A friend of mine with ADD recommended this book to me: “The life-changing magic of tidying up” by Marie Kondo. He thought it was exceptional. Without asking him why he thought so, I decided to read it and find out for myself. As someone who appreciates neatness and organization, I thought that it would probably be well worth it. I was not disappointed, hence this blog.
As in Marie’s case, I too recall the joy of being the one in preschool in charge of organizing. I was responsible for putting everyone’s scarves, gloves and hats in a flat rectangular cardboard box. As the children gave me their items I would pile them up flat in the box by category. I quickly noticed that the kids who gave me their items first would be the last ones to get them back for recess. I also thought that was probably not what they really wanted…
“In essence, tidying ought to be the act of restoring balance among people, their possessions, and the house they live in.”
Marie Kondo has a very simple and unique way of "decluttering" (dealing with clutter) and tidying up. Her approach can be summarized with a few guidelines.
Marie’s view regarding objects is very holistic. Objects carry energy and need to be treated with consideration. They have their own sensitivity and needs. We as humans can open up to this reality and use it to bring us more peace and contentment. Oh… and Marie suggests you greet your house upon entering!
There are a couple more interesting thoughts I want to share with you. Marie says that:
As you can see, the main thought is that objects are here to serve us and to bring us joy and inspiration. If for any reason this is not the case, we can give ourselves permission to discard them. This gives the object a second chance to make someone else happy. Marie even suggests making the letting go process a celebration worthy of a ceremony. Staying in a dark closet is not the intended purpose of our possessions. Neither should we clutter our lives with objects that no longer bring us joy.
I cannot finish without mentioning Marie’s unique way of folding clothes that go in drawers. Knowing this method would have actually helped me with my preschool dilemma! She suggests folding items in a rectangular fashion and making them stand up in a drawer so you can see them all at a glance. You can easily grab whichever you need, any time without having to lift all the others…
As in Marie’s case, I too recall the joy of being the one in preschool in charge of organizing. I was responsible for putting everyone’s scarves, gloves and hats in a flat rectangular cardboard box. As the children gave me their items I would pile them up flat in the box by category. I quickly noticed that the kids who gave me their items first would be the last ones to get them back for recess. I also thought that was probably not what they really wanted…
“In essence, tidying ought to be the act of restoring balance among people, their possessions, and the house they live in.”
Marie Kondo has a very simple and unique way of "decluttering" (dealing with clutter) and tidying up. Her approach can be summarized with a few guidelines.
- First step: Decluttering. Decide what to keep and what to give. Pick up each item in your hands and ask yourself if it sparks joy. If it does, keep it, if not dispose of it. Start with clothes; follow with books, papers, miscellaneous items and finally items of sentimental value. This order makes the process easier. If you hesitate in your answer, look for either an attachment to the past, or a fear for the future connected with that item. Once you spend some time dwelling on this, you should get a clearer answer.
- Second step: Tidying up. Store what you keep. Decide on one specific place for each item, group all items of the same type in the same location, and keep the amount of storage areas to a minimum. Ask your home where it wants your belongings to be stored.
Marie’s view regarding objects is very holistic. Objects carry energy and need to be treated with consideration. They have their own sensitivity and needs. We as humans can open up to this reality and use it to bring us more peace and contentment. Oh… and Marie suggests you greet your house upon entering!
There are a couple more interesting thoughts I want to share with you. Marie says that:
- Tidying your place is an excellent way to learn about yourself and see more clearly what is next for you in your life. Everything we possess has attracted us for a reason and finding that connection helps us understand who we are, what we value and what we really want in life.
- Going through the process of consulting with yourself about the “joy” factor of each item is a great way to improve your decision-making skills. We often make decisions based on logic, weighing pros vs cons. Here, we go with our gut, a very different method, scarier for many of us, which I personally believe is underutilized.
- Like people, objects enter our lives to serve a purpose and once fulfilled, there is no need to keep them. Joy should always be the reason of their presence in our lives. Sometimes, just the joy of buying something fulfills its purpose for us. Disposing of it quickly after is ok. Sometimes, that joy lasts for years and it is fine to keep that item. I particularly like Marie’s view regarding items we receive as presents that we don’t particularly like. They are a physical manifestation of a person’s appreciation for us. If we keep that in mind, we can let them go without feeling guilty.
As you can see, the main thought is that objects are here to serve us and to bring us joy and inspiration. If for any reason this is not the case, we can give ourselves permission to discard them. This gives the object a second chance to make someone else happy. Marie even suggests making the letting go process a celebration worthy of a ceremony. Staying in a dark closet is not the intended purpose of our possessions. Neither should we clutter our lives with objects that no longer bring us joy.
I cannot finish without mentioning Marie’s unique way of folding clothes that go in drawers. Knowing this method would have actually helped me with my preschool dilemma! She suggests folding items in a rectangular fashion and making them stand up in a drawer so you can see them all at a glance. You can easily grab whichever you need, any time without having to lift all the others…
