The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: A Book Review and Home Experiment

4

Remember January? You know, when we were all full of resolve to become better, more polished people? I myself had a few hefty ambitions pulling me through my holiday splurging. My main goal, that of ridding my home of clutter and living a more minimalist lifestyle, enlightened the way to the bright future I envisioned for 2015. But sadly, as the end of March quickly approached and my goal remained widely unaccomplished, I had to hide my face behind my piles of old magazines and overflowing dresser drawers.

By happenstance, a friend and fellow Fairfield County mom came to my rescue with her recommendation of the #1 New York Times best selling book by Marie Kondo called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. I quickly fell in love with this author’s eccentric approach to cleaning up called the “KonMari” method. I finished the book with a new resolve to rid my life of the unwanted clutter that was filling my home.

The Method to Rid Yourself of the Madness

The first step in the KonMari method is to declutter and discard, before moving on to organization. Kondo instructs you to go through every single item that you own, one by one, and ask yourself one simple question, “Does this spark joy?” No justifying keeping old craft supplies under the pretense that “someday” you might use them. No feeling guilty that you spent money on something and have not used it enough to validate getting rid of it. If it sparks joy, you keep it. If not, no matter the justification, you will be happier without it.

Now she doesn’t just shove you into your deep abyss of belongings and leave you to drown. Instead she navigates you on course, in a very specific order, through your stuff. She helps you understand why you might have held onto an item and how much more peaceful your life will be without the things that do not bring you joy.

Putting the Method into Action

Kondo requires one to start their tidying with clothing, so with all the gusto I could muster, I collected every single piece of clothing I owned and went to work. I quickly realized how exhausting this process was going to be but also saw quick progress thinning my wardrobe. By noon, total chaos had erupted as my children climbed up and jumped off the many piles of clothing all over my living room. I was so overwhelmed that I wanted to plop down next to my one-year-old and cry my eyes out. But with no way to escape the mess I had created, I sucked it up and continued to work. Although I spent the entire day on this project, I ended with six large bags of clothing to donate and a wonderful peace from sloughing off the suffocating stuff I had become so accustomed to living with.

Proof that at least someone was enjoying the pandemonium that ensued during this experiment.

Accomplishing this triumph over my clothing gave me the determination I needed to continue through the method. Over the next few days I repeatedly filled my trunk to the brim with items to donate and dozens of trash bags to discard and recycle. Though I still have many steps left to complete the KonMari method, I am already seeing a vast improvement to my home and more importantly, my mood. I highly recommend this quick read to anyone else who is looking to learn about the magic that can come from tidying up.

Do you have a book recommendation that helped you take control of your New Year’s Resolutions?

 

 

 

4 COMMENTS

  1. Awesome work! This one has been on my to read list for a while now. I am so into decluttering and organizing, but I have a long way to go. Will let you know how I do once I start!

  2. Hi Michelle,
    I read it and loved the ideas, but agree the process seems slightly overwhelming. I did some of my clothes and a few other spots and then stalled after that. I would love to hear if you end up doing the whole process and more about how the journey goes. The thought of a house filled with only things that bring us joy is amazing!
    Good luck!
    Elisa

  3. I love her minimalist attitude! I still need to read the book, but have been using her question “does it bring me joy” and it’s so helpful. I hang onto a lot, thinking chances are I will need it one day… But it feels very liberating releasing it back into the universe.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here