If you haven't heard of KonMari, I highly recommend that you check out this philosophy on "stuff", clutter, and organization. The author and champion of this system is Marie Kondo, of KonMari fame. She has a book, and the webs we weave have countless blog posts outline the details of the system. So, I am not going to get to in depth with it here. I am to give you and overview. Then if you are inspired. . .get her book or check out her website for all the specifics. The basic idea is this: keep only those things that spark JOY. Yes, joy. Pick up each item you own (in a systematic series of categories); decide if it brings you joy; and keep it or pitch it. Rinse. Repeat. With every single piece of every single thing that you own or have dominion over. The challenge is also to get it all done "in one shot". Work through everything you own as quickly as possible. Do not lose momentum. The categories are designed to go from easiest to hardest:
ClothesI did start out with my closet, as directed. It wasn't quite as simple as it could have been. Because of my rapid weight loss, I had to not only sort things that don't fit right now, but I also kept a few things that don't bring me joy. . . so that I wouldn't have to run around naked until I lose another 20#! I went ahead and integrated my "skinny clothes" into my closet. Now it is all together. Every 10# or so, I cull through it again and weed out a the big stuff. Here's is a little idea of what the process looked like. You have to bring the entire category together and sort it all at once. So in the case of clothes and accessories, that mean dumping it all in my closet floor. I was prepared with my sorting containers:
This whole process for clothes and accessories took about two days, not counting the time listing items. . .which is a WIP. I will say that it went much faster than I thought it would, and the results were dramatic! I know that my closet is still huge and there are still a lot of clothes in there, but it is so much easier to deal with! I can see everything. . . I put things away because I actually know where they go. I have been wearing clothes that were previously out of sight and mind. BooksI did the books, but I did not bring them all into the same space as recommended. I worked in the different rooms and boxed up most of them for the garage sell. I was worried about books because I have. . .err. . had so many. But with JOY as my barometer, it was very easy to get rid of the lion's share of my books. I saved a few cookbooks, two or three art books, and maybe 10 miscellaneous books. This from the bibliophile. All of my books would actually fit on one shelf now. . .provided I wanted them in the same room. PaperI was really dreading this category. I hate paper. No seriously, I hate it. Mail, paperwork, records, taxes, all of it. . .yuck! So, because I have been so bad at managing it. . .I tend to cram it someplace and forget where I put it (or that 'it' even exists). There was lots of paper. I got it narrowed down to this:
Komono - Everything else.This is a HUGE category. I started with the kitchen and then the garage. I still need to do the living room and my studio/office.
I thought there would be more to get rid of in the kitchen, but it didn't seem like I created that much room. The garage however, is going to be empty after my big garage sale! I put almost all of my stored kitchen stuff in the sale. I figure if I am going to live in a skoolie one day, I'd better first learn how to cook with just a kitchen full! (it is a big kitchen too!). I will post a progress update in the coming weeks. I look forward to seeing just how organized I can get! Have a joyous week,
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Jules Warner - AuthorThanks for reading my ramblings. Archives
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