De-cluttering your home

Today I’m sharing an article from One Kings Lane, the decorating store.

You may have heard about Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant.

Her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing is very popular. Many people have claimed that this little turquoise book has transformed their lives.

A quick breakdown of the book:

“Put your hands on everything you own, ask yourself if it sparks joy, and if it doesn’t, thank it for its service and get rid of it. Once only your most joy-giving belongings remain, put every item in a place where its visible, accessible, and easy to grab and put back. Only then, Kondo says, will you “reach the nirvana of housekeeping and never have to clean again.”

Here’s a summary of the eight lessons:

#1 Tackle categories, not rooms. Begin with clothes, then books.

#2 Respect your belongings and consider your clothing’s feelings. (yes, really!)

#3 Nostalgia is not your friend. Put your blinders on and focus on the category at hand. Don’t be on the phone or listening to music as you do this.

#4 Purging feels so good. Gather every piece of clothing and put in one giant pile. Only keep the clothes that bring you joy.

#5 Fold your clothes, don’t hang. Kondo believes that our clothing would be “happier” folded in a dresser. Her technique to fold: make a long rectangle, then fold from the bottom up into a little package.

#6 Kondo suggests using shoeboxes to store your folded packages in your dresser. Your clothing should look like fabric origami.

#7 Fall in love with your closet again. Now that your favorite clothes can see the light of day, you can experience joy when you open your closet door. There’s breathing room between your clothes.

#8 Rediscover your style and the clothes you truly love.

Have you started to declutter your home? Please share your experiences.