Have you heard of this book? Of course we have. We don't live under a rock. Well, if you haven't, please buy it today. Everything from the title is true. LIFE. CHANGING.
When I read it, my closet was at an all-time high for it's level of messiness. You're embarrassing. #growupkatie The weird thing was, I had recently "gotten rid of" 7 bags of clothes. It didn't matter. There was still so much crap in there.
If you're not going to read the book, here are the rules as well as my rendition of the rules. I'll admit, some of it seems a little out there. At one point she talks about thanking your clothes for serving a purpose in your life prior to discarding them. "No, Kon Mari. I'm good." She also talks about folding her socks and how it's complete blasphemy to roll them because you're being mean to them or some crazy !@#$. "Sorry socks. I'm still rolling you."
1. Dress Up
I 100% did not do this. That's weird.
2. Tidy all at Once
This was essential. I took a week and just did it. It stressed me out every day because the house got ridiculously messy before it got clean but it totally made sense when I was finished.
3. Tidy by Category
I think this might be one of the most important pieces. Kon Mari says that we have similar items in lots of locations. I found out I had tweezers in six locations-my purse, my make-up area, my make-up bags under the sink, my nail area, and in drawers. Eleven pairs of tweezers. Wtf? Thus, the reason, you have to take everything out that's in that category. ALL SHIRTS. ALL PANTS. Not just "your closet."
My hardest section was photos and memories but that's why she has you do it last. Honestly, towards the end nothing brought be joy because I was so effing sick of this that it was easy to discard.
4. Put Everything on the Floor
I didn't really see the point of this, at first. Why did I need to go the extra steps to move everything from the closet to the Living Room? I did though. It's so much easier to make a decision when it's out of your closet. It was also rather enlightening to see my shirts stacked on the couch in multiple piles taller than me.
5. Hold Each and Every Item
Another "rule" that seemed odd but turned out to be essential. You really do need to hold them to see if they "spark joy in your life." Does it spark joy is my go-to question all the time now.
Does that dress I'm about to buy spark joy? No? Put it back.
Does that food spark joy? No? Don't buy it? You'll just let it go bad in your fridge.
Does that man you're going out with spark joy? No? Put him back.
6. Focus-No Music. No Netflix.
This was also hard. I need something in the background! However, it really did help me get fully in to the method.
7. Discard All, Then Organize.
Oh my gosh. After having all my clothes in the middle of the Living Room for two full days, I wanted to rip my hair out. However, it made sense to discard all of it and then organize.
This also says that you should get rid of the bags right away when you're done. Just after clothes were done, I had SEVEN big, black garbage bags. At first I put them all in my garage closet to save for a garage sale. When would I have the sale? Ugh, that seemed like so much work to get it all back out of the bags, price it and watch it go again. After a week, I took them all out, threw them in the car, dropped them off at Salvation Army Donation (PSA: Much better than GoodWill. They are much more honest with their money. Look it up.) It felt so good to get rid of that stuff once and for all.
Kon Mari even has a VERY SPECIFIC method of folding. With shirts, you're supposed to fold them so they line up like spines of a book. When it was done, it totally made sense but I still have to watch the youtube video every time to remember how to do it, so I haven't folded my clothes in three months so I need to keep practicing.
8. Thank your Belongings.
This is weird but I did it. "Thank you old and stained Ugg Boots. I once loved you." I didn't want the Kon Mari Karma Gods to come after me. I guess I get it, especially if you're someone who gets attached to things.
Things I Learned...
My life is much calmer when I have less stuff
Keeping my bathroom clean is so much easier because I have one brush...because that's all I need. You're crazy. I need six brushes-a wet hair brush, one for my purse, a round brush, two paddle brushes and a normal brush. No. One brush.
I still need to finish.
I kinda went out of order and haven't done all kitchen things yet. My summer project. Take three days and finish my Kon Mari clean out.
I need less stuff
Does your floor look like a bomb went off half the time? It's not your fault...but you do have WAY too much stuff.
I Can Breathe
When I don't have messes to worry about, I can concentrate on other things. Imagine that.
Kon Mari Works
Buy the book. Read it. Do it...and follow all the rules, dammit! Tell me about it
