After a quick review of my last few posts, it dawned on me that I've strayed from the whole point of my blog. Sure, I've made updates on how I'm doing on some of my peripheral goals this year, but this blog is about my one word year. This blog is supposed to be about how I'm finding ways to simplify things in life.
So how am I simplifying my life? I think there are many areas of life that would benefit from some clean up but the easiest thing to tackle is the physical stuff. I've always had a weird obsession interest in organization, decluttering, storage solutions, and anything related.
Having said that, it's easy enough to be interested in having a less cluttered house and simplify life with fewer material possessions, but it's not that easy to put into place sometimes. I've amassed so much information about organizing the home and how to store things beautifully, but I've always been overwhelmed with the idea of doing anything about it.
Last year, I thought I had figured out the answer to my troubles. I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. If you're not up to speed on this decluttering phenomena, then here's my explanation in a nutshell. You tackle your clutter in one big effort, in a methodical and systematic way by going after item-type, not by room, one item at a time, one type after the other. (I.e. Clothes, books, etc.) The simple criteria is you keep the item if it "sparks joy" in you. (I'm definitely not doing justice to Kondo's process so it's better you read up on it yourself.)
Unfortunately, I never implemented the "KonMari" method of tidying up. However, one thing that I've taken away from the book is the concept of items sparking joy. As I attempt to declutter my house one item at a time or one room at at time (totally against Kondo's concept!), I decide if the item gives me joy. It sounds easier than it is since you really have to decide if you're feeling joy or maybe something else (sentimentality? ambivalence?). I've managed to clean up a lot of things using this strategy though.
Having said that, it's easy enough to be interested in having a less cluttered house and simplify life with fewer material possessions, but it's not that easy to put into place sometimes. I've amassed so much information about organizing the home and how to store things beautifully, but I've always been overwhelmed with the idea of doing anything about it.
 |
| Exhibit A: The junk room. |
Last year, I thought I had figured out the answer to my troubles. I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. If you're not up to speed on this decluttering phenomena, then here's my explanation in a nutshell. You tackle your clutter in one big effort, in a methodical and systematic way by going after item-type, not by room, one item at a time, one type after the other. (I.e. Clothes, books, etc.) The simple criteria is you keep the item if it "sparks joy" in you. (I'm definitely not doing justice to Kondo's process so it's better you read up on it yourself.)
Unfortunately, I never implemented the "KonMari" method of tidying up. However, one thing that I've taken away from the book is the concept of items sparking joy. As I attempt to declutter my house one item at a time or one room at at time (totally against Kondo's concept!), I decide if the item gives me joy. It sounds easier than it is since you really have to decide if you're feeling joy or maybe something else (sentimentality? ambivalence?). I've managed to clean up a lot of things using this strategy though.
Another strategy that has helped me comes from my happiness guru, Gretchen Rubin. The first of her Twelve Personal Commandments is "Be Gretchen". Granted, this is her personal list and she's referring to herself, but the idea still resonates with me. I have to accept my likes and dislikes and know my limitations. I have to "Be Kim". That means I have to accept that I won't be a scrapbooker or make my own beaded jewelry. I've gotten rid of lots of things after I really made myself dig deep and decide if those items were contributing to me being authentic and genuine.
Our home is still a work in progress and I definitely still have trouble with getting rid of certain stuff, but in general, I've been decluttering away. I've cleared space on counter tops, I've donated or sold unwanted items, and I'm figuring out how to store the stuff we are keeping in more aesthetically pleasing containers.
In the meantime, everything else goes into the junk room until I can deal with it.
No comments:
Post a Comment