I Just Finished This Challenge To Declutter My Life

I recently started listening to The Minimalists' podcast as part of a growing desire to live with less 'stuff' in my life. The idea being to live a more fulfilled life through not being owned by what we own. 

One of the practices that they talk about is having a "minimalism box" where you collect items that you think you may not need and, after a pre-determined period of time, donate or discard of those items.

The magic behind this idea is that it gives you time to figure out if you really need the item. You can place it in the box and one of two things will happen:

1. A few days later you'll have something come up that requires that item and so you remove it from the box, or...
2. If several weeks later the item is untouched (most likely also forgotten) you can get rid of it without worrying about whether you really need it or not. 

I just tried this as a part of the Christian Lent season (which often focuses on removing habits/activities from our lives). Instead, I removed stuff. Throughout Lent (from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday) I attempted to find as many things as possible that I believed that I don't really need and put it in a tote box in our spare bedroom. The items that remained in the box come Easter Sunday (which was 100% of the items I put in there) are getting donated or thrown away this week.

Here's my minimalism box at the end of my challenge.

My box ended up with: 

• 3 texts books from college
• 2 unopened CD's
• 2 'sling bags'
• 1 old watch
• 1 plastic ruler
• 1 charging cord for an unknown electronic device
• 1 pencil holder
• 2 tshirts
• 2 shirts
• 1 jacket that has never been worn
• 1 pair of khakis
• 1 soap/toothbrush holder set
• 1 graduation gown from my master's degree ceremony

Towards the end of this challenge, I began to full the compulsion to find things to put in the box because of how good it felt to eliminate something from the clutter of my life (and the clutter of my closet)! 

I challenge you to try this. Maybe for 30 days or 2 months. Place a box in your home where you can slowly begin to 'minimalize' your stuff and help free up your life!

And then post photos and thoughts below once you've completed your own challenge!