“Spark joy.” Marie Kondo
You got the bug too Spidey?
Unless you have been under a rock the last few months, you would have heard of the KonMarie method of tidying up that has hit the world.
A diminutive Japanese woman has found her obsession with tidying up houses has become a huge ‘thing’ around the world.
In its essence, her method is to surround yourself with the things that spark joy in your life. In her words, “If you hold it and you feel ‘Ting!’ that is the joy.”
If what you are holding on to has memories attached, but the item could be excess, she encourages you to remember the memories. They will be with you in your heart and mind, thank the object, then let it go.
Sounds easy?
No!
First of all, I think I’d need a month off work to go through things.
Secondly, I think I’d find it really tough to be so brutal with my ‘things’ A lot make me feel ‘Ting!’!
But, I do get where she is coming from.
I look around a lot of our house and the clutter is all stuff I think we should keep or have, but it hasn’t been moved for months, or years even.
Really, I think if it went, I would feel so much less cluttered in my brain too.
I made a start on shoes and coats. I did my undies and socks. I’ve gone through jeans and leggings.
I have about three bags full of things I have said thank you and goodbye too.
There is so much more.
The rest of the wardrobe. Hubby Dearest’s wardrobe. The Kids wardrobes…
The attic is stuffed with suitcases full of my older Indian outfits and the kids baby clothes.
Do I really need to keep them?
I’m never going to wear them again. The only thing I really want is a couple of the kids early outfits, first shoes etc, and our wedding outfits.
That’s it.
I have boxes of paperwork, from my own old school work to uni work, to miscellaneous stuff that is just there.
Needs to go.
The kitchen. Oh, the kitchen.
Packed with gadgets and spices I have never used, dishes that just sit in a cupboard and need washing if I ever want to use them, enough saucepans to cater for an army – thanks mum, but I don’t think I’ll ever cook that much!
And the special crockery for visitors… never used!
The bathroom. Well, that just needs a gutting out!
And the linen closet. It needs a sort out, a tidy up and a rejig.
But the one thing I really can’t agree on is her premise that less than 30 books are ideal.
She’s not got a clue, has she? Or she didn’t finish her sentence. It should have been “Ideally keep it to less than 30 books-helves!”
But then again, my books spark joy. I feel that ‘Ting!’ when I hold so many of the books I have. Three bookshelves so far, and I could easily fill a fourth with the books piled around my room…
So yeah, I’d love to jump on the #KonMarie bandwagon… if someone wants to give me the time, and a huge skip to throw my accumulated junk into!
So tell me, are you a hoarder like me or a minimalist? Will you be giving the KonMarie method a try?
