Could you live with just 100 things?

'100 Thing Challenge' advocates liberation from the consumer lifestyle. It might even save you some money.

How many “things” do you need in your life? Could you live with just 100 things?

A blogger named David Michael Bruno at GuyNamedDave nearly two years ago started what he called the “100 Thing Challenge,” an attempt to pare his stuff (not counting shared household items such as furniture) down to 100 items. He ended up classifying his considerable book collection as one item, making the challenge more manageable. But he did pare down.

His motivation wasn’t to de-clutter, or to reduce debt, or even to live simply, though he thinks his 100 Thing Challenge fits into all those goals. He wrote: 

The 100 Thing Challenge is about breaking free from the spurious message of American-style consumerism that has turned many of us into habitual shoppers. It is about the humble admission that we cannot buy perfection no matter how many times we visit the mall, because we humans cannot be perfect. The 100 Thing Challenge is about removing our facade of consumer stuff to reveal our real selves. And it is about the finding joy.

The 100 Thing Challenge now has its own Facebook page advocating the three Rs: Reduce your stuff, refuse more stuff and rejigger your priorities. (Read more)