Lifestyle
“Too many things consume us”
10.09.2020
Could you sort out over 450 items in a month? That’s exactly what happens in the Minsgame Challenge. Vanessa Lange took part and tells us about her experiences.
Vanessa, how did you come up with the idea of taking part in a manure challenge?
I stumbled across it on Facebook. Someone in a group about mindful parenting posted about it and was looking for people to take part. It’s about sorting out one more item every day for thirty days. So: one thing on the first day, two things on the second day, to thirty things on the thirtieth day. I thought that was a great idea.
Why did that appeal to you?
I’ve always liked to sort things out. It happens so quickly that things end up in your own house. It then takes less time to keep them than to clear them out. In this way, they also accumulate over time, without you basically having a material disposition.
That’s true. And why this challenge in particular?
I was attracted by the shape of the challenge because it provides a structure. The mandate, the individual steps and the conclusion are clear. That makes it easier. And it relieves the burden that you don’t have to do everything in one day.
«I felt less of a sense of “getting rid of ballast’, but rather a sense of overview.»Vanessa Lange
What was your personal goal?
It wasn’t about owning as little as possible at the end of the day. I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist in the sense that I want to reduce everything to an absolute minimum. At the same time, I’m not a hoarder either. It just stresses me having too many things around me. I have to take care of them, tidy them up, tidy them up, wash them, patch them up, use them. I’ve always been aware that too many things are consuming me.
How easy was the challenge for you?
Until the tenth day I found it very easy. The rejected items can also be extremely small. It’s easy to find a shampoo purée or something similar. In addition, there are not so many things per day at the beginning.
When did it become more difficult?
To be honest: I stopped the challenge around day 15. But not because I found it difficult to find things to sort out. It’s because it takes time to take control of them, to think about them, to make a decision and perhaps to put them back in again. At some point, along with work and children, I didn’t have that time anymore. That’s a shame, because I would have liked to finish the challenge. And at least I imagine that I would have found things to sort out until the last day. By the time I stopped, I hadn’t even made it to the basement.
The infamous cellar… A lot accumulates over the years. Looking back: What effect did the challenge have on you?
It’s nice when space is freed up – also for other things that are more beautiful or relevant to my life. And you don’t just decide against certain things, but also for those you keep: You know that they make sense to you. So I felt less of a feeling of “getting rid of ballast” than a feeling of overview: of what I own and the feeling of being “in control” of my household. I found that very positive.
So a rewarding experience?
Yes. Maybe I’ll do the challenge again in the future.
How the mingame works
The “30-Day Minimalism Game” or “Minsgame” was created by the Americans Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (www.theminimalists.com). The goal is to clear one more item out of the home every day for 30 days – from one item on the first day to 30 things on the 30th day. This gives you a total of 465 items sorted out. The inventors also suggest that you team up with someone else. This way, you’ll stay tuned and you can agree in advance what one person wins if the other gives up sooner. Participants share their experiences on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #minsgame.