I'm shocked.
Over the last few days I have spent some time creating an "ideal" 100 Thing Challenge list. "Given the experience of living a year with 100 personal possessions," I asked myself, "what do I feel like I really need and/or want?"
The list I compiled includes a column labeled "Have Y/N" where I indicate if I currently own the item. I wanted to put this column in my "ideal" list because there are some things that I currently do not own that I wouldn't mind owning some day, like a bicycle or a pair of black shoes. (Note: I found that owning only one pair of brown shoes for work and casual wear is doable but not advisable.)
I did remove a few items from my current list. For example, I removed my desk, chair, desk lamp, and plastic storage container that I use to keep my wet wetsuit contained in the trunk of my car. The desk and chair get more use from my wife and daughters than from me. The storage container isn't getting any use these days because it's freezing in the ocean right now. And I continued to keep my "library" as one item.
Anyway, here's what I found. I could only come up with 94 things. And 24 of them I don't currently have! That freaked me out. Upgrading my work clothes accounted for 12 of the new things I'd like to purchase. So, if I kept dressing business-extra-casual at work, I could conceivably only want 82 personal things.
Seriously, I know I'm the 100 Thing Challenge guy, but I'm having a really weird moment right now. For the last month I've been thinking that now that the original 100 Thing Challenge is over, I would probably upgrade to around 125-135 personal things. Now that I've sat down and worked on it, 100 seems to remain doable and even desirable.
Perhaps next week I'll take up collecting robots and this "I truly only need 100 things" epiphany will be a moot point. Even so, I'm pretty amazed as of tonight.
I hear ya David, when I finally did a count and looked at my final list (~94 items) I was astounded. I know what I've gone through to get here and it just blew me away that I've been happily living over here with that few personal belongings. Now it remains to be seen how long that number stays steady once I get back to the states and start working, get a bike, etc...but for now I'll continue to revel in the serenity...
Posted by: Jesse | February 11, 2010 at 02:48 AM
Will you be posting this "new" list? I'd be curious to see what you've decided is most important. Different strokes, different folks of course, but I'm trying to pare down also and I keep wondering, does shampoo and conditioner count for two...?
Posted by: ivy | February 11, 2010 at 03:14 PM
anyone ever ditch casual clothing completely and just wear suits all the time?
Posted by: lowest-fi | February 15, 2010 at 09:00 PM
It would be cool if you created some kind of generic check list for people to see what they have and things they would be willing to get rid of or things they really want to keep. That way they don't have to go through all the rooms in their place. If that is already something you've made for your readers I'd love to have a copy.
thanks
Posted by: INFUSEDgoods | February 25, 2010 at 11:12 PM
Hey INFUSEDgoods. I've thought about something like you're requesting. Likely I'll have time to work on it after March. More soon...
Posted by: guynameddave | February 27, 2010 at 10:53 AM
Yes, Barney on the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" wears suits exclusively.
Posted by: it_was_free | March 05, 2010 at 11:47 AM