playing at minimalism

no clutter (or whining) allowed

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Day 5

Sorry, sorry! My dad's birthday was yesterday and I was home-home all day, so very little to throw away. (Does throwing away other people's stuff count?)

So, I'm donating my uggs, some clothes, a makeup bag, and play ball, among other things to Goodwill. I'm also donating these two books: AP French and The Art of the Personal Essay.

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Maddie - Day 6 So first off, Libi's late again but we're instating a one-day grace period because we have lives and shit. Here's day 6! There's actually so many clothes in this bag, way more than 6, but I want to get em all out at once. All the clothes I never wear but keep around for god knows what reason, you need to get out of my life. Please go keep someone else's back warm - I don't need you, but you can help someone else I promise. Bye guys!

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Maddie - Day 5 The last of the books for a while (and there's actually six of them, but who's counting?). Guys, you served me well. But the semester ended a while ago, and I just don't need ya anymore. The tragedy is that, in about a week, I'm going to end up filling up the shelf space I'm evicting you from, but at least I won't have last year's books along with this year's too. Kabhi naheen milenge! (That's Urdu for see you never)

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TheJunkDrawerProject.com

A tangent, but related, I swear!

I just happened to see this article on NPR talking about people's junk drawers (everyone has one - you know, the place that you just toss all your unused or uncategorizable stuff) and what they reveal about that person.

I know that I for sure have a junk box, where, particularly during the middle of the semester, everything plus more seems to just accumulate there. It's like they are holding a secret conspiratorial meeting to take over my life with junk. But that's exactly why this year, as I unpack, I am trying to give everything it's own proper place, to minimize the size of the junk box which will inevitably show up at my door step one day. It just happens. Luckily, at the end of the semester, I always manage to part with its inhabitants, but I am always also surprised by just how many useless objects I refuse to throw away because I'm just positively absolutely sure that I'm going to use it again in the near future.

Anyway, check out The Junk Drawer Project, which is kind of a complement to the Minimalism Game. People take pictures of their junk drawers and post them on this blog, as well explaining bits and pieces of themselves found in those drawers.

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Day 4

1) 2013 Corvette Stingray model. I have nowhere to keep you, and you're just all good looks and nothing more, so off you go. I'm going to donate you in hopes that some little kid finds you and want to become an engineer. Or a car mechanic. Or just a really good looking model.

2) Angel Halloween costume. Complete with big angel wings and a halo. I hope you find a second life after Goodwill.

3) Devil Halloween costume. As you can see, I am very creative with my costumes. Guess what my third costume is?

4) Cat costume. And by costume, I do just mean black cat ears. Oh man, I'm pretty wild and crazy.

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Day 3 - Libby is Late Again

Whoops, my b. It's just so annoying transferring pictures every single day from my camera to my computer. I have a feeling my USB cable is going to be so worn out by the end of this. You would almost think that some engineer or another out there would've created a camera that can directly upload pictures onto the internet without having to go through the computer.

Oh wait, libi, I think they already did. It's called a smartphone. dohh

Anyway.

1) Neroli Jasmine, you smell beautiful. And gorgeous. That's why I've kept you these past four years. But I rarely use you now, except when my hair is dry and I put you on my ends. I hope you bring good smells to the dumpster!

2) I threw away a lot of old make-up, the ones shown above being just a few. They're just old and grungy now, plus I've streamlined my whole makeup routine, so win-win!

3) I don't even know what you are, tool-that-I-thought-was-a-keychain-utility-tool. But I can't put you on a keychain. And you aren't particularly useful, so you're going as well.

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Maddie - Day 4 More books! I have to say it feels really great to get rid of things. Dear cookbook, you're cool but I never have time to use you, and also online recipes are so easy to find that it doesn't really justify my keeping you around. East/West, your author is cool but I frankly just didn't like you very much. Rehearsal, I've already read you and you were great, so I'm going to share you with someone else. And Rig Veda, get ready to join the Upanishads because, useful though you were, I just don't need you sticking around now. Love and hugs, Maddie

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Maddie - Day 3

Dear books,

You were lovely, but I just don’t need you anymore. Edward, you were a fine read but I don’t love you enough to keep you around. Upanishads, let’s be honest. You were there when I needed you, but that class has ended. And hindi, I’ve moved on to bigger and more difficult things than learning how to read script. Breaking up is hard to do, but never fear, boys — I’ll be sending more of your brethren to join you in the used bookshop. Hopefully y’all can find a nice girl to hoard you forever. That girl is not me.

All my love, Maddie

I’m a compulsive book hoarder, so expect to see more of these. Like, a lot more.

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Widowed gloves, I'm sorry to break it to you, but no matter how long you wait, I don't think your beloved mates are coming back to you. I hope you find someone else in your next life! And book, you're so random. I only kept you around because you were kinda artsy. But despite your cover jacket and the calligraphy on the front, you're not even Chinese inside. wut?

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And if we're sharing rooms, here's mine just post-moving. Note the lack of clutter, an extremely uncommon sight for me. I threw out everything before I moved into my room, so I'm at a significant disadvantage here...

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Maddie - Day 2

Dear Shirts, 

I've been dismayed to find that no matter how long I've waited your holes haven't grown together again, Blue; and lovely as you are, Green, I am no longer an orientation leader in need of a stylishly-cut DIY tank top. Thank you both for your valiant service. Farewell.

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So, while we are on the topic of minimalism (when were we not?), here's my room- post moving in. I definitely own too much stuff...clothes for sure but also knick-knacks. I love trinkets and I always have fond memories of the most unusual objects that just can't bear to throw away. I also get really stressed when, while unpacking, an object doesn't have somewhere to go, so I can't take it out of the box.

Needless to say, I have not been particularly successful at unpacking in the last 11 hours. Productivity is one issue, but being overwhelmed is the other. My first priority right now, though, is where am I going to sleep??

Wish me luck, guys.

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So I am, as always, fashionably late. Sorry for the delay -- I snapped this photo this morning but never got around to posting it because transferring it from DSLR to my computer is enough of a pain that I put it off, and off, and off, until is 1:23 in the morning.

BUT, in my defense, I did throw these pink flats, the very first flats I ever bought and my first steps out of awkward middle school fashion, during the day. I haven't worn these in a good two years, at least, and they are quite scuffed up underneath, but I just kept making excuses from not throwing them out.

Now it's time, though. Pink slippers, you've served me well. You were the first flats that didn't make me feet look fat and gave me the confidence to try out new types of shoes.

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AND WE'RE OFF! Maddie's first item is boring: an old makeup case I never use. Bye-bye!

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and mglibi is....LIVE!

t-2 days to go. two more blissful days.

libi spent all day moving her boxes into her dorm room -- now she just needs to move her physical person in and then we can begin!

Maddie spent all day unpacking her boxes and realizing she threw away a ton of stuff during the packing stage of said boxes. Meaning that she has far less stuff to begin with. This challenge is going to be interesting.