All right my minimalists and budding minimalists here are three (ridiculously easy!) things I want you to do — no excuses.
1. Write a "What NOT to do" list for 2014.This was actually Scott's idea, which he tweeted about after landing in Switzerland.
A lot of people see the new year as a fresh start, and while you can't really start over, you CAN start over with yourself -- and this "what not to do list" is a great start!
One of the things on my list is I want to work less in 2014, which was something I mentioned in this MM post earlier this year: Slow Down (I Need to Take a Breath, Stop the Race).
What you put on your list doesn't have to be super complicated either. Maybe you want to complain less in the new year or you want to be less stressed. The possibilities are endless, but the point is to write them down and follow through!
2. Turn all your hangers around in the opposite direction. Every. last. one. When you wear something on that hanger, turn it around to the "correct" direction. At the end of 2014, you'll see what clothes you wore and what it's time to donate. If you have OCD or otherwise can't stand hangers facing the wrong direction or mixed directions, add a mark to the hanger, such as a small sticker around the neck, or a ribbon — whatever work to help indicate what's worn and what's not.
I used to have a hard time parting with my clothes — feeling like it was a waste of money. It's not. Donation allows those unworn clothes to serve a better purpose. Your donated threads are clothing someone who needs clothes. It'll make a world of difference to that person — something it can't do sitting in your closest collecting dust.
If you have old business clothes, even if they are from 1985, please donate them. So many people need those clothes to get back on their feet and go to job interviews. You will really change their life.
3. Grab an empty jar — an old bottle of marinara sauce or whatever. Clean it well and leave it someplace where you see it all the time, like on the fireplace or near your night stand. Every time something good happens, write it on a piece of paper and slip it into the jar. Then on December 31st, 2014, we will dump it out and read it. Chances are something great has already happened this year, so you already have something to add to it. You can also write future notes to yourself. (This idea came to me by way of Engine 2 Diet LOVE it! Image and original concept by Mom Scholar).
So that's it. Three ridiculously easy minimalist tasks for the new year that will add up to a huge change at the end of the year.
