“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” –Marie Kondō
That’s a pretty decent five seconds, isn’t it?
I am on a huge konmari streak, building steadily since late December, but really coming to a head late February to now. I even binge-listened to both of her audiobooks! My allergies are ridiculously through the roof from stirring up so much dust, but it’s oddly comforting, as I know I’ll suffer less in the future.
Basically, the Konmari Method is a type of organizing and decluttering that focuses not simply on getting rid of what you don’t need, but rediscovering what among your belongings brings you joy; She literally describes the feelings you should have when you pick up an item as the same as when you pick up a puppy! It was pretty difficult for me to wrap my head around that concept at first, but it is a skill that develops the more you practice. I certainly had enough “practice material”! The second and perhaps more whimsical part of her method is to (even if only for the purposes of creative problem solving) personify each item in your possession. This suggestion seems pretty crazy at first, and she is pretty serious about it, but I have to say…it kind of works. I am a total sentimental packrat, so the idea of simply throwing out or even donating anything I was remotely attached to felt daunting. However, the simple act of neatly folding my belongings, thanking them for their service, and saying goodbye, has a positive type of closure to it that simply stuffing things into garbage bags lacks. On the flip side, regarding the items that I choose to keep, I feel a need to take care of them and ensure that they are in the places they are meant to be stored. Bonus, because of my downsizing, I found out that several books in my personal library had become infected with mold, and I was able to quarantine and treat them before the rest of my collection was infected! Huzzah!
I’ve still got much to do and tons to process, but I am in the last leg of the race.
Marie Kondō; Read her books, watch her show, fill your home with only your favorite things, and see what happens. At the very least, you’ll have more space –and less dust. 😉
Marie Kondō, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
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