Do you need motivation to declutter? With the 30-day minimalism game, you can playfully keep things organized even as a minimalism beginner.
Who invented the minimalism game?
When you deal with minimalism for the first time, it can quickly be overwhelming. But with this challenge you start your minimalism journey with fun and a quick sense of achievement.
I wish I had come up with this clever idea myself, but the minimalism game was invented by bloggers Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists. You may know them from the Netflix documentary “Minimalism”.
How does the minimalism game work?
This 30-day challenge starts very simply: On the first day, you sort out one item that you no longer need. A single one – that’s it! On the second day, sort out two items. On the third day, three items. As you can see, the goal is to sort out one more thing every day until you sort out another 30 items on the last day. In the end – hold on tight – you’ve sorted out 465 items!
Very important: All things must have left your apartment before the end of the 30 days – leaving them in the basement does not count. How to get rid of things? Of course, it is worthwhile to sell valuable objects. In this article, I also give tips on which things you can easily give away on the street.
My experience with the minimalism game
As a professional organizer of course I wanted to try this challenge. Was it hard? Yes! Especially for someone who already declutters regularly, lives quite minimalistically and asks herself critically before every purchase: “Do I really need this?”
But here’s why it excites me so much:
- On the first few days, the challenge is very easy and therefore highly motivating – you definitely want to continue.
- You actively deal with your possessions and find out, “What is really important to me?” An existential question. So it quickly gets down to the nitty-gritty: Do I prefer to keep the pair of roller skates or the puzzle? The old jeans or the unread books? The old-fashioned crockery or the T-shirt that has never been worn?
- Go big: Even unloved furniture, carpets, picture frames, lamps… are now allowed to leave the house for good.
- The period is limited to 30 days. Postponement is not possible and at the same time there is an end in sight.
- The minimalism game is great before a move, before a baby arrives or before your partner moves in.
- You can play together with friends, family or colleagues: whoever lasts longer wins. Two friends joined me when I played it. We sent photos of our discarded things back and forth and shared funny and challenging moments. Super motivating!
- Of course, there is also #minsgame and you can share your successes on Instagram and follow the journey of others.
But can you even manage the 30 days? Definitely!
On average, people in Germany have 10,000 things in their household.
The average US-American household owns 300.000 items. 300.000!
It’s highly probable that that includes some superfluous things.
But now let’s get down to business: How far did I come?
In 2017 I played the game for the full 30 days and decluttered 465 things!
In 2018 I managed until day 13 – because as I said, my home is already quite minimalistic.
The goal of the minimalism game
Of course, practically speaking, it is about creating more space in the home: more space in cupboards, on shelves, in drawers. Everything looks tidier, everything feels lighter – just the classic advantages of decluttering thoroughly.
But at the same time, the awareness of the things you surround yourself with is sharpened: What things keep you in the past and what should accompany you in the future instead – also a principle in my work as a professional organizer. And that’s why I recommend the minimalism game again and again!
Do you want more minimalism in your life? But you don’t know where to start?
Get in touch for your first professional organizing appointment in Berlin here: Contact
Christin Köppen
Professional Organizer in Berlin