Sunday 2 July 2017

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo - Review & Applying The Magic

"Housework can't kill you, but why take a chance?"
Phyllis Diller


I'm not what you would describe as the most tidy person, I promise I do try, but I'm not by any means a natural. Use something and then put it back - yes that is logic, I get that. The reality? use it, put it down for a second, then just like that its existence has been erased from my memory, even though it is still sat directly in front of me. That is until I enter a room and can barely walk in because of all the non-put back stuff. Sometimes I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo, always forgetful when it comes to returning things to their home, but at least I can remember 42, Wallaby Way, Sydney.

Now you wouldn't believe me if you entered my house, but I don't actually like clutter, in fact I detest it. Yet I am a firm believer in "A tidy house, a tidy mind" - hence why my mind currently represents a NEXT sale (don't even get me started on the folded T-shirt piles in Primark - anyone who has the patience for that job is a saint)

So now that I have pointed out that 1) I am crap at tidying and 2) I hate mess, what exactly am I going to do about it? the same as every problem - read a self-help book and hope that the problem sorts itself out.

The book of choice? Marie Kondo - The Life Changing Magic of tidying - a book that was mentioned in The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck that I recently read. Anything with life-changing in the title and I'm sold!
Now I am actually listening to the e-book, mainly because I want to use my spare time wisely (on Instagram) so I listen to this WHILST tidying - get me multitasking. One thing is for sure, if you listen to something about tidying, whilst tidying, the likelihood of actually tidying is high. Try listening to it whilst sat eating cake - it doesn't work. Cake with bake off on the TV however - a different story.

So I am going to break this down into a few posts because I have not finished listening to the book yet, just hang a work in progress sign over your screen.

This is what I have learnt so far and how I have/am going to apply it:

- Make tidying an event 

 Y'know, get all excited about it. Instead of saying - "Woo Hoo it's Friday!" it should be "Woo Hoo it's the day I get to clean out my drawers!" excited yet? OK, then you need to think of it as a life changing event, after this mega clear out you will never have to do it again and will have mental clarity (her words, don't shoot the messenger). Clearly, Marie has never been into a pound shop because the amount of tat I accumulate from there means more than a one off blitz. ("But it's two for a pound, I only need one, but I get TWO! who's really winning here Marie?")
Joking aside, I am actually a bit excited about sorting out my socks (still don't get out much) it needs to be done and I do think the mental fog will clear a but if I sorted out my tat.

- Do it in one hit 

Don't think you can get away with saying "I will do a little a day" nope, doesn't work here. Blitz the muther, get rid, get it gone. Now it would be hard to get it all done in one day, but make sure you pick regular chunks of time to devote to decluttering.

- Does it spark joy?

Now here comes the tough bit, what do you actually discard? It is so easy to keep hold of things "Just in case" or "Maybe I would wear it again" etc. So the answer here it to hold each item and ask "Does it spark joy?" If you clutch hold of wet look leopard print leggings (still with the tag on) and they spark joy then keep them. However if you think "I might slim into them one day/they might come back into fashion/they are brand new/what the hell was I thinking" well, that's not joy is it - get rid. Be ruthless.

- Don't palm it off onto family

Apparently this is a no no, because you are just passing the burden. This is true, I know this too well because my mum does this to me almost daily. The majority of stuff I need to get rid of is actually her hand me downs. So she is not exempt from my decluttering - in fact this morning I handed over three candle holders she had passed to me, and said "these will look nice in your living room" With that I turned and ran before she could respond. Watch out - a box of junk is coming to a door step near you soon! (in my mind this also ticks the box of a random act of kindness too)

I have paused the audio at the art of folding, as a draw stuffer, this is all way too much information to take in in one hit. I am going to start by decluttering and then I will be back with my roll/fold techniques.

Bin bags at the ready, route to the charity shop planned, people lined up for "gifts" I am ready for mental clarity.

BRB x


http://honestmum.com/brilliant-blog-posts-6th-july-2017/

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1 comment

  1. Love this post! I have been wanting to buy the book for ages to motivate me a bit with my de-cluttering. I'm a terrible hoarder so would definitely need some of this magic :D

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