Marie Kondo is a Japanese author who recently released her show, "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo". If you haven't watched it on Netflix yet, you aren't living. Marie meets with California families to teach them the "KonMari Method" of tidying a space. The KonMari Method utilizes self-reflection and personal emotional to break ties with items that clutter your living space. Marie breaks organization down into five categories: clothing, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous), and sentimental items. She challenges people to tune into their inner emotions and truly evaluate each item. Holding an item to your chest should "spark joy". If something is worthy of accompanying you into the future, it should make your heart happy. If you have negative associations with something, thank it, and let it go.
Now that you have a background in the KonMari method (and hopefully a desire to watch the show when you get out of work/class), I'm going to tell you about my personal experience with Marie Kondo's method.
I brought A LOT of clothes with me when I came to college. Changing states (NY to FL) meant changing my environment. I thought I would need tank tops, shorts, sandals, all things summer vacation; but the truth is, I wear the same ripped jeans and Goodwill sweater on repeat. Looking at the mountains of clothing that I never wore made me feel super uneasy. My dorm felt overcrowded and unlike a space I wanted to live in. So I dumped all of my clothes on the floor, picked up each piece of clothing, and really thought about whether it was something that I wanted to take into my future. The process made me feel mindful about my material possessions. It allowed me to truly discover what sparks joy in my life. I currently have two full boxes of clothing that I am going to donate. I re-folded all of the clothes that I decided to keep (Marie shares AWESOME folding tips on her Netflix show), and now opening my dresser drawer is something that brings me joy. Everything has a place now. I no longer have sweatshirts overflowing from their containers. I finally feel like I have turned my small dorm space into a home.
The most important thing that I learned from the KonMari tidying process is that material possessions are insignificant. I had a hard time letting go of some items. The thought of throwing away the memory of wearing my jeans on a dinner date with Mom, or on that vacation to the Bahamas, made me feel guilty. But here's the thing, your memories aren't disposable. The love that you have for a memory is not stowed away in the crevices of your raggedy tee shirt. It's when you learn to dissociate memories from material possessions, that you can truly let go of the clutter in your life. Donating clothes that you never wear should never make you feel guilty.
So I challenge you:
Really take time to evaluate the material possessions in your life that bring you joy. Anything that only takes up space in your home would be better suited for someone else. Thank each item for all it has done for you, and let it go.
