Now that we’re all forced to stay home and “be productive” within our four walls, what better time than to bring back Marie Kondo (author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing”)? After all, this whole Corona pandemic has left many of us forced to look at the brighter side of life and remain positive through this uncertain time. Why not use this as an opportunity to get rid of the “mess” or the “clutter” of not only our physical household but our mental state, as well.
Here are some tips from Marie Kondo, herself:
-
Discard by category (clothes first, then books, then papers, etc.)
-
Break a category into subcategories as necessary (tops, shirts, sweaters, etc.)
-
Keep only the things that spark joy (pick things up one at a time and decide if it stays)
-
After you have finished discarding, organize your space completely and thoroughly (store all items of the same type in the same place)
-
Do it all in one go (tidy up in one shot, rather than a little at a time)
The idea is to start with one category, pull it all out and place in the middle of the room, and take it one item at a time. Does it spark joy? No- throw it out (and say “thank you”). Yes- keep it. What you do keep, put back as neatly as possible. This process is not only therapeutic in ridding all of the clutter in your house, but it’s also a way to practice mindfulness and freeing up space in your mind. I don’t know about you, but clutter makes me anxious. In order for my household to run properly, I need things to be neat and tidy. This allows to me to think clearly and in turn, I am a more happy and productive individual.
Here are some categories you may want to tackle:
Clothes
Books
Papers
Bathrooms
Sentimental items
Kitchen Cabinets
Hallway closet
Utility room
Kid’s play area
Any piece of furniture with drawers for storage
Vehicle
Office or Desk area
Pantry and Fridge
Once you start getting rid of things that don’t spark joy, you can then focus on the things that do. Candles, fresh flowers, neatly folded clothes that are color coordinated, an organized pantry, etc. Display anything that makes you smile and brings happiness to you.
Take it one day at a time and get the whole family involved. It may seem overwhelming at first, but take it one step at a time, one category at a time, and you’ll slowly start to feel a little bit lighter. Get the clutter out, so you can let peace come in.
