Minimalist Challenge: Days 1-6

Note: This post really doesn't have anything to do with dogs, so turn around if that bothers you :)

One of my recent goals is to find new ways to simplify my life. There are many complicated things I cannot control, so I might as well work on un-complicating the things I can. A blog I read frequently titled And Then We Saved sparked the idea of a Minimalist Challenge. How it works:

• Each day for a month, identify a number of objects you can part ways with that corresponds with that day of the month.
• For example, on January 1, find 1 thing to get rid of, on January 2 find 2 things, on January 3, find 3 things...you get the picture.
• Photograph your items each day and identify what is trash, what you will donate, or what you intend to sell. Trash items can be tossed immediately, while I'm finding it best to use boxes for the piles of sale and donation items.
  
• If you can successfully find enough unnecessary things cluttering (or hiding in) your house, apartment, car, office, etc., you will end up with a total of 496 tossable items (based on 31 days).
  
• Even if you don't blog, you can use social media sites (I think I'm going to use Pinterest) to share your progress. Or, just keep it to yourself! Like all life changes, simplification can be a daunting and emotional process and you have every right to keep it off the Internet.
  

Below are photos from my first 6 days and lists of what the items are and what I will do with them. So far, everything is getting pitched or donated. I live in an apartment, so I can't really save up too much for a yard sale, but I know this will change once I get to my clothes and can take them to consignment stores. I haven't had to part with anything from my closet - yet.

Quesadilla maker

2 George Foreman grease trays

Cocktail shaker, water bottles

Stuffed/bean toys

Nail polish

Gum, random box, phone book, 3 ornament cocktails

• Day 1: Quesadilla maker. I received this as a gift about 5-6 years ago and used it ALL the time. But in the last couple years, it's just sat in the cupboard. I think that's a sign it's time to pass it on to someone else to cherish. Donate.
  
• Day 2: George Foreman grease trays X 2. I don't even have a George Foreman anymore. Donate.
  
• Day 3: 1 cocktail shaker, water bottles X2. I never use these water bottles and I found a much nicer cocktail shaker at a flea market last month. Donate.
• Day 4: Nail polish X 4. Two of these bottles I can't even open, one is dried up, and one is at that almost-empty sticky state. Trash.
  
• Day 5: Stuffed toys X 5. My aunt gave me these for Woody, but I had to politely tell her that dogs can't have bean toys. Gone are the days of waiting in line at McDonald's for the latest Teeny Beanie Baby collection. Donate.
• Day 6: 1 pack of gum, 1 box, 1 phone book, 3 ornament cocktails. I have braces, so no gum for at least another year (trash). I don't know what this box is for (trash), and why do I keep getting phone books delivered (recycle)?? I got the ornament cocktails as a gift and drank two of them, but they were just too sweet and have been sitting on my counter since Christmas 2013. Trash.