Why? Summarizing the 100 Thing Challenge

The last week has been quite a whirlwind.  Since Lisa McLaughlin wrote about the 100 Thing Challenge in Time Magazine, quite a lot of people have visited my site.  One radio show has interviewed me, and I've heard from many TV shows and a few publishers.  Most of all - and most enjoyable for me - a lot of you have commented on my blog and shared a little bit about your own efforts to take back your life from "stuff." When I started the 100 Thing Challenge, I honestly believed it would be of no interest to anyone but myself.  Turns out there are a whole bunch of people tired of being consumed by things.

So how did the 100 Thing Challenge get started?

I had to search back in the archives of my blog to even remember. Shocked!  Persistence pays off.  It started nearly a year ago on July 28, 2007.

And honestly, it is difficult to purge.  What goes?  That is a hard decision.  But I have an idea.  A spontaneous idea that might change my life forever.  I’m calling it the 100 Thing Challenge.  And I’m taking it.

How did the 100 Thing Challenge get so popular?

Let's just say that it's nice to have friends in high (PageRank) places.  John of BigHugeLabs.com fame sneaked around summiting the 100 Thing Challenge to huge sites like zenhabits.net, a few of which picked up the story.  From there the 100 Thing Challenge seems to have taken on a life of its own.  And now it is a "grassroots movement" according to Time.  Wow!

What is the 100 Thing Challenge all about?

My buddy Todd summed it up better than I could today when we were talking about it.  He said, "Things are to be used.  People are to be loved."  The crazy thing about our consumer culture is that we so often reverse it.  We use people to get the things we think we'll love.  How stupid.  As if fancy cars or more shoes are really going to satisfy us more than a great friend or a close relationship with our children.

Why am I doing the 100 Thing Challenge?  Because I want to challenge stuff!  I believe that run-away consumerism is making many of us narcissistic jackasses.  It dulls our wits.  Keeps us from thinking and acting like we understand what's really important.  I'm planning on writing much more about this point.  The main thing to remember now is that stuff is not passive.  Stuff wants your time, attention, allegiance.  But you know it as well as I do, life is more important than the things we accumulate.  Challenge stuff!

Is this about clutter?

No.  All you professional clutter consultants have nothing to worry about.  I'm not going to encroach on your business.  Frankly, I think that clutter can be therapeutic sometimes.

What do I personally want from the 100 Thing Challenge?

This weekend, nothing.  We're going camping in the Sierras.  Don't want to worry about 100 things up there.  But long term should the 100 Thing Challenge turn out to be a success, I'd be really excited to meet Ira Glass.  That's probably not going to happen.  So I'd be glad to just to get to know some of you who are trying to "challenge stuff" along with me.

Comments

[catie]

My uncle ripped this article out of time and brought it to a family get together last night. i would love to do the 100 things challenge, although im not sure my mom would be thrilled with washing my clothes so often. still, im planning on getting everything that i dont use out of my room.
this is such a great idea and i agree that people are too materialistic these days. we don't need all that stuff.
by the way, have you been counting tapes and CDs? DVDs? or are they shared with your family?

also, do you think one could still live with just 100 items if they lived alone and counted all furniture, car, appliances, etc.?

[Travis Prinzi]

Our house was broken into robbed this week. I'm guessing some folks from the area read the Time article and decided to help me get started.

This really is an interesting and challenging concept. I know that's true, because I read about it, thought, "That's a great idea," and then thought, "I'm not doing it." Just the logistics of it make my brain hurt. I'm guessing each CD counts as an item? Each book? Or do those collections count as one? (Forgive me if you've answered this elsewhere already...I'm just catching up.)

The music could be done...rip everything to iTunes (though the quality loss would bother me). The books...I suppose one would have to decide to depend on libraries for the rest of one's life.

One would hope that as the economy gets more difficult, Christians would start to realize that we've got too much stuff anyway and start living as anti-materialistic examples.

[Medbie]

We have recently begun to de-clutter and "simplify" our lives. It's a pleasure, in this consume-minded country, to find someone else of the same mind.

With my 1000+ book collection, I couldn't go that drastic, but perhaps we should set ourselves a goal. So far we've made excellent progress by boxing up our unnecessary "treasures" in neatly labeled (and quite detailed, at that) boxes to store. The difference has been phenomenal.

Good luck to you and thanks for the further inspiration!

[clark666]

I am so so so glad to see that the challenge is NOT about "clutter" but rather about priorities and life values.
After reading the article in Time I began taking inventory of my things and have sort of begun the challenge.

[jackie]

once upon a time i anticipated moving to nyc. at the time i lived in a 1200 sg ft town home and was a devout pack rat.

to help transition the anticipated move to the city, my sister/roommate and i moved from 1200 sq ft to 600 sq ft about two years ago.

just to make the move i gave up what seemed to be the biggest purge of my life. i pared down my book collection from 500+ to about 150 books. i thought i would die during the process.

after the move we could not physically move around our apartment ... furniture, boxes, whatnot filled the space.

i spent the first year plus sleeping in a room that more resembled a storage locker than a bedroom.

two years after the move i have purged myself of clothes, more books, nick knacks, kitchen wares, movies, CDs ... whatnots.

while i don't think i'll ever make the 100 thing challenge a reality [i have a twenty plus piece art collection i'll never part with and an herb rack that is at least that many pieces] ... i do appreciate the art of living simply.

while i may still be a pack rat for life, i have managed to learn a lesson of consumerism.

i challenge all people to follow your lead. well done, friend.

[Bud]

Recall hearing/reading a comment many years ago about "stuff" to the effect that " if you haven't worn or used a particular item within the past year, the likelyhood of ever wearing/using that item is slim to none!" In other words "get rid of it!"

[pa]

In 2002 I made the decision to sell my house, quit my job and move to Florida to live on a sailboat. For two years, I sold, gave away or donated everything that would not be essential. The first pass was easy, stuff I didn't even know I had; old college books, posters, tools I only used once. Each successive pass through became increasingly more difficult but I felt lighter and lighter. Eventually, it came down to "Do I really need it?", "How difficult or expensive to replace?", "Sentimental personal value". I succeeded in getting down to eight platic tubs that I took to Florida and two tubs and a crate of art that I stored in my brothers barn. Last year the barn burned down and I lost some significant sentimental items but could hardly remember what was stored. "Simplify, simplify, simplify" is my motto!

[Michelle]

If nothing else I am going to make a list of what my 100 items would be. The hard part is counting all the clothes and shoes separately and my books would need to count as 1 thing. Otherwise I think I could do it. I do think the concept that things = happiness is far too prevalent in our society. I look forward to reading more about how it goes.

[Amelia]

Congrats on your adventurous challenge and on the well-deserved coverage you've gotten so far! I come from an environmentalist/recovering pack-rat perspective, so I admire your willingness to take on such a challenge and I appreciate the environmental benefits of simplicity. You inspired a post on my blog...
http://sinceregreen.blogspot.com/2008/06/oh-things.html
I look forward to following your progress and seeing what you do with all the things that don't make the cut. (Hoping none of it ends up in a landfill.) Thanks and good luck!

[Less Is More]

I've just heard about your challenge and am quite interested in it. A couple of years ago I lived out of a backpack for 6 months while walking my way around this country. Weight was a considerable concern as I was climbing up mountains and walking up to 25 miles a day around rugged terrain. Everything I owned weighed in total less than 25 pounds (excluding food and water). The motto was always, "if I didn't use it every day, I didn't need it". This applied to everything, or almost everything. I still kept "emergency" items that I hoped I would never use and had a wool hat in case temperatures suddenly dropped.
But the point is, I whittled my way down to much less than 100 items and carried them on me all the time in my backpack. Years later I could still compile a list of everything (and I mean everything, counting each individual bandaid and ibuprofen tablet) in my backpack and where it was. It was awesome and gave me a sense of true ownership since I actually used these items for survival every single day.
I'll be reading more and more of your site. Keep it up.

Clothes:
trail runners
crocs
2 pair of wool socks
running shorts
convertible shorts/pants
long underwear
rain pants
2 tshirts
long sleeve shirt
fleece coat
rain coat
wool hat
gloves
clothes bag

Sleep system
tent
4 tent stakes
sleeping bag
sleeping pad

Food system
food amounts varied depending on need
food bag
alcohol stove
alcohol
lighter
1 pot with lid
1 spork
pocket knife

Health
ibuprofen
toothpaste
toothbrush
toilet paper
hand sanitizer
duct tape
gauze
body glide
neosporin

Misc
2 1.5 liter water bags
water filter
water bottle
backpack
pack cover
trekking poles (dual use as tent poles)
camera
1 garbage bag to keep everything dry
money/atm/credit card
pen/paper/book

This is around 50 items depending on how you group items together. This also excludes individual food items.

[Less Is More]

It's a mystery to me
we have a greed
with which we have agreed

You think you have to want
more than you need
until you have it all you won't be free

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me

When you want more than you have
you think you need
and when you think more than you want
your thoughts begin to bleed

I think I need to find a bigger place
'cos when you have more than you think
you need more space

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

there's those thinking more or less less is more
but if less is more how you're keeping score?
Means for every point you make
your level drops
kinda like its starting from the top
you can't do that...

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

society, have mercy on me
I hope you're not angry if I disagree
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

Eddie Vedder
"Society" from the "Into the Wild" soundtrack

[Kate]

The thing is - I actually do LOVE some of my stuff. And while most of it is shabby and hand-me-down that's what adds to the charm. While I often times feel cluttered, I don't want to part with my clothes, or my pillows, or my books. I also don't know how to makeit work when one lives alone and has to account for all the kitchen/bathroom/cleaning/pet etc supplies. Does food count? Does it make a difference to the consumer aspect if things are from a thrift store or yard sale? Is the point to consume less or to have less? I'd love to hear people's thoughts as I consider how to engage in a personal way...

[bvelasquez]

I've started my own list of 100 things I can't live without at Kalisty :

http://tinyurl.com/46d28b

I figure, if I can't list 100 things I need, I'm golden. I don't have much right now, but I'm adding to the list all the time. :)

[jmaidhof]

This issue really hits home. I have for a long time lived close to the maxim that if I haven't eaten, sat in, or worn an item in the last 6 months, out it goes. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is, I'm not a rat pack and I'm not a shopper--or so I thought. In the past month, my siblings and I moved our parents from their home of 30 years to a retirement community. You haven't got a true appreciation of the value of SHEDDING until you've done this. After every trip to my folks, packing, sorting, throwing away, and preparing for the estate sale, I would come home, gaze at my stuff and say to myself "someday I or someone I love is gonna have to pack that up". And night after night, I divested. I have no desire to keep only 100 items, believing that to be unrealistic--but I sure have gotten rid of a truck load of stuff. Seems to me that most people have at least one category of stuff that they consciously or unconsciously collect. In my case, it was serving pieces. I have come to realize that it's really okay to say to folks "Sorry my platters don't match--I just had to make do with what I had"....or better still, I've honed the art of borrowing from friends. What a concept!

[Dave Bruno]

@Less Is More - are you "rucksack guy"?? I think I've heard of you. Do you have a blog or any thoughts on your journey you could share with us?

Everyone, great comments! As many of you rightly point out, this is not really about getting less stuff. That's part of it. But mostly it's about "challenging stuff" - my way of saying that we need to challenge the notion that stuff can make us happy, fulfilled, better, successful, etc.

More in posts to come...

[LessIsMore]

Dave Bruno,
You've never heard of me, I have no blog. I'm not a "rucksack guy". Just a normal guy who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail for 6 months over 2200 miles. Now I live in a normal house collecting the normal crap and thinking about walking the Pacific Crest Trail to lighten the load on my soul.

www.whiteblaze.net - these guys will teach you everything about living light.
www.trailjournals.com - ongoing blogs of peoples ongoing trips.

[Ceej]

WUNDERBAR! It is indeed important for the American public to become enlightened about where all their stuff comes from, how it's manufactured, and where it goes when we throw it away. Did you ever see that little i-net cartoon thestoryofstuff.com?It's genius!
Purging is good, and donating items to the needy is even better. If you want to trade some of your stuff, check out swaptree.com. At least you can get something you want for something you don't want.
Moving abroad will certainly derail any American...I sold all my stuff when I finished college and moved to Berlin, Germany. It was rather difficult to part with the sentimental items of my punk and goth days, but who needs that stuff? I'm a high school teacher now and it's not like I'm going to ever wear those bug-crushers (the pinkelwicker boots with the pointy toes and skull buckles up the side.) or any of the cool hats. But I just can't part with the last two crates of LPs!!!

Less is more. Right on! Hopefully you will inspire more people than you know to take a long look at the excessiveness and wastefulness of consumer culture. Hopefully you've seen "The Corporation"--it's all on the same page.
Cheers from Denver, Ceej

[lulu]

"Things are to be used. People are to be loved." --Todd _______?

what a simple but totally brilliant quote. what is your friend todd's last name, so that i can give him the credit he deserves when i quote him in the future?

[bvelasquez]

I'm putting my list of 100 things here (http://talistya.com/e2xlxp) instead of Kalisty. Much simpler to keep the list and arrange it. These are the things I can't live without:

http://talistya.com/e2xlxp

I'm up to 32 things so far, and haven't gone through a quarter of my clothes, and I expect that will be most of it. Tons of books, maybe I should get an Amazon Kindle (ebook reader)? Maybe I should visit the Library more.

I'm taking this challenge seriously, and I took 5 boxes of stuff to the Goodwill yesterday. I feel refreshed already.

[Stephanie]

Glad I stumbled upon your blog here.

First off, kudos to you for doing something uncomfortable. Let's face it, as mass over-consumers, it is a great undertaking not only try something different but to change our thought processes on the subject. Most people equate comfort with what is familiar and routine. I can already think of a few things that I am going to purge when I get home today since your list got me thinking!

Since you are an avid outdoors person, I cannot recommend it enough that you get your hands on a copy of one of Ray Jardine's books (Google him). I would love to be as adventurous outdoors as he is but I have a full plate in life right now that keeps me from being out as much as I would like. Even with all that, the book changed my life. It made me think about a lot of things. Ray is not without some pitfalls as to coming across as being a bit preachy but his book is one thing that I don't plan on parting with... as long as I am on this earth.

I have also been finding ways of paring down all my stuff in my house. CD collection was booted back in January. I went all digital and even if I do lose some quality, it is well worth the space that I now have and the peace of mind that when I eventually have to move, I won't be lugging all those damn boxes around!!!

[Micah]

I just want you to know, for what it's worth, that I am a huge fan of yours. I saw the Time article about your challenge and zealously instituted a modified version in my household (we're getting rid of 100 things by the end of the month... baby steps).

So the fact that your brilliant idea changed my life (perhaps an overstatement? perhaps not?) was the first indicator that you were awesome. Then I finally visited your blog today, and I find your writing incredibly enjoyable. May the Ira Glass dream become a reality! :)

[Theresa]

I'm a professionl organizer from Washington, D.C. I just read the article in Times. I think its great you are simplifying your life. People really don't need as much as they think. My husband and have been living in a one bedroom apartment for 2 years and we will be here for at least another year. The main reason we don't want to move into something bigger is because we will end up with more stuff to fill the space. I feel I have too much...I am constantly going through items and asking, "Do we really need this?".
I worked with one client who moved 8 years ago into her new home and she called me to finally go through her boxes of stuff in the garage one month ago. The boxes had papers, pencils, old cosmetics, etc and for almost every item she would grab it and say "I NEED THIS!"
I am not sure why people are addicted to stuff especially if it hasn't been used in years, but I believe it gives people comfort knowing that one day they might use it. But I prefer to live a simple life where I can enjoy family, friends, and traveling.

[Less Is More]

I would like to second the notion of reading some of Ray Jardine's guides. I read some to prepare for a lightweight 6 month backpacking trip and it has totally redefined how I now live my life and what I buy.

[Kevin]

Hi,
Could someone help me with summarizing??
Cheers,
K

[Shawn McGormley]

I was listening to NPR yesterday where I heard about Tiny Tumbleweed Houses (89-700 square feet). The person interviewed owned one and mentioned something about 100 items. As a person who knows I have more than I need but not a pack rat I became intrigued. I believe that our society is too materialistic and that we need to think more carefully about each purchase that we make - especially these days. I have a concern about limiting clothing. By having a decent wardrobe I am able to do wash once every two to three weeks which also allows me to run completely full loads of laundry. I also rewear clothing that is not dirty or smelly. I feel that running partial loads of laundry is a poor use of resources (especially with a front-load washer which uses a minimal amount of water and detergent). I am happy to say that I have also started hanging my clothing on an outdoor line. (I will move this to the basement near our corn stove in the winter). Please let me know how people with small wardrobes address this issue of minimal clothing. Are you washing it in the sink? Do you all have families to help fill the washer? Are you washing jeans with white t-shirts?? :)