining room set mainly because I don’t use the table that much nor do I have that many people over to have 4 chairs. It was just extra clutter that I didn’t need or want and would probably end up being the same issue I had before.
I’m now realizing that I still have some more clothes to remove and I desperately have to organize my filing cabinet (after I buy a new one that’s not broken). I still have more to do, but I’m slowly getting there and realizing the very big hold this stuff has on me. It is amazing. 50% was not a great estimation, but in due time.
@Juli. I totally agree. I have lots of things that I won’t throw away due to it being my dad’s stuff (he is dead). I lost alot of stuff from my grandfather who died two years ago that I won’t get rid of, because my ex husband didn’t send it to me. So, if I had them back, they wouldn’t be gone. I did get his old Engineering books from when he went to college. I won’t use them, but I won’t throw them away.
Thanks for sharing these stories! And great job pushing through the initial sense of being overwhelmed. A big job, but no doubt a very rewarding experience. Kudos!
Thank You so much to these people who shared their stories! It is great to hear real life stories like these (and the before/after photos), very inspiring.
Both stories are very inspiring. I love that they are both so different, yet could get similar results.
What you are doing is amazing! I’m immediately tempted to start down this road of less-ness. My reading/research at this point has been minimal. I apologize if the following topic has been answered in one or more places:
Is the time spent purging and continually whittling down your possessions causing a reduction in the amount of time you have available to volunteer? For example, has it required so much time that you can’t help single parents with their kids or work with a GED class or clean a littered stream?
Let’s say you do have more free time. Is that what you find you’re doing? More outward-focused activities that help other people in crisis or need?
If that is truly a side-effect of owning less, I’m more likely to pursue it.
I think a time-study budget is probably as valuable as a count-possessions thing.
I just started my project of decluttering this week. I started with sweaters, now moving into spring, I got rid of an entire bag of sweaters. I just couldn’t believe how much was in my closet. Now working on the other items, shoes, everyday clothing. I want to get down to 50 items, then work down to 33. I have had it with clutter and items. I don’t go to stores unless I absolutely need something. I simplified our family grocery shopping, only shopping for what we need, and every other week splurge on treat items. I use coupons but use only what I buy, I don’t need all the extras. I make my own cleaning products and detergent, saves money, less chemicals.
I am also not doing garage sales, I feel it wastes my time, to sell items for $1.00 or 25 cents, and tons of work. I rather be enjoying my family.
I have been following and reading your posts for over a year now, and have made huge strides to be a clutter free person, and I love it. Thank you
It’s always sad to lose someone that you love-my Dad, who lived a long and amazing life for a guy who came from a poor neighborhood and had a ninth grade education but ended up working with Chuck Yeager, among others-died almost 2 years ago, and it’s always hard. But it’s great to figure out clutter issues and WHY we do it young. I’ve been struggling with it since I realized that I had “disorganization issues” back in the early 1990’s but failed to realized that every time I did a major cleanup, most of it got boxed and sent to the basement or attic! I struggled for years and prayed for an answer. We moved after 18 years in a tiny rental house and I threw out probably a ton (seriously) of damaged stuff that had sat in a damp basement or a hot/cold attic for years! When we had a financial upheaval during the economic downturn we had to downsize and move again, to a one-bedroom apartment. I donated 11 bags and 6 big boxes of stuff that time. Now I plan to move again and the purge is on, although I still get VERY overwhelmed-and I’m approaching middle age. I’ve started shredding patterns that I printed for sweaters I’ll never knit, and I’m donating a candle centerpiece given to me by a former manager who later had to downsize the office-every time I look at it I remember my happy days there and I feel bad about myself! A magazine that reminded me of an 18-year-old beloved cat that we had that we had to euthanize because of cancer (from 2004!), old check stubs from another employer that laid off 50% of us in different departments well over 10 years ago! I actually got up this morning determined to deal with the bedroom and as I began I realized the kitchen was done over 2 weeks and this will take 3-4 weeks to do right:papers in drawers, plastic drawers in the closet, knitting and sewing stuff I collected, etc. In my case I know some of it stems from a childhood in which I attended 11 schools due to Dad’s work and the rest is that once she was able to, Mom held on to everything (clean organized clutter)! Not to mention anger at situations that I couldn’t control over the years! I know that the purge has to be ongoing but I am going to push myself to get all the nonsense out of my life-there is also OCD in my family-which doesn’t help! But, I don’t what to be that elderly person who passes and everyone says: “Oh MY!!!”. It’s hard for folks whose brains aren’t wired this way to get it. If I could “just get rid of it” I’d dump it all, but I am determined to fix this…
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Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post!
It’s the little changes that make the largest changes.
Thanks for sharing!
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Great stories. I’m a sporadic purger. We are a family of 5 with a cat and hedgehog living in a 2bdrm, 1bath, 1100 sq. ft. house. The small spaces forces us not to collect, but just a few extra things really makes an impact in such a small space. I will sporadically “lose it” with the clutter and overwhelming stuff in the house, do a huge purge, and it feels so good, but somehow, it sneaks back in (I have a goodwill problem 😉 and then it’s full again! Any tips on how to get it out and keep it out? I do go through goodwill fasts, I have pretty good self control. But in such a small space and five people adding to the whole, it just adds up!! I also have lots of generous friends and neighbors who give us lots of hand me downs, which saves me load$, but often means she ends up with waaaaay too many clothes! (I’ve bought my daughter hardly any clothes for years). Tips on getting it out and keeping it out!?!?!
It took me about thirty years to deal with my clutter problem which included thrift shops and yard sales; both necessary when my kids were growing up. I still do shop sometimes in both places BUT now I donate more than I buy and when I am buying I don’t do it unless I have a specific use for the item! By the time I’ve asked myself 2-3 times if I really love it and/or will use it, 98% of the time I don’t buy it after all. Also is it just that it’s “too cute”? Does it fit into my decor? Before you go to the thrift store fill a box/bag to drop there (I often do this now) and when the neighbors and friends give clothes and etc. for the kids, do a “sort” right away: keep what will be used now and 1 year’s worth of larger sizes (stuff goes way out of style in 4-5 years) and bag or box the rest and put in the car right away to donate to the shop or someone else who needs it. Unfortunately the only way to get in control and stay there(easier now since I don’t have little ones) is to do it a bit at a time as you go along, like housekeeping-two valuable lessons that it took me a long time to learn. I really love my sparser decor now that I don’t have the energy or physicality to lift much or spend the day dusting! Good luck. Seems you have the right idea!
Ah this is very inspiring! I am going to tackle my craft room/office and this shows me the potential the room has!