730 : 365

I regularly read several blogs to gain some inspiration in becoming a better domestic engineer and manager of my household. One of those is The Finer Things in Life. A week or so ago Amy posted here about her desire to eliminate some clutter in her life and in her home, and this desire then took the form of a challenge for her blog readers. I'm here today to let you all know that I am stepping up to the plate and accepting her challenge.

Amy is calling the challenge "730 in 365", based upon the idea of eliminating an average of 2 things per day from her home. However, she does state that the number chosen and the rules followed are up to each individual participant. After all, only the individual knows what she is facing when it comes to her own clutter-monster. I encourage you to go read the posts linked above on Amy's blog to get a better sense of what she's doing and why she is doing it, but for me - this is where I stand.

• We have too much stuff. 
• We have too much stuff that takes up too much space. 
• We have too much stuff that takes up too much space that doesn't get used often enough to warrant it taking up that much space. 
• We have certain goals in mind for the next few years that cannot be accomplished if our house continues to contain an overabundance of stuff.

Every person participating can choose their own number, but I do like the idea of an average of 2 things per day. So, I'm in for the 730 in 365. I may not reach that many, or I may totally blow that number right outta the park, but it's a goal and it gives me something to aim for. Now for the rules, as to what counts to the 730 and what does not.

• Regular household trash does not count. We each use a pair of Q-tips to dry our ears after every shower. Assuming 2 Q-tips per shower and 2 people taking showers each day, you're looking at 4 Q-tips per day right there. Not fair. Doesn't count. 
• Amy doesn't count food in her personal set of rules. I'm not sure how to handle this one. I tend to stockpile food and then end up with things that get tossed because they are freezer burnt or past their expiration date. Maybe I should penalize myself for each item that I have to throw out because I did not use it soon enough? 
• Items that are designated for elimination will only count once they have left my house, and that includes my garage. There are boxes and boxes AND BOXES of things sitting in my garage right now that are destined for a yard sale, but they are still taking up valuable SPACE. Therefore, I don't thing it's right that I consider them in the tally. When we do have our yard sale in the spring, I plan to keep a piece of scrap paper handy in order to keep track of how many items are leaving. 
• "Elinimation" can mean trash, yard sale, donation, or gifting, but really, trash should only mean things which are truly broken, beyond their lifespan, something that just won't sell or something I would not want to sell / donate. Think old socks and underwear in that last category. I would rather recycle something or try to make a buck off it before throwing it out (hey, nothing wrong with honesty!), so trash is kind of a last resort option.

I'm creating a special category for this little challenge (730 : 365) so you can track my progress more easily. I hope to check in periodically with updates as to how this is going. Amy will be hosting monthly link-ups so that those of us participating can share our progress, as well. Nothing like being accountable to others, as well as yourself, to keep you motivated on a year-long challenge such as this.

If any of you out there reading this are interested in participating with Amy and myself, please feel free to leave a comment. You can read more about it all at Amy's blog, and you can grab the Declutter Challenge button there too.