Yes, I’m still doing the 30-Day Minimalism Game . . . mostly. I forgot to purge 18 items on Tuesday, so I have to catch up somehow. Yesterday was Day 19, and here are the items on their way out the door:

Why did I deviate from my goal on Tuesday? . . . Well, it happens, and I’m not going to beat myself up over it. I can learn from my set-back, so here are four easy ways for me to survive the 30-Day Minimalism Game:

Focus on fewer goals.

I have five goals I want to accomplish before my birthday next year. One of those goals is to de-clutter my whole apartment. Another is to get half of a novel written. Because de-cluttering is important to me right now, for the next few weeks I can work on my novel once a week instead of once a day and focus on the Game.

Track your progress.

Up to this point, there’s something I haven’t been doing–keeping a record. No wonder it’s been so hard for me to appreciate my progress. From now on I’ll do something to record the stuff I purge, like take a picture.

Built good habits.

Routines like brushing your teeth should be so habitual that you don’t have to think about it. But it can be hard to feel motivated to do something repeatedly if it’s new to you. This has been a challenge for me (last Tuesday!). To make the 30-Day Minimalism Game more habitual, I put a sticky note in a place I see everyday when I come home so I get it done right away.

Get support.

A goal seems more achievable when you have people support you or offer to help. I told my boyfriend I was playing the Game. Although he’s not doing the whole thing with me, it felt good when he told me last week about a box of items he’s giving away. It also helps to write about my progress here; at least it makes me feel more accountable.

Last Tuesday, I fell short. Big deal. When you have a goal, don’t obsess about perfection–strive for progress. I’ll keep these things in mind as I approach the end of the 30-Day Minimalism Game. By the way, this video is a good primer: