It’s been a few weeks since I decided to get on board with the new Netflix series and ‘Marie Kondo’ my home, but it’s not just my decor that has benefited from adopting the tidying up method.
I decided to tune into an episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo back in January to see what the hype was all about. By the end of the first episode, I was inspired and actually turned the TV off and headed upstairs to see what I could tidy up.
The truth is, in a house with two young kids, there was plenty that needed tidying up (and let’s be real… still does). But now that I understand the method behind KonMari, I can’t get enough of this decluttering and re-organising stuff.
But here are a few really unexpected ways in which tidying up my home has changed things for me.
I have let go of things I thought I never could get rid of
I am a bit of a sentimental kind of person and as a result, I find it hard to get rid of items like baby clothes my children wore and toys the kids were given at some special occasion or another.
I also save everything. I sat in my study on the weekend which is really less of a study and more of a room full of stuff we don’t need but feel like we should save…just in case.
I pulled out the paper shredder and my filing system. I couldn’t believe how much paperwork I had kept that I really had no use for! Contracts for jobs I had over 10 years ago, insurance paperwork for cars I had sold before I’d even had kids, animal vaccination certificates for my cat – when he was a kitten. Even the receipt from the pet store where we bought him from!
Marie Kondo keeps it really simple – we don’t need to hang onto paperwork. If it’s a bill, pay it and shred it. If it’s a manual, there’s sure to be instructions online. And as for the baby clothes – I couldn’t believe some of the stuff I’d kept. Some stuff I couldn’t remember which child had even worn it. But I did find some lovely little garments that my Aunty is going to help me turn into quilts for my kids to keep. My half a dozen huge vacuum sealed bags got folded up and put away and I have three small bags to turn into patches this weekend – and I feel really good about it!
I’m a procrastinator
In the process of tidying up, I have discovered something about myself. I like to sit things down while I ‘figure out’ what to do with them. And the idea at the time is I’ll come back to it when I know what I’m doing with it, but the reality is, it sits there for weeks and I look past it even though it’s sitting in a spot it shouldn’t be.
For instance, my bedside table was a bit of a dumping ground as was the end of my kitchen bench. And when I sat things like paperwork, hair elastics, magazines and more on the end of the bench, then my family started adding to my pile. Rogue toys, mail, just clutter! And before long, the kitchen looks messy.
By practising the KonMari method, I’m seeing the kitchen bench is a clear space. And when I need to wipe the bench tops down, I don’t have to move a bunch of junk beforehand.
I am buying less impulse purchases
Because KonMari-ing requires pulling all of your belongings out and sorting through them and deciding what you want to keep and what no longer sparks joy, you really get to see visually how much you own. And when you pack it back in, space is limited so you can’t just keep every old item of clothing.
So now when I see clothes when I’m out and about, I am finding myself far less likely to buy a shirt that’s on sale or a new on trend pair of shoes. I feel like I don’t need them, I don’t have room for them and I know exactly what I’ve already got back home in the cupboards. I haven’t bought anything for myself and I’ve been really selective what I buy for the kids too.
The need to be organised is spilling over
There is a really satisfying feeling that comes with getting rid of old stuff and organising the contents of the cupboards and drawers, and that is starting to spill over into other areas of my life now too.
I keep thinking, what else can I KonMari? Can I KonMari my diet? My shopping list? My weekly routine? Yes, yes and yes. I’ve even started finding time to sit down and play the piano which I haven’t had time for in years!
I can’t quite explain it but I’m beginning to really prioritise what’s important and I’m making time to do more of the things I love. It’s like a weight has been lifted and before I was rushing around and feeling generally disorganised, but now I have this sense of calmness and a positive attitude. Who knew tidying up could be so uplifting? Well Marie knew of course, and I guess the folks at Netflix figured it out too. So thanks guys for sparking a bit of extra joy over here.
