We're halfway through Q1 (the first quarter of the year) and so much minimizing has already happened!
If you're new to the series... scroll down for info 👇 👇
Here is my latest accountability:
Week 6: Choose 3 kitchen tools you don’t need
I already did this in Week 2 whoops!
and I don't have any shelves to complete the next challenge:
Week 7: Declutter one shelf (just one!)
Why don't I have shelves?
For several years I lived in small apartments where I didn't have room for any furniture that wasn't essential. I could only fit a bed and small dresser in my room, for example.
Once I had a little more living space I didn't buy one realizing I would then have to acquire more things to put on it. Not exactly aligning with my minimalist agenda.
I recently convinced a friend who had moved to a smaller condo to let go of all her bookshelves if she wanted more space.
The Results: The photos that were on the shelves are now artfully arranged on a wall in her bedroom and all the other items (e.g. books and knickknacks) found new homes. She appreciates how much more space her apartment has without the bookshelves and she's thrilled to have one less place to dust. The only upset member of her family is the cat who enjoyed knocking things off the bookshelf LOL.
This brings up to:
Week 8: Recycle old papers/mail
Eeek, I don't have any of these either...
I shred/recycle mail as soon as it comes.
Still, I wanted to participate (I'm HOOKED on Minimalist Mondays and look forward to a new task every week) so here is what I did instead:
ALT. Week 6: reduce electric cables/charge cords.
I collected, sorted, and reviewed all of my cables and cords.
OMGGGGG I couldn't believe how many cables I had in total, how many were duplicates, and how many didn't go to any items I still possessed.
For example, I had FIVE chargers for my apple watch.
I kept the most recent one, a spare for my luggage, and posted the other three on my local Buy nothing group and repeated this with with old cables for airpods, iphones, etc.
By the end I still had about 10 cables that I was never going to use again so they went to e-cycling.
It's mind boggling to think how much clutter they caused and how much space they took up in drawers.
ALT. Week 7: Reduce mugs and water bottles
Scott doesn't drink coffee or tea, only I do, and truthfully there are only two I use daily/regularly, so why did I have 9+ in my cupboard?
Since we do have tea and coffee drinking guests with some frequency, I opted to keep 4 mugs total plus my two faves.
The rest went to my friend whose son is moving into his first apartment and had none.
As for water bottles, the same is true. I have three that I use regularly (one that fits my bike, one that I use for gatorade/electrolytes, and one for plain water) but there are at least 6 in there, not including the one Scott uses.
I donated those to a local sports charity for kids that accepts water bottles.
ALT. Week 8: Minimize Cleaning supplies
Much like mugs and water bottles, there are really only a few cleaning supplies I use but there were plenty under the kitchen sink and the bathroom sink.
I use a homemade water and vinegar spray for just about everything. Truly nothing works as well on my counters, floors, tables, or vanity.
I listed everything else I had on buy nothing and off to a new home they went.
In addition to the vinegar spray I make myself, I also kept my floor cleaner (my floors are prissy), toilet bowl cleaner, and rug spot remover (dogs!!). I cannot believe how much space is under all my sinks now!
In the end, the theme of these weeks was: Let go of what you don't use and lean into what you use all the time. Less is definitely more.... space!
MINIMALIST MONDAYS 2026 INFO
Each week in 2026, we focus on minimizing one small thing.
No extreme decluttering. No aesthetic pressure.
Just small, thoughtful ways to clear space—for your time, energy, and peace of mind.
Tiny actions add up to big relief.
Here is the full year-long guide you can revisit every Monday.
OR hop on my special FREE newsletter for the series here.
It's not too late to start!
