stonepicnicking_okapi

This is me chronicling my September tidying campaign using the Marie Kondo method. I have done clothes and books and papers and moved onto komono (which is Japanese for 'stuff').

There are many categories of stuff so this will take a bit, but so far I have:

-gone through my puzzles and got them down to 18!
-gone through my craft box and collage supplies box
-gone through the electronics box and moved what remains into a proper plastic container

I have also been trying to do more of what she recommends in terms of envisioning your space and asking questions of your space, and I decided I wanted a proper nightstand (bedside table) instead of the laundry hamper I had from childhood (I use it as a puzzle chest) so I ordered one from Ikea and the boys and their father put it together and it is really lovely. It is pine and smells nice and really opens up my side of the bedroom. It feels like I can breathe easier.

I am moving on to other komono categories and for these I am going to need some assistance from the Universe in terms of storage and containers. I think I have actually gotten one answer from the Universe but I haven't acted on it so I will report back the results (if positive) in the next post.

But I am happier with the closet, happier with my side of the bedroom, happier with the boys' closet. It's working!

Here are some quotes I like from her Spark Joy:

...tidying up means confronting yourself...cleaning means confronting nature... [Very cool distinction, I think, and makes perfect sense to me.]

a joy-filled home is like your own personal art museum...By the time you finish, you'll see something you love everywhere you look. [a nice image of the goal]

organizing by material (cloth, paper, electric) made me put a small silver tray and a silver container (in the shape of a traditional Rwandan house/hut), and my silver letter opener together on my new nightstand and it works, it feels right, sometimes if you just read her principles they sound strange but when you actually apply them, they tend to make sense.

So I am a fan of Marie Kondo and her books and her philosophy of tidying. I don't have Netflix so I haven't seen the series but I think she makes a lot of sense and so few self-help/self-improvement people do. My humble opinion is the fact that her ideas are rooted in Buddhism and Shintoism and the idea of having respect for the environment (including inanimate objects) appeals to me.

It's fun to poke fun at the 'does this spark joy?' and I did so in a recent BBC Sherlock drabble. Rage but I like the philosophy and it has helped me to feel better about my environment.

Much more about what I like about it and Step #1 clothes under the cut.

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