Posting a book this early in the year! I hope I am up for the challenge to actually finish the 6 posts I put as my goal for 2024. 2023 was pretty much a bust and it was not a great reading year for me. But enough about my posting woes and let us turn to my first book of the year!
When we honestly confront the things we own, they evoke many emotions within us. Those feelings are real.
There is no better start to a new year than the grand undertaking of reorganizing your stuff. I always thought Marie Kondo was a bit much. Turns out “hold every item and think if it brings you joy, and if it does not get rid of it,” is very smart advice. I got rid of so much stuff that it is a miracle it even fit in my apartment. Some advice I listened to and some I did not but it was worth it anyway.
Starting off with what I did not do. I did not listen to the advice about what books to get rid of. I’ve also heard that this idea is generally not liked by most people. She does mention getting rid of books you bought a long time ago and never read. That I will not be following but I can understand where she is coming from. If you haven’t read it by now, will you ever read it? The answer might be no but it still looks good on my shelf.
I did follow her advice to “take out ALL of your clothing and put them in a big pile on the floor.” From there you pick up every piece and decide if it brings you joy or not. As a person with way too much clothing, I was able to get rid of two whole bags worth of it. And now I remember what I own and can start using some pieces again. Plus, my closet and chest of drawers is really clean.
I urge you to take stock of your komono and save only, and I mean only, those that bring you joy. Basic order for sorting komono. CDs, DVDs; Skin care products; makeup; Accessories; Valuables (passports, credit cards); Electrical equipment and appliances; Household equipment (stationery and writing materials, sewing kits); Household supplies (medicines, detergents, tissues); Kitchen goods/food supplies; Other (spare change, figurines.)
Another thing I really liked is her approach to coins. It felt like she was calling me out when she said “Frankly, no one I’ve met who saved pennies without a clear purpose has ever actually used them. If you are saving coins with the vague idea that it would be nice to see how many you can accumulate, now is the time to take them to the bank.” I ended up using my coins to treat myself to Starbucks.
By paring down to the volume that you can properly handle, you revitalize your relationship with your belongings. Just because you dispose of something does not mean you give up past experiences or your identity.
There is a lot more tips for tidying up but those are the ones I really gravitated to. Marie Kondo also talks about how she got into organizing and includes stories about her clients. You can honestly skip that if you want. A lot of her main points are in bold letters so if you really want to skim the book you can always skip to those parts. All in all I recommend it to anyone who is serious about tidying up their stuff. Remember, only keep those things that give you joy! Or you know, tax documents you might need later on.
Book It Babe 