100 Thing Challenge~Charmed Edition

When I first read about the 100 Thing Challenge, on whittling ones possessions down to a nice round 100, I was intrigued. I’m a lover of organization, and an avid spring cleaner, but I had never imagined going all the way down to only 100 items. I loved the idea. Less is simple, less is easy, less is elegant.

With that one word, it fit right into my theme of lifestyle design. One of the common misconceptions about my site was that I meant ‘luxury’ when using the word ‘elegant’. I did not. I do enjoy many of the finer things, and many more of the simpler things, but it was intended to mean an elegant solution to my dilemma; simple and precise and lucid. It meant getting to the heart of what mattered, after my life had gone careening into American excess.

I was on the path to simplifying my life, both at home and at work. I had fallen in love with the French way of life, and I wanted that. I adored the way work was kept in its place, and I admired the way they were able to enjoy the nice things they had, without always wanting more. They seemed to understand what to spend money on, and what not to. They were elegant. I wanted to enjoy lovely things, but I didn’t want to be enslaved by them. That’s what I found in the 100 Thing Challenge. It wasn’t about denying myself material pleasures, it was about not being owned by material pleasures.

As one Time magazine article based on this grassroots movement pointed out, “stuff” becomes oppressive at some point rather than bringing the happiness that I thought owning it would bring. The less I have to look after, the less maintenance there is too. This frees up time for travel, golf and cooking for friends. It also allows me to work at something I truly enjoy versus having to find a job that makes enough money to buy all that I want to own. It fit perfectly into lifestyle designing, too. Many lifestyle designers I’ve spoken to have given me the advice of getting rid of unnecessary things. They often trim down their possessions to be able to travel lightly, and to be able to store their things easily while they’re away.

It was perfect timing, as well. I had recently sold my home in California furnished, and had just completed a sabbatical, so I didn’t have much “stuff”. A move to England from America dramatically helped me trim my possessions down even further. Having a clean slate to start with will help me to take a much harder look at what I purchase in the future, and ask myself if I really want it badly enough for it to be one of only 100 things I own. A true test of what brings me joy, and what might have been purchased mindlessly before. Perhaps the perfect way to begin to learn the French citizen’s relationship with their possessions.

My only reservation is that I want to trim down to things that I love, versus only true necessities. Will I really use one of my precious slots for a that tablecloth I bought in Provence? I’ve decided that the only one making up the rules for my 100 Thing Challenge is me, and there’s no one to tell me that I’m wrong for keeping an extravagance. My 100 things will be a combination of luxe and frugal, necessities and things that bring me joy. I’ll spend money on classic items that will last, and that can be passed down to my family, but unimportant things will be price shopped mercilessly.

A few of the pieces that will be on my list, and that I’ll spend money on in the future~

1. Heirloom linens

2. Spieglau wine glasses

3. Le Creuset cookware

4. Pearls

5. Shoes

6. Mattresses (because as my grandmother said, “Always buy good shoes and good mattresses, because if your feet or back hurt you’ll be miserable.”)

7. Loro Piana turtlenecks

8. True Religion blue jeans

9. One bottle of perfume that I adore

10. A MacBook Pro

So, you may be asking yourself how a Jimmy Choo loving girl is attracted to such a minimalist idea. It’s simple really. Minimalism is freeing, and it gives me room. Room to grow, room to enjoy and room to live.

I look forward to your comments, and to learning what things you will and won’t keep on your 100 Thing Challenge list!

Flckr credit