Answers to the tough stuff

Why do I...
In order to determine what stuff we do need (and what stuff we don't) we end up asking a lot of questions. In fact we often find ourselves in an impromptu debate where one of us (let's say Josey) argues why we need to keep something and the other one of us (let's say Brian) argues why we do not, indeed, need to keep something. Of course the debate is completely friendly, no voices are raised, and it usually results in a compromise, i.e. the prettiest person wins (this is not always Josey) which is always Josey, and is sealed with a kiss (CONFESSION: unlike previous blog posts, Haley's responses to our ways of 'showing affection' will not be mentioned).

Why?! Here is our top 20 (yikes, that's a lot of whys) list for you to try out yourselves. C'mon. Try it out!

1. Why do we have more than one pizza cutter?
2. Why are we keeping these old textbooks?
3. Why do we have so many vases? (especially if you don't even like flowers. wah wah.)
4. Why do we have 3 sets of luggage? We're minimalists for goodness sake!
5. Why do we have so many duffel bags, I believe they are also a form of luggage?
6. Why do I have bank statements from 1998? Why did I have a bank account when I was 12?
7. Why is there a dead plant in the corner?
8. Why do we have outdoor furniture, but no outdoor space for the furniture?
9. Why do I have more than a dozen water bottles? Why do I have even a dozen water bottles, that's more than there are days in a week, am I planning on two-a-days? 
10. Why do I have so many baking sheets? I don't need to eat 5 dozen cookies in the near future, and I don't own a bakery.
11. Why do I still have VHS tapes, didn't Brian tell me to get rid of those in his first official solo blog post?
12. What's with my shower, why am I not winning the contest for most nearly-empty-shampoo-bottles?
13. So I've got 5+ winter coats. Why am I going on an expedition to Antarctica in the near future that I don't yet know about?!
14. Why do I have so many random light bulbs, do any of these bulbs even fit in sockets?
15. Why--I mean, the spice rack. I'm glad I can alphabetize my herbs, but why are most of them expired (i.e. 2 years or older)?
16. Why don't I use pandora or spotify, aren't I embarrassed that I still have to wait for the disc to change in my CD player? (CD. that's compact disc. yup, they call them compact. sike.)
17. Why is one pair of scissors better than the other, or is it just that I am competing in a contest to see how many different handle colors I can collect? (my apologies. you could have two pairs if you need safety scissors for small children [or large husbands])
    
18. Riddle of the week: Why did the hoarder need so many sets of towels? (Because they were a hoarder. duh.)
19. Speakers are dope, yo. Do mine still work? And if they do, why am I not using them coolio?
20. Why the hell do you have so many holy socks!? This is not a riddle. Get rid of them, they are only good for cleaning out drawers (like sock drawers) and polishing said sock drawers with wood polisher. 

How did you do?! If you are at all interested in being somewhat of a minimalist - we just wanna say: we believe in you! If not, well, we still believe in you! - but we think you should read this blogpost again. ready? go.

Need not, 

Brian and Josey

How to fill a goodwill donation bag in less than 60 seconds:

Quick! You need to declutter your life and you don't want to think about it too long, because then you'll make excuses for why you "need" to keep every item you have previously brought into your home. Jump off of the couch, get a paper bag, ready? Set. Go!

1. Old magazines on the coffee table, you're not going to read them, you haven't for the past 14 months
2. Pants that are either too big (unflattering) or too small (if you lose weight you deserve new pants)
3. Dull and rusty knives, they don't work so get rid of 'em
4. Shoes from high school (especially if you are not in high school)
5. Hats that you no longer wear or no longer resemble their original color (i.e. the white ones)
6. Outdated textbooks, classics are exempt
7. Frames with no pictures (unless your photos are ready for pickup at Costco)
8. VHS tapes, you better not have any but just in case
9. The VCR ... seriously, let it go.
10. Old trophies and medals excluding ones from the Olympics, not that your accomplishments are unimportant, but plastic is.

How'd you do? Remember that the point is to get rid of items that you don't use, need, or enjoy yourself. Let someone else in on the fun, purge and be the better for it.

Need not,
Brian