It's that time again where I happen to put down my technological devices and pick up a physical book. To be fair I didn't have a lot of choice to be honest, when you're abroad internet is expensive and there is only so much you can do when you're lying on a sunbed. I did plenty of reading whilst I was topping up my tan but this book has really stuck in my head and helped me to change my lifestyle for the better - I suppose the 'life changing' clue king of gives it away in the title. Literally.
After reading countless reviews and being recommended this book by multiple friends, I bit the billet (so to speak) and bought it on a whim on the off chance that I'd get to read it whilst I was on holiday. When I started I couldn't stop {I don't think I put it down for more than 5 minutes} I found it really intrigued and relatable - I knew tidying was important but I didn't realise how a tidy and clutter-free space could transform your lifestyle and make you a much happier person. This book explains that transforming your home and spaces in the correct order can help to distinguish between what you truly love and an object that is just a object but you just kept for good measure. I'm pretty annoyed at myself actually, this book was sat on my bookshelf for six months before I picked it up and read it - I wish I read it sooner!
Marie Kondo is a Japanese cleaning consultant - let's be honest, if anyone can do minimalism and tidy, it's the Japanese - and she has taken tidying to a whole new level. She promises that if you organise your home once properly, you'll never have to do it again. Don't worry I didn't believe it to start with either. Most people will tidy room-by-room or little-by-little which just means that you pick away, it goes on forever and you end up reorganise old clutter oppose to decluttering and then organising. However KonMari method, is a lot SIMPLER.
This book gives you every tool you need to truly tidy up and change your life. It's magic, I swear. If I had to take five things away from this book it would be these:
Optimal organisation doesn't happen in a day.
Miracles don't happen overnight. Fact. The KonMari method recommends that you take at least six months to slowly work and deliberate your way through your home. If you're like me and you're still living at home, start on your on way space before passing on the method to others around you. When you think of everything else you tend to do in a day, six months to declutter and reorganise your home isn't a bad timescale, it's surprising how time flies. All I'd say is to think about where you want to start and work outwards - don't do too much at once.
Declutter by category, not by room.
Instead of saying you'll start organising your bedroom, the kitchen etc; the KonMari method insists that you sort through categories rather than rooms as otherwise you're bound to miss something. By categories I mean all clothes, then papers, then mementos - always work on the broader categories first and the leave your sentimental items until last. Each categories she recommends you break down into sub-categories, for example clothes would break down into tops, dresses, jumpers etc. Everyone will find their own way to sort through the categories but Marie Kondo suggests putting everything on the floor for you to see in order for you to see what sparks joy. Don't forget everything in that categories needs to be in eye sight when decluttering that includes everything in that category including coats in the cupboard downstairs, in the wardrobe wherever.
Keep the things that spark you joy only!
I love this bit of advice and it has helped to change my purchasing habits as well. Before I used to buy something because someone else had it or I just like it but now I look at it and think "do I actually need it?". I think this is a really valuable piece of advice from the KonMari Method, although I found it extremely difficult to do when it came to my wardrobe because realistically not many clothes 'spark joy' because you kind of need them otherwise you might get arrest. Awkward. Anyway, the KonMari method suggests you look at it in an alternative way; for example if I am keeping a fur coat in my wardrobe because the fashion world says that it is a must-have - but I am always pushing to the back of my wardrobe because it's just not me - this is the perfect excuse to say, in Marie Kondo's words, thank you and goodbye. Whilst it's a potentially a fashion must have, it's not for me. Sounds strange but there is something so refreshingly simple about asking yourself whether an item sparks joy and just genuinely makes you happy.
You have to declutter everything before you can truly organise everything.
I think this is where a lot of people (including me) have gone wrong when they've tried to reorganise something. It's easy to just to reorganise everything but not actually get rid of anything (believe me when I say I've done that a few times) you end up just keeping the things that a) you don't really need or b) find stuff that you haven't wore/used in months but just keep it as a 'I might wear or use this one day' when the likelihood is, you're never going to. Remember have a day or more of decluttering before you just go and reorganise.
Stop hanging! Learn to fold in the right way.
I am guilty of this. I hang everything I possible can. I think this is one of my favourite pieces of advice from Marie Kondo's book of wisdom - arrange your clothing vertically when folding as you can see all items of your clothes more easily. The aim is to be able to see everything at a single glance rather than riffling through stacks of clothing just to find what you want. I don't know about anything else but opening my draws to find perfectly organised items of clothes is rather appealing to me! Utilise your space and don't just hang, organise and fold to make your life easier.
BONUS TAKEAWAY
Start with a vision of what you'd like your home or space to look and feel like, so you can keep your eyes on the end goal - especially if you lose tidying momentum. With items of clothing or objects everywhere, sometimes you just can't quite see the light at the end of the tunnel. Have a vision to help to bring you back on track again.
"Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on new lifestyle."
- Marie Kondo.
Until the next time, remember to ask yourself "Does this spark joy?", Au Revoir.
Love,
Lauren xo
