While we are all looking for something new to do, here are the Golden Rules from the Organizing Queen herself, Marie Kondo:
Sort it Out - Marie suggests to purge and organize in this order: clothing, books, papers, miscellaneous and sentimental items. I have never organized in a particular order, but, this makes sense to me. How many times have I gotten "stuck" in the sentimental stuff and not moved on? After you have been organizing and purging for a while, maybe the sentimental things will be sorted easier?!
One Time Event - Tackle each category in it's entirety before you quit or move on. If you decide to just do a little every day, then you will be organizing and sorting every day forever!
Hold On - Only hold on to the things that "spark joy" Marie says. When you are holding an item, pay attention to if it makes you happy. If it doesn't, let it go. If it does, cherish it!
Thank You - Thank and appreciate the item for it's service in your life. This is a good way to let go of something you have been holding on to because of how well it has served you but is no longer is needed.
Recycle & Reuse - As you organize, use items you already have to use as bins or holders for you items. Don't go out and spend a bunch of money on expensive organization items you may or my not need. After you have used what you have, if you still need something extra for storage or organization, then purchase the item that fits that need.
Clutter has a way of holding us down and creating anxiety and stress in our lives. If we can tame that and only keep what we love, we will find a lot more peace in our lives. As Marie Kondo says "I can think of no greater happiness than to be surrounded only by the things I love". --Jen Lush
This blog was inspired by an interview article in the March 2019 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine featuring Marie Kondo.
Photo Credit: Preslie Hirsch
