At twenty-eight, Cait Flanders is deeply unhappy. She is burdened by debt, drinks and shops too much. Even when she finally manages to get her finances under control, she repeatedly falls back into old habits that keep her from her true goals. So she decides to buy only the essentials for a year: gas, food, hygiene products. She declutters her apartment and gives away a large portion of her belongings. Without the option to revert to her previous behaviors, she changes her habits. With each item she lets go of, she frees herself a little more, aiming to lead a completely new and better life after a year.