The Game. The Time. The Rules.

The Thirty-One Day Minimalist, starts tomorrow, October 1st.

I recently read a post that talked about playing a Minimalist Game. The game where one would get rid of the number of items that corresponds to the number of the day of the month.

For example, on the 1^st = one item, the 2^nd = two items, the 3^rd = three items and so on until the 31^st day. Added up 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19+20+21+22+23+24+25+26+27+28+29+30+31 = 496 items in one month.

Easy. Or is it?

As much as I have done to “de-clutter” my home in the last two years, there is still SO MUCH STUFF!! I love a game, I love numbers and this is one of the few hobbies I have come across that doesn’t include money, calories, sweat, a babysitter, a ridiculous time commitment and I can write about it. I haven’t written for fun in 10 years. Why not?

I consulted my sister and husband about my crazy idea, they will be the line judges if there is any gray area interpreting the rules for the game.

The Rules:

1. Items must be committed to discard on the day they correspond to, for example on the first, I must choose one item. These items must be gone from the house one week after committing to each;by means of sale, trash can, donation, etc.
2. I can chose to list an item for sale, but if I count it as part of the game and it is not sold one week from the day of committing the item to the 496; it must be given to charity.
3. An item that is part of a greater item, doesn’t count individually. For example: a pair of socks is ONE item; a box of crayons is ONE item; if I gathered up 20 random crayons, these would be each ONE item.
4. Trash doesn’t count. The discarded items must have had value at one time. Receipts, junk mail, my daughters homework doesn’t count.
5. I may purchase items, but they will be subtracted from the daily total to count; and a comparable item must be discarded for the new item (one in one out.) Example: I can’t buy a pair of jeans, and discard a pair of socks.
6. Consumables purchased during the month are exempt from being counted against my daily total: diapers, food, beverages, shampoo, etc.

The thirty-one day game starts tomorrow, with one item.

From there, at least 495 more have got to go by October 31st.