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Writer's pictureBec Dreyer

Cleanse Your Life By Decluttering

Updated: Aug 12, 2019


No matter how old you are, unless you're a minimalist or have read "THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP- MARIE KONDO" I can almost guarantee you have too many things.

By this I mean clothes you haven't worn for a very long time or will never wear again, books you will never read, papers that have no importance and you don't need to keep, gifts that you are holding on to so as not to offend the giver or CD's and Videos that you no longer own a machine that will play them anymore.

Well I HAVE read the above book and to say that it has helped is an understatement. My Husband and I have recently lost some nearest and dearest and have "inherited" quite a bit of STUFF.

It dawned on me recently that I need to cull, but where to start, how do I possibly make that decision of what sentimental items to get rid of?


Marie Kondo's Tokyo Apartment

I've owned this book for over a year now and never even flicked through the pages until recently. It just so happened that I had to use the stack of "decorative" books I have for a styling job a few weeks ago. Being a small book it was on the top of the pile, so I filed through the pages while in the car, I caught a couple of glimpses of some quotes of interest and thought, "this is exactly what I need in my life right now."

I'm in no way claiming this advice as my own and I strongly recommend the book as a read for anyone, ANYONE, that lives a non minimalist lifestyle (see above)! I will paraphrase what I've learnt about the KonMari Method of Decluttering.





HOW TO DECIDE ON WHAT TO KEEP

The basis for deciding all of this is to only surround yourself with things that make you happy. Wear clothes that you love, own things that evoke happiness and keep books you will read over and over again like Harry Potter. A personal recommendation from myself is to always keep Harry Potter books. But I digress, it's said when deciding what to get rid of is to handle everything and really consider what that item means to you.


THERE IS AN ORDER TO SUCCEEDING

Throughout the book she references RELAPSING and to overcome not falling into the same habits or not finishing what you start you need to do things in a particular order. Start with clothes and pull EVERY ITEM OF CLOTHING you own out and lay them out on the bed or floor. Touch them, hold them up really decide if you like yourself in that item and DOES IT BRING YOU JOY?

The rough order is to leave the hardest thing to part with until the end. Leave sentimental items and photographs until last.

Try the order of Clothing, Books, Papers, Miscellaneous Items, sentimental items and then photos.


BY CATEGORY, NOT BY ROOM

This is something I didn't understand initially as I would always default to cleaning room by room. The reason this works is it really gives you an overall grasp of how many of a certain category you own, that has the greatest impact. Search all your rooms and drawers for the items in the category you're up to and then only start once you have collected everything in the one spot (and out in the open).

SENTIMENTAL ITEMS AND PHOTOS

This is by far the hardest category to DECLUTTER.

Sentimental items are generally still in our lives because they are a reminder of a time that gave us joy. "NO MATTER HOW WONDERFUL THINGS USED TO BE, WE CANNOT LIVE IN THE PAST. THE JOY AND EXCITEMENT WE FEEL HERE AND NOW ARE MORE IMPORTANT" Most people fear throwing these items away as they feel the memories will be lost with them as well. Thats not the case. By handling these items when deciding, you will process your past.

Photos: It is said there is only one way process your photos, and that is remove them all from their albums and look at them one by one. The same overall principle still applies to this category: DOES THIS SPARK JOY?


Photo Album Sorting

This is really just a snap shot of the basic principles in the wonderful Japanese book by Marie Kondo. I truly recommend reading this best seller if you plan on taking on the EVENT of properly decluttering your home. This should be a once off as it will be such a large task- DO IT PROPERLY.

If reading or decluttering is really not your thing but you desperately want to live the tidy life. I offer decluttering services. Please contact me to organise a consultation.

Bec xx


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