Nesting...100 Thing Challenge, Live with Just 100 Items

We are quite intrigued by the 100 Thing Challenge. Being pack-rats and clutter hounds most of our lives, it seems to us daunting, though rewarding, scary none-the-less to narrow our household down to a mere 100 items.

This is what creator of the personal challenge, Dave Bruno of Sand Diego, aspires to do; he has pledged to reduce and maintain an inventory of 100 personal items by his next birthday this coming November. That's right. 100 items and not a shadow of a doubt more -okay so he has his own rules and regulations to lessen the blow. He will attempt to maintain 100 items for one year. Inspiring.

The concept of removing possessiveness and focusing on purpose alone, is not one we tend to adhere to in North America. Let's face it, we over consume and hoard on a daily basis. If it's not shoes, papers or books, clothing, mementos, money, debt, credit, it's food, hygiene products, self-help information, and to-do lists. We have tooooo much. And more things, as most of us have devised, does not mean more joy. We fall prey to managing our inventories instead of enjoying them.

Of course, you might ask why a collective such as UpsideDive - which retails "things" would encourage having less. Well, here's the thing if you didn't know before. UD was not created just to sell or to make profit, it exists as a lifestyle, and works towards sustainable consumer living.  That includes aiming for a healthy business that can sustain itself, and although we enjoy selling, we also enjoy purpose and re-purposing. Perhaps the consumer emphasis should be on choice selection rather than volume. 

So in the jist of it, we will be thinning out the showroom, but the biggest impact will be in our homes. We can't promise that we won't slip over 100, I'm not sure if I'm quite there yet, but I pledge to minimize and to aim for that 100 number. I could do with a little less chaos and more room to stretch both body and mind. I'll post my top 10: best-to-stay-in-the-home items tomorrow.

And as Dave states on his website under Rules: Remember, this is my 100 Thing Challenge. I get to set the rules and decide when a rule can be stretched or outright broken. Basically I'm going by the spirit of the challenge not the letter of the challenge.  www.guynameddave.com/100-thing-challenge.html

Here are some more broadening info, thoughts, and conceptualizations on the topic http://zenhabits.net/2007/09/minimalist-fun-the-100-things-challenge/

http://eclecticgeekology.blogspot.com/2008/03/thoughts-on-100-items-challenge.html