January 25, 2016

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up...  I've been reading this, and at first it seemed a little hokey. Like it was too simple.  But the more I read, and the more I thought about the stuff in my closet(s), the more it resonated, and it really sunk in.  The three questions you need to ask yourself when de-cluttering: Does this spark joy?  Is it useful? Has it served its purpose? A lot of things are useful (i.e. my Aeropostle shorts I haven't worn since 2011). Joy is sparked by good memories I had while wearing those shorts. But have they served their purpose? Absolutely.  I haven't worn them in almost 5 years. They're kinda big and kinda too short and that's why I haven't worn them and I don't plan on wearing them in the future but I've been hoarding them away because I remember the good times of 2009-2011 when I see them.  But I have pictures of me wearing the shorts. I don't need to have them hoarded in the back of a spare closet in a Rubbermaid tub.

There's so much I can get rid of simply because it's heavy. Metaphorically, knowing I have bins and closets full of things I'm desperately clinging to makes me feel heavy.  In a literal sense, every time we pack up a house or reorganize things, I'm reminded of how much I have that is pulling me backward.  I don't need the iPhone box from 2013. I don't need old prescription bottles.  I don't need the purses I will never use again.



Some other tidbits from the book that I enjoyed:

+Everything must have a place.  YOU will feel better when everything has a place.  Part of the reason why moving and remodeling is so stressful is because not everything has a place. By getting rid of things we/I don't use/need, everything can have a place because it's not as cluttered.

+You can't live in the past.  So if you're hanging onto items simply because they remind you of other times, it might be time to let them go.  I became very selective in what I kept.  My biggest issue is hanging onto clothes from the past.  I don't wear them anymore (see shorts example above), but I store them away to keep.

+You have to handle each item in order to decide if you want it.  This means you need to really be in the mood for de-cluttering. Last summer, I split my wardrobe in half by taking a day to try on everything I owned and paring it down to what I actually wore and what actually looked good. It was worth it.

+Holding onto things you might need someday can turn into a waste of time, effort, and space.  I've spent more time in the past shuffling my storage around than I have using the stuff I had stored away.

There are some exceptions that I made to the author's advice:

+I save my old planners.  In some box, in some shed, I have my planners from college.  In the closet, in our "paperwork" box, I have my planners from 2012 through 2015.  I enjoy the nostalgia they provide me.

+Also, while I do take things I need out of my bags at the end of the day, I don't unpack my purse or tote bag. They have a hook by the door...if I started taking things out, I would forget those things in the morning.
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I thought I was going to read this book and just sort of absorb the advice and maybe apply pieces of it at some point.  However, I started tidying right away, one box at a time. I'm not done, of course, and I don't have the means or the time to do it all at once like Marie Kondo implores you to do (i.e. Scott is not always on board with my need to de-clutter).  But I've made a lot of progress.  The biggest step was not getting rid of things, but changing my thinking from This is mine. I need it. to Did it serve its purpose? Can someone else use it now?

14 comments:

  1. Taking the time to actually go through everything seems overwhelming, but you're right, it's so worth it!

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  2. This is on my list. I have drawers in my house that I would cringe if someone opened. And forget trying to find matching socks or underwear that I actually LIKE to wear. Why I'm holding on to the underwear I don't like so much is beyond me...

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  3. I have this book and can't wait to read it. I LOVE getting rid of stuff. I did the wardrobe thing in September and am so happy I did. I have 1/3 of my clothes left, and only things i actually wear and love, and am still getting rid of clothes all the time. I've become very selective on what I buy. My biggest problem is buying stuff for the kids... I love buying them clothes and toys and whatnot!

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  4. I kinda have been wanting to read this book, but I've also heard how kind of ridiculous it is in certain parts. Like, I'm totally down with decluttering and simplifying your life and such, but I would laugh in someone's face if they told me I should unpack my purse at the end of every day.

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  5. i really enjoyed this book. it didn't make me like go on a crazy declutter binge, but it absolutely helped me with things like with you and your shorts. i hold on to the most bizarre things, especially stuff from australia because it's harder to sell on ebay, and i paid a lot of money so i don't want to 'waste' it, but it's stupid holding on to a little black dress that doesn't even fit, you know? so it really helped me with that area.

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  6. I feel like once I have everything under my own roof I'll be cleaning and tidying up all the time!

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  7. I have this book, but I have yet to read it since I don't have a lot of spare time these days. I'm good about not keeping stuff just because, but there's always room for improvement. :)

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  8. I have relatives that are hoarders (like...at the level of the tv show)...and I love them very much and most likely because of them I do NOT keep things that aren't used or beloved. And I'm not particularly sentimental, though I have my weaknesses for certain types of things. I have a terror of my home turning into theirs so I tend to go in the extreme the other way--nice empty cupboards sound great to me, even though I know that's not entirely practical, but there's nothing like growing up in close proximity to hoarders to fill you with a healthy-or-unhealthy fear of piled up clutter.

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  9. Everything must have a place is like my motto in life. That's the beauty/curse of being OCD when it comes to organization-haha.

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  10. I think I might need to read this book. Our biggest problem is simply that we are in remodeling purgatory. There are things I have sitting around because I would like to use them to decorate once things are done. That should be starting to change soon, but I'll tell you more about that via email.... :)

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  11. I'm looking to go through everything in February. I am holding on to too many things "just in case."

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  12. My house is so cluttered right now, and it is driving me crazy. I have tried to purge the old toys, but my girls keep finding the box. I still have college notes and textbooks. I am pretty sure I can get rid of those, and yet they are still sitting in my shed taking up space.

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  13. That book was amazing. I got rid of thousands of pounds of stuff - really. I'm not done, I got tired after a week or so, but it felt SO good. Also, the rolling of clothes. My drawers have never been this organized and clean! Except the socks, I have a limit, ha!

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  14. I'm currently reading the second book, Spark Joy -- oh my gosh! I can not wait for a free weekend to begin KonMari'ing my apartment. There is something so freeing about purging stuff you don't need!

    -Dara
    www.peoniesandhoneybees.com

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