100 Thing Challenge

Just a heads up that the 100 Thing Challenge has moved to guynameddave.com.  Thanks for following!

The 100 Thing Challenge is my effort to personalize StuckInStuff.com's commitment to Reduce, Refuse, and Rejigger.  I'm not sure about you, but I've got way too much personal stuff!  Not for long, though.  Here's what I'm up to.

I'm going to limit my personal stuff to 100 items.  Shrewd readers of this blog will immediately wonder, what constitutes personal stuff?  Pretty much whatever I say.  But for now a "personal stuff" does not include:

• Books, including maps - likely the stuff-vice I'll carry with me to my grave
• Tools - will hopefully get this category down to 100 sometime down the road
• Collections - for example my Marklin train collection is 1 item for now.  And my collection of underwear is one 1 item for now. (Like I'd go down to 1 pair.  Give me a break.)  But really I don't have a lot of collections.  I've always kind of wanted to, cause it seems cool to collect something.  I've just never been able to muster the passion necessary.
• And stuff I cannot claim as 100% or close to 100% mine, i.e. I'm not going to toss the Hobbit picture hanging in our hallway or chuck the one radio we own, though both happened to be gifts given to me.  These things don't really belong to "me" so much as our home.  Someday our family might choose to take up the 100 Thing Challenge for home decorations, furnishings, and accessories.  But I'm starting this challenge realistic.

List of Personal Things I'm (probably) Keeping:

1. ESV Bible - given to me by a kind person
2. NRSV Bible with Prayer Book - love the prayer book/bible combo
3. Journal (Note: "retired" journals do not count as an item, only currently active journal)
4. Pencil - blue mechanical
5. Pen - not sure which one, but I'll keep one on my desk
6. Benchmade Knife - I love this thing!  Cannot do without.
7. Knife from European mountain village - really sharp and cool
8. Photo from my sister
9. Canon 30D
10. Canon 17-40mm lens
11. Camera Case
12. Tripod/ball head
13. Broken flash
14. Cell Phone
15. Skateboard
16. Marklin collection (don't want to be rash with collections)
17. Desk
18. Chair
19. Work backpack
20. Portable HDD
21. Backup HDD
22. iMac
23. Hiking Journal
24. Camelbak bottle
25. Hydration bladder
26. Rope
27. Compass
28. Cookware set (3 pieces that pack as one)
29. Backpacking stove
30. Head lamp
31. Tent/footprint
32. Sleeping pad
33. Sleeping bag
34. Weekend pack
35. Fire starter
36. Candle Lantern
37. Sunglasses
38. Suitcase
39. Garment bag
40. Rock climbing wall (yes it has lots of pieces but I'm not gonna count each hold)
41. Weights (I'm getting rid of some)
42. Weight bench

List of Clothes I'm (probably) Keeping:

1. jeans
2. jeans
3. dress pants
4. dress pants
5. dress pants
6. dress shirt
7. dress shirt
8. dress shirt
9. dress shirt
10. dress shirt
11. tie - the orange one my wife doesn't totally like but I think is cool
12. t-shirt
13. t-shirt
14. t-shirt
15. t-shirt
16. t-shirt
17. t-shirt
18. t-shirt
19. t-shirt
20. t-shirt
21. t-shirt
22. Marmot rain jacket
23. Mountain Hardware jacket
24. sport coat
25. shorts
26. shorts
27. shorts
28. running shorts
29. running shorts
30. running shorts
31. short sleeve wicking shirt
32. short sleeve wicking shirt
33. short sleeve wicking shirt
34. long sleeve wicking shirt
35. wool sweater
36. wool sweater
37. comfy cozy prAna sweater
38. belt - brown
39. belt - black
40. baseball hat
41. sun hat
42. pj pants - penguin print
43. undershirts
44. skivvies
45. Patagonia long sleeve thermal shirt
46. Patagonia thermal pants
47. sweat pants
48. dress shoes - brown
49. dress shoes - black
50. Crocs
51. flip flops
52. Salomon trail runners
53. Asolo hiking boots
54. evolv rock climbing shoes

If my math is right, I'm at 96 Personal Items.  But I know I have more.  I'm searching through our house and garage and will keep adding and removing from the list.

List of Things I'm Rejiggering:

1. Cross from my in laws -  We have a "cross wall" over the mantle in our living room.  I'm going to relocate this small cross to the mantle with some of the other non-hanging crosses we've been given or made.
2. Father's Day pen/pencil holder from oldest daughter - I'm going to relocate this to my work bench in the garage and use it as a, you guessed it, pen and pencil holder.  In other words, I'm pretty much cheating on this one, adding it to my "tools".

List of Things I'm (probably) Getting Rid Of:

NOTE: "Missing" really means "missing."  I think some of the missing things were either thrown away or given away or stashed like a nut in the knot of a tree by my two-year-old squirrel, uh, daughter.  But they are gone. And I'm not using them.

1. Guitar - Breedlove Atlas AC200/SM - That's the concert acoustic with the slightly darker finish. Beautiful!  Will likely go on Craigslist soon for $500.  Email me if you want to pay that much.  SOLD!
2. Guitar Tuner (throwing it in for anyone who buys the guitar) SOLD!
3. Chess set OFF THE MARKET (My wife wants me to teach our daughter chess.  And thinks it would be kind of cool if I got back into it.)
4. iPod (crazy but true) 30 GB Video in nice condition.  Make an offer if you want it.  Will go on eBay soon. SOLD!
5. Pete Rose signed Bellagio baseball jersey
6. Pete Rose signed Bellagio baseball jersey (yes, there is a story here.  yes, they are authentic.  Will go on eBay soon if someone doesn't make me an offer.)
7. desk alarm clock MISSING
8. Headphones w/mic - don't really work with my iMac and Skype
9. Pilot retractable fountain pen - really cool! SOLD!
10. 1987 Silver Dollar with certificate of authenticity, never opened SOLD!
11. 1990 Eisenhower Centennial Silver Dollar with certificate of authenticity, never opened SOLD!
12. Timex wrist watch MISSING
13. Golfer's Swiss Army knife MISSING
14. Buck Knife, little one with beer bottle open integrated into it. MISSING
15. Five Ten approach shoes
16. jacket DONATED 
17. jacket DONATED
18. jacket DONATED
19. jacket DONATED
20. jacket (yes I do live in southern California, but once lived in chilly Chicago) DONATED
21. shirt DONATED
22. shirt DONATED
23. shirt DONATED
24. shirt DONATED
25. shirt DONATED
26. shirt DONATED
27. shirt DONATED
28. shirt DONATED
29. shirt DONATED
30. shirt DONATED
31. shirt DONATED
32. shirt DONATED
33. shirt DONATED
34. sweat shirt DONATED
35. sweat shirt DONATED
36. sweat shirt DONATED
37. jeans DONATED
38. jeans DONATED
39. dress pants DONATED
40. dress pants DONATED
41. dress pants DONATED
42. dress pants DONATED
43. board shorts DONATED
44. sweat pants DONATED
45. pj pants STILL HAVE THEM 

Comments

[Dana]

Here's a thought Dave. A lot of the crap that we tend to hold on to is stuff that we use once every two years. Example: my 4 burner camping stove and a box of fuel, the tent, and sleeping bag pads. Last used: two summers ago for 1 night in the mountains. So, I'm thinking that if more people could share their junk, we'd all have to own a lot less of it. If you knew that I had all the stuff to camp, you would borrow mine instead of buying all of that and storing it year after year...likewise, if you have fishing gear, I could borrow that once a year when I go out for a day of fishing, right? The "sharing" thing is hard because it is a little like getting rid of stuff: we can't do it until we are willing to mentally and emotionally detach from the stuff, so that it becomes objects, not an extension of who we are or an item that we own or acquired because of how it made/makes us feel. To share is to not "own" in a way. Speaking of loaning stuff, I'll bring you my copy of Walden next time I see you. That dude had less than 100 things.

[Emily Fotis]

What are you selling your iPod for? :)

[Emily Fotis]

How about $125.00? Is this an acceptable ballpark?

[Tim]

Tools should not count towards your list. Period. End of sentence. Now, I am a carpenter; so tools are my livelihood, but I don't think you should be forced to pick and choose among them what you'll keep. If anything, invest in good stuff for the long haul and donate the rest. My $.02

[James]

Hello,

I stumbled on your blog from Zen Habits... Anyway, if you haven't already... I'm interested in the Pete Rose items (and any other memorabilia you might have). Hope I can help. Thanks!

[HeyJules]

Saw this post today (came to it through Zen Habits, I believe) and I'm in! I've got a church garage sale coming up in November - might as well start going through stuff now. Thanks so much for the inspiration to do this. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

[MikeTheory]

I am taking the challenge and will take the next month to purge everything possible to reduce my number of "things" down to 100 or less! I will let you know when my list of items is complete. I am excited to compare my completed list against yours and possible other people as well.

[Jason]

I first saw this a couple months ago after you started. I recently moved to a new city/state and before the move had decided to get rid of an awful lot of stuff. I gave my TV (20" CRT), VCR, DVD player, stereo and entertainment center to my parents for their new house. I donated 6 trash bags of clothing to a local charity as well as several other items. I still have quite a few things I want to give away, donate or sell but I got rid of the most of the big stuff already. I don't miss TV at all. I have a laptop and occasionally will watch a DVD. But I'm looking forward to spending more time doing interesting hobbies than vegetating in front of the tube. Thank you for the inspiration!

[allen klesh]

I've taken your 100 item challenge and am doing pretty well, please check out my blog and make any suggestions that you might have. I'll be updating my list this weekend.

[allen klesh]

I had thought about your idea of eBaying stuff, but I know that if I let it sit around it would stay, so I spent one weekend and just moved stuff out. Told my friends to come and get what they wanted, the rest went to goodwill, but for the books that went to the library.

[sam]

so, what's the latest news on this?

[Janet]

Dave, I'm so glad you are doing this...it is so needed. This way of living is the way I was raised. I almost need lessons in consumerism!

But, frequent moves and radical life changes have constantly led me to examine my stuff. My way is to look closely at the thing, examine what it really is, and what it really is to me, and then find a good home for it. I've given away carloads using this method.

I've also discovered that places like Women's Shelters rather than resale shope are more in need and less critical of donations. They need items for both the shelter itself and also when the women go out on their own later to set up new households...and, sometimes for nursery schools they run on site.

I'm linking to you today in a short post.

Janet Riehl
www.riehlife.com

[Teri]

Dave!

This is great. Hats off!

I just launched a website for my community about reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking! It's called Better World Betty. I did a similar thing but on the consuming end - I took a one year no-buying pledge (no new, non-essential items will be purchased!). It's going great. I have bought 6 things. I blog about it occasionally on cvillebettyblog.blogspot.com
Maybe next year I will take the 100 things challenge!

Just want to say I think it is so exciting what is going on - a total shift in consciousness. I love it!

Best of luck to you. Look forward to hearing your chronicles...

Teri - the brains behind Betty

[Stefano]

Don't forget to bring a towel!