Why it’s important to organize your environment

I read "the life-changing magic of tidying" by Marie Kondo ~ the title doesn't lie!

5 star review

This book is hands down in my top three I've ever read! We all want to have a clean and organized home, but without the proper way to get there, our home will eventually revert back to a cluttered state. In Marie Kondo's emotion-evoking book, her personality radiates through as she very simply explains her method of how to declutter once and for all. This method sets it apart from anything I have tried before. And let me tell you-- it works!

Does this really spark joy for me?

I got this book on a whim and was immediately enthralled as soon as I started reading the first page. I don't consider myself an avid reader, but this book was so captivating, that I finished it within 3 days so that I could then start the actual work of tidying my own home! On the surface, my home would have appeared fairly organized, but there were definitely areas where more work could be done. Aspiring to be a minimalist, I have already gone through spurts of getting rid of many things over the years, but this time tidying was different. Marie Kondo is famous for her saying "Does this spark joy?" It is a very simple and powerful phrase, and the only thing you need to honestly answer in order to get your home in order. Before when minimalizing, I would fall into thoughts of "but this was expensive" or "this might be useful someday." Kondo suggests that if you are struggling to get rid of an item, find the purpose it served you. This time when tidying, I had a completely new perspective on all of my belongings. Why would I keep something that I don't actually like? If it is because I used to like it, it has already served its purpose because I liked it then. If it is because someone gave it to me, it has already served its purpose of being a gift. And furthermore, that person gave it to me to make me happy and if it isn't making me happy now, they certainly wouldn't want me to keep it. I deserve to be surrounded by things I actually love. This transformed the process for me. 

Putting the process into practice

I diligently followed Kondo's process. I didn't play any music so that I could hear the internal dialogue between me and my belongings, I held each item individually when sorting, and I even dressed up for the special occasion. I also made sure to tidy my items by category, rather than by room. This way you can see the actual quantity of a category and have all of the items in one place. As recommended, I started with clothes first. I didn't think I had that many clothes, but once I pulled them all out onto my studio's living room floor, I was astounded (and don't forget to include shoes too!). I ended up donating 5 full trash bags worth! Kondo recommends tidying in the order of clothes --> books --> papers --> komono (miscellaneous) --> sentimentals (e.g. pictures, letters, etc). It is important to follow this order so that you can strengthen your decision making skills as you work your way up to more sentimental items. When I moved onto books, I kept Kondo's words in mind that the best time to read a book is when you first get it and that she believes that holding onto learning material actually prevents you from putting your learning into practice. I dwindled book my collection down significantly to just my favorites that truly make me happy and that I would want to read again. Once I did this, I actually felt relief looking at my book shelf and no longer seeing books that I felt like I should read, but hadn't gotten around to yet, or feeling disappointed in myself looking at the Japanese books that I couldn't read because I am not fluent yet. I realized the unique relationships I have to each of my belongings and the weight that keeping something that doesn't spark joy can have.

More than just cleaning

As I went along tidying, I became more aware of how many things I had been holding onto for the wrong reasons and I almost felt embarrassed that I allowed myself to live surrounded by so many things that didn't make me happy for so long! But the process of tidying goes even deeper than the physical-- Kondo insists that our belongings are a reflection of ourselves. What have I found in common with the items I was keeping and how I act in my life? I definitely had been holding on to a lot of keepsakes. It is also true that at many points in the past it was hard for me to let go of one chapter of life and move on to the next. Luckily, once you start releasing your belongings, it becomes easier to give up things that don't serve you in other areas of your life too. For example, once I was on a roll cleaning up my house, my thoughts extended to other ways I could clean up my life: deleting old text messages, releasing unhelpful eating habits, etc. Kondo says: "Treasure who you are now;" "It is not our memories, but the person we have become because of those past experiences that we should treasure... the space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past." It is words like these that touched my heart and had a profound impact in allowing me to let go with gratitude when tidying. And in letting go, you are in turn more open to receiving.  

A better life

Now I do want to note that cleaning can be used as a form of procrastinating, so it is important not to confuse the two here. I know I've experienced moments when cleaning was all of a sudden so easy because there was something I wanted to do even less. Kondo's method of tidying, however, is not designed to be a distraction from other things that need to get done. Rather, it is a one-time experience that helps facilitate the life you want to live, and will never be repeated again. "Tidying is just a tool, not a final destination. The true goal should be to establish the lifestyle you want most once your house has been put in order." Our environment is one of the seven pillars of life that can be overlooked, yet is so integral to our well-being. The area in which we inhabit is the foundation for our life and most definitely influences our happiness, productivity, and success. Imagine how much time you would save knowing where everything is, or how much you could relax coming home from work if your house was clean, or how well your morning would start off if you woke up to an organized space filled only with items that bring you joy. Kondo states that before you begin tidying, you must first uncover why you want to do so and clearly envision the life that you want to live as the result. For me, I pictured feeling put-together in my home, self, and routine. With the clothes I love being displayed and having a desk area to work from home, my home feels cozy and spacious at the same time. And this spaciousness brings a feeling that possibilities are endless and my organized home compliments my organized lifestyle. How would having an organized home improve your life?