Cool Things. Volume #8. The Queen of Clean

Living with Less – How the Queen of Clean does it.

Can’t find your favourite sweater? Cupboards bursting with mismatched Tupperware? Is a moth eaten t-shirt from 2005 still lurking in your drawer?

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, then let me introduce you to Japanese tidying and organization guru Marie Kondo. Her system on how to develop a clutter free home has made her a global household name and spawned a Netflix series which debuts on January 1, 2019.

The New Year is a time for reflection, change and goals. Bettering ourselves is the main focus but did you know that a clean and clutter free home is one of the best ways to break free of toxic psychological patterns?

According to Kondo, it all starts with one question.

DOES THIS SPARK JOY?

Kondo insists that simple question is the foundation for successful de-cluttering. She explains that we hoard or hold onto items for one of two reasons:

• An attachment to the past or,
• Anxiety for the future

Because these reasons drill deep into our emotional patterns, it’s evident why cleaning and purging is difficult. But by detoxing a home of clutter, it breaks up these patterns and frees the body and mind for clearer actions and daily living. Subsequently, the act of cleaning is truly transformative.

Kondo’s system is simple in its execution, although the step by step process is rigorous…with no room for short cuts if you want maximum effectiveness.

KONDO’S PROCESS PART ONE

Kondo’s method for tidying differs from other approaches. Instead of the common ‘replace one old thing when a new one is bought’ – a system she says fosters clutter – Kondo insists on a macro approach, dealing with one room at a time.

For example, if you start in the bedroom, take everything out of the closet or off the shelves and lay them out. Facing  possessions is a vital first step. It’s only when the volume of our belongings are viewed all at once that we start to comprehend clutter.

From here, Kondo advises clients to address every item with her key question: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If not, items should be donated or thrown away. This of course is easier said than done. We’ve all bought things that didn’t fit or were on sale or thought we might use and our reasons for hanging onto them means we don’t have to face our imperfections or foolish choices.

As a result, Kondo claims tidying is a dialogue we have with ourselves. We’ve attributed value to everything we own and we need to be brutally frank with every item to overcome the emotional baggage of these perceived values.

KONDO’S PROCESS PART TWO

Once all the room items have been curated, the next step is to remove the donation/garbage items before reorganizing. Kondo warns if you don’t do this, the items will make their way back into another space. Pack up the joyless items and

Warning: Only tidy one room at a time. Kondo insists this is the only way to do it properly. Lay out items, assess them and then donate or throw away before re-organizing. It’s vital to only clean one room at a time

KONDO’S PROCESS PART THREE

When you’re ready to re-organize Kondo has specific ways to assimilate items.

Instead of stacking items on top of each other, she prefers to roll. This method has two benefits: every item can be clearly seen and by thinking vertical instead of horizontal, less storage space is required.

Her specifics for drawers: items should be arranged with lighter in the front and darker in the back. Items in a closet should be arranged light-dark in a left to right pattern.

Lastly, Kondo stresses never to scatter storage. Elastic bands should be in one spot. Shoes should be in another. By having everything in one category stored together, that’s where you know it will be. When your brain understands where things go, it never has to think about it.

This is the key step to life long cleanliness.

WHERE TO START?

It doesn’t matter. Pick a room and stick to her system.

So far, I’ve gutted my office, the kitchen and the pantry. Next up, my closet and then (shudder) the garage. We’ve donated 14 bankers boxes of items – including one that consisted of nothing but vases! (How the hell did I amass so many vases???)

How do I feel? Fantastic!

Everything is connected. Our living spaces affect our bodies and our minds. Filling up every inch of space with stuff is a habit that literally weighs us down.

I challenge you to try Marie Kondo’s system and feel how great it is to declutter!