At 38 weeks pregnant, I am in the throws of “nesting.” So when I saw Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, staring at me in the library, I knew I had to get it. Marie’s book goes into detail about the process of tidying up which involves not just simply storing your items but begins with decluttering your space first. The consistent question you will find yourself asking as you look at your belongings after reading this book is, “Does this spark joy?”
To effectively declutter your home, Marie’s perspective is you should only keep items that bring you joy. After finishing the book, I decided to give this a shot. It’s amazing how many things I had left out in my kitchen or my bathroom that simply did not spark joy for me. When I looked at them, I actually felt a very different emotion: stress. I realized subconsciously I have always known those items did not bring me joy. Maybe it was an item that was gifted to me so I felt compelled to keep it but never had a use for it, or it was an item I could possibly use in the future so I kept it for fear of not having it if I needed it. The list of possible reasons items we don’t use or need in our home stick around goes on. The point is they don’t have to and, frankly, they shouldn’t.
Once I started diving into decluttering my own space, I instantly felt lighter. I could feel my body and mind respond to being around less clutter. You’re not just decluttering and organizing your home. You are creating the space to build the life you want to live. When you start to think in terms of what sparks joy for you in your home and remove the things that do not, there is a mindset shift that takes place. You will find that you appreciate the things that stay behind more and you’ll spend less time tidying up your home each day simply because you have less items to tidy!
Have you been introduced to Marie Kondo’s method of tidying up before? Have you or would you be willing to take on the first step of decluttering your home?