If you want to shrink your stash but don’t know how to start, why not join my 30-day super duper destash challenge? This challenge will provide a focused way to use the materials you have and keep you accountable. Not only that, but it will be really fun to see how others decide to tackle their own destash throughout the month.
What’s A 30-Day Destash Challenge?
Before I go into the details of the destash challenge, I feel it’s only fair that I provide you with full disclosure.
I have never hosted or joined a challenge.
And while I understand the allure of a challenge for most people, no single call to action has ever compelled me to join one.
This all changed when I read The Minimalist’s post about playing a minimalism game.
After all, I started Goods Giving Back because of my monster of all projects list. The TL:DR version of that post? Basically, I want to use up a lot of the materials I have collected over the years. I also want to experiment by crafting new-to-me things, but I do not want to keep a single one of them. Not a single one.
Destashing Means You’re A Minimalist Maker
It’s difficult to reconcile constantly striving to be your own best version of a minimalist when you’re also a maker/crafter. For example, it’s important to me to lead a meaningful life with less stuff. As the owner of businesses that offered handmade goods for so many years, however, I have a lot of raw materials that still need to find their purpose in life.
So what’s a minimalist maker to do? It’s simple! Join the 30-day super duper destash challenge.
Because in my book, destashing makes you a minimalist maker. It means you’re being mindful of the materials you have on hand and actively using them to create goods you can donate, gift, or sell.
Destash Challenge Rules And Prizes
By now I imagine you’re asking yourself,”So how will this work?”
The minimalism game as suggested by The Minimalists makes sense when you’re solely purging things from your home. They suggest you get rid of one item on the first day of the month, two items on the second, three items on the third and so on.
Originally I thought we could just apply the same concept of using the day of the month for the number of things we have to make but I quickly realized that won’t work for everyone. For many people, crafting a single piece occurs over several days so to join the challenge simply decide what works best for you and your stash.
It’s a “create your own adventure” destash challenge, I guess. It will run from August 1st – August 30th, 2016. (On the 31st day, we will rest.)
My plan is tackle my destash doing one of two things:
- creating the number of pieces that corresponds with the day’s number, or
- creating a single piece that uses the number of raw materials that corresponds with the day’s number. So a simple charm bracelet, for example, could use upwards of 10+ pieces because of all the various parts you need for a finished product. (That will surely help me as the numbers increase!)
Wondering what to do with the finished goods? Challenge participants may donate or sell finished goods, and swap or trash raw materials that no longer serve a purpose for them.
To keep track of our progress, let’s post the day’s handmade piece (or what you swapped or purged) to Instagram and tag destash challenge-related posts with #mindfulmaker so we can find and support each other. You can find me @goodsgivingback.
Also, please leave a comment below on how you plan to participate and hold yourself accountable for the challenge.
As for prizes, I mentioned them only because there are none. The best prize of all is seeing all of the beautiful things (and space in our homes) we’ve created by being a mindful maker.
I’m off to get started!
Share The Goods
Share your thoughts below: What do you plan to do for the destash challenge and what are you most looking forward to making?
Destashing Beads For Days Is Creatively Delightful | Goods Giving Back
Monday 8th of August 2016
[…] destash challenge has made me look through everything I have and make quick decisions about what needs to go […]