Just so we are clear, you can do this. Actually I’m pretty sure that the majority of people in the westernized world could. And what that is, is complete a one year challenge. The prize? Well, I can only speak for myself, but it was worth it. The Challenge? That’s where things get interesting.
 
I’m not to sure where I came up with the idea. It was probably in one of the last 4 moves I did in two years. I vowed on the last one that the countless boxes I was hauling around containing all my worldly possessions could use a little diet. Actually, that wasn’t my first thought. It was more along the lines of, “I wonder how much small storage would cost?” Then the absurdity of that statement struck home when I actually looked in those very boxes I considered paying to store these items.

Like many, I define myself by my possessions. Not entirely, but I will admit they play a part in who I am. I don’t consider myself especially materialistic, but it seems that over my 27 years on this planet that I had been accumulating more than shedding. It’s those types of things that begin to fill up closets, drawers and collect dust on shelves. It’s gifts that you feel guilty about throwing out but have absolutely no intention of using (I’m looking at you George Foreman Grill). It’s the shirt that is clearly out of fashion, but you did spend $60 on. It’s the electronics that you upgraded, but still feel compelled to keep, just in case the other one quits. The list is endless as are the reasons. But in the end, it’s clutter, and not just physically, but in the mind as well.

Okay, you’ve been patient enough. Let me explain what the challenge was. I vowed that everyday I was going to get rid of exactly one thing. That’s it. Beauty in simplicity. What I didn’t appreciate was the effect it would have on my life.
 
The Ground Rules:
 
Rule #1: One Item MINIMUM EVERY day

It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s in your possession. I set up three boxes and labelled them “DONATE”, “SELL”, and “JUNK.” Something that I thought would sell, like electronics, I would put on Craigslist. Donate obviously went to a thrift store, and garbage - well take a wild guess.

I made sure I emptied the boxes every Sunday. If it didn’t sell in a week’s time on Craigslist I donated it. 
(Important note: you can’t throw in 30 items in one day and say it counts for a month - NO BANKING ITEMS IN THE BOX! You can definitely feel free to throw in as many items as you want in one day, but it’s important to remember that you still have to get rid of something tomorrow or the day after).
 
Rule #2: What goes in the box, STAYS in the box

You’ll be tempted, so make sure before you put it in there you can live without it. I found it was easy in the beginning, but it get’s harder, trust me.
 
So there you have it, the easiest challenge to change your life. 365 items. No doubt you’re probably thinking that is a lot of stuff. And it is, no question. There were definitely some days where I was simply donating office supplies (like one pen I'd never used), but it forced me to look at everything with a much more critical eye. The result of dismal days like that one, is that I usually ended up donating or selling something much larger the next. I just ended up looking at my possessions so much differently and if I truly couldn’t justify it, it got the boot.

In the end, let me tell you of the prize, so to speak. Well what I sold, almost paid off the $2000 I'd accumulated on my credit card. I can now probably move (with the exception of the bed) with a single trip in a Honda Civic. I don’t buy things without carefully examining my need for it first. Everything I have has underwent scrutiny and I feel justified for owning it, which is actually a pretty amazing feeling.

But mostly it’s the calm. I don’t know why or how to explain it. My theory is that all those things were just filling my mind with so many grabs for attention. Without it, I just feel more free and assured. I finally got the courage to quit my job and go back to school. I started running again and so far have lost about 10 pounds. I just have so much energy without all that stuff weighing me down. So I’ll end this by saying I know this isn’t for everyone. It is hard, and is difficult and nor can I guarantee your results will be just like mine but things will change, and if you’re serious about seeing this little experiment through, I’m betting it will be for the better.  
 
Donald Farber is a freelance writer. He enjoys writing about healthy living and finance topics, such as how to obtain mortgage life insurance in Canada.