Tag: sparking joy

Marie Kondo’s Bombshell Announcement

Posted on by Jordank

It had nothing to do with a Chinese spy balloon or misplaced classified documents. The real bombshell of the last few weeks? That Marie #Kondo — the unrivaled evangelist of the power of #tidying up — has stopped trying to keep up with the #mess.

According to The Washington Post, Kondo’s capacity for #organizing and #cleaning diminished upon the birth of her third child. “My home is messy, but the way I am spending my time is the right way for me at this time at this stage of my life,” she said in a recent webinar.

She went on to admit that a perfectly organized home is not a realistic goal for most people. “I was a professional #tidier, so I did my best to keep my home tidy at all times,” she said. “I have kind of given up on that. Now, I realize what is important to me is enjoying spending time with my children at home.”

Instead of offering new strategies to obsessively #sort out your sock drawer, Kondo’s latest book explores the Japanese concept of #kurashi, or “way of life.” It’s a much broader strategy that focuses on bringing calmness and happiness to everyday existence.

She encourages readers to create a rhythm and routine based on what brings them joy, even if a few closets and countertops remain #cluttered. For Kondo, that routine includes fresh air, quality time with her kids and scrapbooking.

While actual #tidying takes a backseat, the book asks people to figure out which aspects of their lives need the most attention. Whatever needs a sort of macro-level #decluttering and #organizing is what you should concentrate on right now, in other words.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Life happens, and you can’t spend every waking moment organizing your clothes closet by purpose and color. Take time to focus on whatever it is that brings you joy, be it career, a favorite hobby, or family and friends.

But when you feel the need to #declutter and #organize, remember that you can #donate any lightly used items to ClothingDonations.org. Get them out of the way of your personal kurashi by arranging a free #donation #pickup. Your donation will share joy with veterans nationwide.

So do as Marie Kondo says, and don’t obsess about #decluttering. Instead, make it a natural part of your routine.

Declutter by Category to Make Organization Easy

Posted on by Jordank

#Decluttering and #organizing go hand-in-hand, according to organizing expert Marie Kondo. Decluttering by category (clothing, books, papers, komono or miscellany, and sentimental items) allows a person to get an accurate picture of their entire inventory of #stuff, The Creative Cottage says, helping avoid duplication. Once you pare each category down to the essentials and #organize them so you can quickly find anything you need, keeping even a small space such as an apartment or condo #clean will no longer require a lot of effort. Just don’t fall into old habits and buy things that don’t bring you joy — or allow any new possessions you bring in to build up, uncategorized and untidied, over time.

Build a Capsule Wardrobe to Reduce Closet Clutter

Posted on by Jordank

One strategy to add to the #KonMari #organizing toolkit is the capsule wardrobe, says Classy Glam Living. The concept is to build a foundational wardrobe for each season out of just a few essential, high-quality items that you love — those that “spark joy” — and build upon it with accent colors and textures. Once you decide which garments make up your capsule wardrobe, can get rid of almost everything else — #streamlining your style, #decluttering your #closets and even making it simpler to get dressed for the day. Bonus: You can always #donate the many #castoffs to ClothingDonations.org.

Marie Kondo for Condos and Small Spaces

Posted on by Jordank

Marie Kondo’s bestselling how-to The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up can offer advice for dwellers of small spaces such as condominiums and apartments. To KonMari a 215-sq.-ft. apartment, one of The Kissters bloggers discarded everything she didn’t need and #decluttered entire categories (i.e., clothing, books) of stuff instead of areas (i.e., hall closet, dresser drawer). Figure out what still “sparks joy” and thank the rest for their contributions, she says. And finally, learn to look at your home as a sanctuary in order to keep things #neat and #tidy long after the initial #purge and #oganization is done.

Keep Your Fall Fashions Clutter-Free

Posted on by Jordank

Saturated colors, logos and head-to-toe cable knits made a big splash on fashion’s runways this fall. But for those among us who aren’t ready to drop thousands of dollars on a single outfit, there’s another concern: how to refresh one’s wardrobe and look good for the fall season without creating more #clutter?

You may get the urge to shop as fall begins, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The temperatures are falling, and you might need new flannels, sweaters, jackets and other cool-weather clothing to wear, even if you’re working from home during the #pandemic. Specific items may need replacing after shrinking or wearing out.

As you shop, however, be mindful of the fact that every new item you buy will need to find a place in your closet or dresser. Ask yourself: Is this purchase truly necessary? Will it fuel a Marie Kondo-style sense of joy? Will I use that garment often enough to merit a spot in my limited space?

If the answer to each of these questions is yes, consider the storage space you have and what’s already in it. If you have are happy with your clothing storage and want to add a few new items to the mix, eliminate one item that you no longer use or just couldn’t work into the routine for each new item you buy.

If — as is more commonly the case — your closet and drawers are stuffed with things that you no longer like, no longer fit into or no longer use, #purge those unwanted items when you start shopping. Keep only a few essentials that you love, says Minimalism Made Simple, and your closet and mind will quickly become less #cluttered.

If you don’t have time for a complete purge, consider getting rid of two or three items for every new item you buy. That way, the overall numbers of garments owned will steadily decrease until your closet contains only successful new purchases and other items you cherish and love to wear.

As for the #stuff that doesn’t make the cut, bag up any garments that are in good enough shape to be worn again and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #donation pickup. You’ll feel good knowing that you look great and have an #uncluttered, #organized closet space while at the same time helping #veterans. That’s the way to kick off the fall season!