Kathi Lipp's Clutter Free: Quick and Easy Steps to Simplifying Your Space (linked to review and giveaway) challenges readers to remove 2,000 items from their home. Obviously, this is only for one who is ready for some serious changes and motivated to make it happen. I'm finally there. 

Counting items to be removed is more motivating than I anticipated. I count every item I donate, sell, trash, or recycle toward the 2,000 item challenge. If it is already intended as garbage (like a grocery bag), I do not count it. A pair of socks counts as one item because one cannot be used without the other (same with puzzles), but a fork from a silverware set counts since it can by used by itself. A hair tie or bent paperclip? They are trash, but I count them if they were in a drawer or desk but not if I am using it and decide to toss it.

To use your own 2,000 item printable, place a tally mark for every item you remove from your home. Use ten tallies per rectangle. Two tallied pages equals 2,000.

If you are slowly gathering items, place the items in your donation box as you find them. When the box is full, count your items and add tallies to your printable.

EDITED: Kathi Lipp has created a summary of the 2,000 item challenge. Even if you don't have the book -yet- you can still get started. See the clutter challenge here.

I made a chart for myself to easily track how many items I have collected toward the clutter challenge. One hundred boxes are on each page. If I place ten tally marks per box, that counts 1,000 items per page. When I fill two pages, I will have my 2,000 items!

Wanting to involve my children, especially the one who collects and loves everything, I created a printable for the clutter challenge for them, too. I am challenging my oldest two (ages 6 and 8) to collect 100 items during the year. They each began by collecting five easy items. They marked five boxes on the chart. Then I went into their dressers and found some clothing that was ill-fitting or not well-loved. I asked them if they could say goodbye to it. They approved everything and counted it. Then they checked their one box for each item. I will continue to help them occasionally. Who knows, maybe we'll even offer an incentive for 100 items of clutter.

To use your own printable with your children, just have them fill in one rectangle for each item they discard or donate. A hundred boxes are on each page.

Please click the links below to download your preferred free printable. If you have any problems, please let me know. Consider printing on colored paper or cardstock. 

Blue 2,000 Items Clutter Challenge Printable

Black 2,000 Items Clutter Challenge Printable

Green 2,000 Items Clutter Challenge Printable

Blue 100 Items Clutter Challenge Printable

Black 100 Items Clutter Challenge Printable

Green 100 Items Clutter Challenge Printable

Please note: The final pages of the PDF's are blank. Sorry for any inconvenience.