KONMARI WITH ME

 

 There are six basic rules to get started:

1. COMMIT YOURSELF TO TIDYING UP.

Committing to decluttering and organizing your space is half the battle. Once you commit yourself to tidying up your home, you can apply the method and spark more joy in your life.

2. IMAGINE YOUR IDEAL LIFESTYLE.

Before you begin the KonMari checklist, ask yourself why you want to tidy up and what your life will look like once you are done with the process. Dreaming up the outcome helps spark motivation and keeps you in check when putting things away in the future.

3. FINISH DISCARDING FIRST. 

One of the key aspects of the KonMari method is to get rid of unwanted items first — that way all you are left with is what needs to be organized. Before discarding, thank each item for serving its purpose.

4. TIDY BY CATEGORY, NOT LOCATION.

4  Another big part of the KonMari method is tackling one thing at a time and organizing your efforts by category, not location. For example, it’s not about cleaning out the master bedroom closet, it’s about cleaning out all clothing items in the house. Or, organizing all books under your roof, not just the cookbooks in your kitchen.

5. FOLLOW THE RIGHT ORDER.

The KonMari cleaning checklist is set up in a specific order and you should not stray from it. Start at the top and work your way down.

6. ASK YOURSELF IF IT SPARKS JOY.

It’s not about getting rid of things you no longer want, it’s about keeping things that spark joy. So, always think from a positive standpoint and simply ask yourself if something brings you happiness versus making a case for why it stresses you out.

Here’s the exact order Marie Kondo wants you to follow when tidying up.

Clothes

Books

Papers

Komono (miscellaneous items)

Sentimental items

Starting with clothes, she asks that you remove all clothing from its set area and make a pile. Then, go through each item and ask yourself if there is value in keeping it (does it bring you joy?). If you choose to discard it, thank the item for serving its purpose and move on. Do the same with books and papers.

Komono stands for all the miscellaneous items in your home. That means, kitchen items, the dreaded garage, beauty products — basically anything that doesn’t fit within the first three categories. While the larger section might seen daunting at first, you’ll have experience tidying up at this point so it should go a lot smoother than you think.

Sentimental items are the last piece of the KonMari puzzle. While decluttering the rest of your space, you might have collected a few items that fit this category. Depending on its purpose, make use of your sentimental items. For example, if you come across an old photo of your siblings and you as kids while cleaning out the garage, add it to a frame and display it in your home to spark more joy.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

Things I learnt from the method.

Initially I learnt the folding method and found that placing clothes vertically rather than horizontally more effective in quick selection and also I didnt have to lift up the ones on top to get to the one I wanted. I realized also that having too many of the same kind of clothing wasn't good as I tended to choose only the ones I liked most. Thus I was able to give away the unliked ones I had been holding on to. Since it now became easier to pull out what remained, I learnt a second important lesson - that I could do with less and that less meant easy access. So when I learnt the one in one out rule later, adopting it was easy.

Now I restrict my clothing to just one cupboard. Presently I have five sets of casual clothing which can be combined in fifteen plus different ways. Three skirts, three formal wear. I hang all my clothes and use organizers for undergarments, socks, etc. 

The cupboard also has the bed linen which is restricted to four sets that I can combine in four different ways.

Rule no 4 was difficult to do as it meant spending a long time with one category. The first time i did clothing was a shocker, seeing all my stuff piled high on the bed. It took me more than seven hours to finally choose the ones I wanted and to be brutal in giving up the rest. That first time I did not fully succeed in getting rid of all I should have. It took me three more sessions over a period of two years to weed out and believe me, I'm still not satisfied.

When I started in the kitchen, I couldn't find the time to remove every single item and keep on display as I would have to not cook for a day or two. So instead I sub-categorised. Cooking utensils one time, then storage containers another. Pantry separately. Fridge organisation another day. I'm still not done 100%. But things are definitely better. There is a place for everything and I try to keep my counters clutter free.

Maybe one day I will remove everything and do Konmari thoroughly. Cook several meals in advance so I can focus on the downsizing.

Unlike abroad where there are thrift stores you can donate to, India doesn't have these outlets and charitable institutions too don't always take them as they get surplus. Few people have started jumble sales etc but its still too little. So I've realised that it is better not to bring in stuff even if people give us hand-me-downs unless we will really use.

#zwminimalistmom