Konmari Your New Year
We love Marie Kondo and have reviewed both of her books, Spark Joy and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. As we enter a new month, a new year, and a new decade, there is no better time to dust off her books and KonMari your New Year.
“I recommend you dispose of anything that does not fall into one of three categories: currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or must be kept indefinitely.”
It’s within the pages of Tidying Up that you’ll find the key piece of information to start your journey. You must discard everything you don’t need, want, or love before you can really begin organizing.
“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.”
KONMARI YOUR CLOTHING
“When we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.”
Clothing is the ideal space to start discarding. You need to be honest with yourself about what you need to keep, The answer won’t be the same for everyone. Some people get a lot of joy from having 20 pairs of shoes to choose from and wear them all. Some people buy shoes that sit in the closet unworn for years. They simply can’t reconcile themselves to the fact that they really just want to wear their same pair of comfortable shoes every day. Neither type of person is wrong. Each of you need to decide what kind of shoe and clothing person you are. Discard the shoes and clothing that are simply taking up space. This includes the clothing you are saving “just in case” you regain the weight you lost, or the clothes you hope to fit into again someday. Donate it all to someone who can wear it now!
KONMARI YOUR BOOKS, DVDS, CDS
When it comes to books, DVDs, and CDs, the choice is easier because almost everything is available digitally. Certainly, if you have a cherished autographed CD from a favorite band, it’s worth keeping. If you have hundreds of CDs that sit on the shelf because you just stream everything on Apple Music or Spotify, why do you let them clutter your life? You can now digitize movies through services like Vudu.com. Or, you can get rid of your collection and stream movies on Netflix, Hulu, or any other number of services.
“Imagine what it would be like to have a bookshelf filled only with books that you really love. Isn’t that image spellbinding? For someone who loves books, what greater happiness could there be?”
While books can be more difficult for some people to part with, you must ask yourself: Do you collect books because you read and re-read them time and again, loan them to friends, and enjoy every moment of every page of every book? Or, did your library have its annual sale and you bought a box of books to support a good cause? Are you comfortable reading books on a Kindle or other electronic book? Again, keeping special editions, autographed books, or books with special meaning is one thing, but most reading material can be borrowed for free from the library or obtained digitally.
KONMARI YOUR PAPER FILES
“My filing method is extremely simple. I divide them into two categories: papers to be saved and papers that need to be dealt with.”
We’ve talked extensively about the need to reduce your paper clutter. There are some paper files you must keep, like wills and car titles, but most items, including many medical records, can be digitized and stored electronically. And most papers can be discarded altogether.
Discarding your belongings can be a difficult and sometimes painful process. This may be why Marie Kondo recommends doing it all at once and not just a little at a time. If you’re ready to declutter, give us a call. We’d be happy to help.
“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.”