In 2010, two young guys from Ohio decided to quit their corporate jobs, downsize their lives, and focus on what’s most important to them.
Today, they tour the world spreading their ideas about minimalism and living a meaningful life. Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn now have multiple best-selling books, two highly successful Netflix documentaries, and a weekly podcast with guests ranging from celebrities to researchers and even members of their own families.
A Minimalist Lifestyle
As The Minimalists, these two do much more than talk about living with less. They provide valuable tools and ideas to help others find their ways of living with less. Local broadcaster Ryan Jespersen has started his journey, taking on the 30-day Minimalist Challenge and chronicling his progress on Twitter – making sure everyone knows he’s giving to Bissell Centre.
As we roll into a fresh year, countless Edmontonians are looking for their own fresh starts to a new year. And let’s be real, we all accumulated a lot of stuff over the pandemic. With the world opening again, it could be time to look at everything in our homes and refocus ourselves back to what’s most important.
The Minimalist Challenge
Jespersen isn’t the first locally-recognized name to chronicle this adventure in the Minimalist Challenge. The Edmonton Journal’s Fish Griwkowsky shared his experiences in the newspaper back in 2016 – clearing out a myriad of science-fiction novels, vintage action figures, and more!
How this month-long game works is simple: on the first day of the month, find one thing to let go of; on day two, find two things; and so on, and so on. By the end of the month, that’s close to 500 individual items to be let go.
And this is just one idea the two influencers devised. There’s also the packing party, where you pack up everything you own like you’re moving and only unpack the items you use. After three weeks, you start to see how little you need in your day-to-day. They also have a series of “rules,” which really are more like guidelines and can always shift depending on individual need.
Don’t Forget Bissell Centre as you downsize
Bissell Centre accepts donations of all kinds at both of our Thrift Shop locations, from books to clothes, kitchenware, unused toiletries and undergarments, winter clothing, and more! So, if you decide to take this plunge in trying to live with less, be sure to keep us in mind as a place where all these things can be put to good use and help those who need it most.
Share with us your own downsizing journey! Is there anything in your home you decided to minimize? What do you donate most often to organizations like Bissell Centre? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to leave your thoughts. Let’s keep the Minimalist Challenge and the conversation going!