I’m a little over two weeks into my new minimalism project where I only unpack what I need as I need it – inspired by the “packing party” Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists did. His process lasted 21 days. I’m giving myself three months for mine.

I looked up Ryan’s packing party story in Everything That Remains and noted that his first day when he didn’t have to unpack anything was Day 10. I’m still unpacking things every day, but the number of things I need is dropping – still mostly clothes, kitchware, and now that I have a TV, DVDs.

I realized that before when I needed something, I would look at everything I have and make a decision. Now that most of my stuff is still in boxes, when I need something – like deciding what I’m going to wear that day, I envision how I want to look and feel that day and decide accordingly. I don’t rely on the visual stimulation of looking at my stuff to inspire me but try to tap into what I really want instead.

One of the challenges I face on a daily basis is paper. No matter how much I minimize my life, I will always have to deal with paper in form of mail, business cards from networking events, receipts, etc. I’m toying with the idea of letting it pile up and deal with it once a week instead of daily. That might be a more effective use of my time. Given that “freedom” is something I value greatly, conserving my time for things that matter to me is important.

For those who are interested, here’s what I unpacked during Week 2.

Day 8

Spoon

Sundress and cardigan

DVD

Highlighter

Coupons and store club cards

Laundry soap, dust cloth, duster, dryer sheets, and dishwasher soap

Day 9

Contact lenses, contact solution, lotion, and marker

Eyeglasses case

Bike pump

T-shirt and socks

Big soup pot, food storage containers, measuring spoons, medium pot, chopper, cooking spoon, colander, and onion goggles

2 DVDs

Day 10

2 T-shirts, tank top, bra, and cardigan

Salad container and measuring cup

Day 11

Tank top

Lids for food storage containers and mug

Extra razor blades and 2 types of mouthwash

Vase I use for spare change

Day 12

Skirt, blouse, and Mary Jane heels

Remote mouse aka “clicker”

Makeup brushes, eyelash curler, compact, powder, and nose hair trimmer

Crochet project

Day 13

Reflective belt for early morning running, t-shirt, underwear, Legal Rebel Converse high tops, and blazer

Extra business cards

Measuring cups

Day 14

T-shirt

Home inspection binder

Q-tips and tampons

Small pot, wooden spoon, and new knives

I wouldn’t be surprised if my first day where I don’t unpack anything comes within the next week. I think I’ll need about a month to get through the majority of the activities I do on a regular basis and then it will be easier to start going through my boxes and get rid of things on a more frequent basis.

In case you missed it: What I Unpacked During Week 1