The KonMarie Method of Tidying Up

Many of us are caught up in an unending process of decluttering our homes. Enter The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, which has people buzzing as the next big thing to home organization. Here are some tips from the book:

• The KonMarie Method encourages a rapid, transformative one-time organizing event in no more than 6 months.
• Instead of decluttering room by room, items are tackled by category, starting with what’s easiest to part with – ie: clothing, books, cd/dvds, beauty supplies. This gives us a true sense of what and how many similar items we own.
• “Discard anything that doesn’t spark joy.” All of us know what makes us happy. The idea is if the item doesn’t give us joy, get rid of it. This eliminates things that tie us to the past or hold us back from enjoying life.
• Get rid of the paper clutter. Paper never inspires joy. If you need something saved, try the Evernote Scannable app to organize your paper.
• Interesting thought from the book: “Storage experts are hoarders.” Don’t stuff as many things as you can in clever storage solutions. Stop and think about whether the item brings you joy. Don’t mistake storage solutions for the answer to staying clutter-free. It’ll only act as a band-aid.
• “Cherish who you are now.” Respect yourself and who you are so you can get rid of things that weigh you down.