100 things

Recently a facebook friend linked this video and commented about how it must be freeing to own so little stuff. Which reminded me of the 100 things challenge.

I own well over 100 books. In fact, I own 233 books on the bookcase to the left of my computer. I haven't counted the 2 bookcases in my bedroom or the half-bookcase in my office at work.

But then, the details of 100 things challenge has (I believe intentional) vagaries. It has less to do with setting strict rules for what a "thing" is. I think defining that is part of the challenge. For example, one woman got rid of 14 of her 34 pairs of shoes and then decided the 20 remaining pairs counted as 1 thing, "Shoes". One could argue this is "cheating", but then you open a can of worms about whether a bag of cherries is one thing or if each cherry counts. But you could take it further, I own a computer which is one thing. But I own dozens of e-books, music files, pictures, etc. If each file counts as a thing, then I have hundreds of thousands of things just by owning a computer. Further, I own two keyboards (one wireless, one not). Do they count as part of the computer or as separate things.

I know, right?

Now, I love staple minimalism. I really do. I don't practice it nearly as well as I should, but I love it. I'm not about to give up my space, but I have no problem getting rid of things. Which is really my argument against the 78-foot apartment being "freeing". The owning of little can be understood as free, but I cannot see such cramped conditions as such.

Ah, minimalism.

All the same, in response to all of this, I am motivated to define what I consider to be my rules of the 100 things challenge. (whether I ever accept the challenge or not is besides the point).

1. Within my household, owning 100 things means owning 100 things per person. Some things are mine, some things are Mos, some things are Josiahs, and some things are Pookas.
2. Things can be owned by more than one person. In short, what I decide is mine is mine, but does not affect others ownership.
3. Objects that are, by their nature, disposable, do not count. This includes like groceries, paper towels, toilet paper, toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving razors. 

That would be my baseline set of rules to get started. Obviously, new and varied rules would need to be added as I encountered new problems. For example, the books issue.

Sigh.

What to do? What to do?
Simple solution: books count as one thing. Just on the surface that feels wrong. If it feels wrong, there is a fair to decent chance it is. So, screw that.

The second obvious solution is to get rid of some books. That may not be a bad idea. I mean when I was counting them I noticed at least 10 I know I haven't read in years and have no intention of looking at again. I own 3 Bibles. Not a bad thing in and of itself, but unnecessary, especially since I basically just read the same parts over and over (I truly get nothing from the Pauline epistles except a headache and bad attitude). So, reducing my library is likely a good plan.

I have several books which I own both a digital and a physical copy. Which brings me to rule 4.

4. If it is on or connected to the computer, it is part of the computer.

So e-books don't count. Sadly, to be comfortable with this solution, I need an e-reader or tablet. I get rid of numerous 'things' at the cost of one 'thing'. Plus, tablets are cool.

bastard.

I'm going to stop here since I think you get the idea.