Have you watched Tidying Up?
Over the Christmas holidays, our family ended up with a super germ that spread itself to each and every individual. Just after everyone left my home I had grandkids in the hospital with pneumonia, horrible phlemmy coughs and running noses, sinus colds and chest colds. While my son went to the hospital to visit his wife and son, I turned on Netflix and binge-watched Marie Kondo’s new series “Tidying Up” while I held their sick baby.
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
About a year ago I downloaded the ebook and enjoyed the principles and ideas she presents. It made sense, but since I didn’t have a home to purge (my stuff is in storage right now) so I didn’t do it. But watching her in action I was mesmerized. Or maybe it was just looking at the process in the homes she visited. We have become such consumers over the past few decades. Sorting through it is a daunting job and it’s really hard to decide what to keep and give away. I get emotionally attached to things and as soon as it’s gone I experience giveaway remorse. Is that a phrase… when you regret giving it away because suddenly you think you need it?
Things I learned
- You don’t go room by room. Marie teaches you to work in categories, starting with clothing which you pile all of it in one place (your bed, the living room) and pick up each item, asking if it sparks joy when you wear it. If it does, you keep it, if it doesn’t you thank it and put it in the discard pile.
- You learn respect for your belongings, do they deserve to be crammed into a closet or pushed into a corner?
- That nostalgia is not your friend. Do one category at a time and don’t get distracted by other things along the way (that box of old letters in your closet). I had a friend once who took pictures of things she gave away, saving it as a visual memory but donating the item.
- Purging feels good. I learned that the “great deal” on the 5.00 shirt really wasn’t such a great deal if it still has the tags on years later.
- Fold, don’t hang. Since I was at my son’s house I didn’t purge or fold exactly how she showed them. But even placing his t-shirts differently in the drawer, we went from 2 drawers to one not even full drawer.
- Fall in Love with your closets and cupboards again. Have you ever cleaned and organized a closet and stopped to look inside a number of times that day just because it looked so neat and orderly? Your home can be that way!
- Rediscover your Style. With less choice you may discover pieces you had that you love to wear but “couldn’t see the forest for the trees” with all that was there.
Sad Truths
Most everything you get rid of you paid money for. In one episode the Japanese couple had about 100 bags of things to donate, with so many tags still on clothes. In another a guy had thousands of dollars of sneakers that he’d never even worn (I hope he listed on ebay) So many of us try to fill spaces in us with our credit cards and although it might fill the void at the time, it’s not lasting. It can lead to huge debt and ruined relationships.
Being Purposeful
Let’s organize our homes and our lives, but let’s learn from it too. Try to become a more purposeful shopper. My daughter in laws taught me this concept. Don’t go to the mall or the store to fill time. Wait until there is purpose to what is needed. Make a running list of things until it’s worth the trip. You will save money and be happier. I promise.
To help in your New Year’s organizing, I have a free printable of things to purge if you only have time to do a room at a time. Whether we “tidy up” or just clean, it gets us closer to a clutter free life.