By watching Marie Kondo on Netflix, I realized that the clutter and mess in my home reflected the mental and emotional clutter in my mind and body. I love how she brakes down the steps to pull everything out of the closet, drawers, garage, attic and dedicate time to recognize the physical and emotional significance of the mountain of stuff we hold onto. And most importantly, give gratitude to the unread books, the ripped up old t-shirt, or the sentimental box of cassette tapes before donating or throwing them away.
I've "Marie Kondo-ed" three times in the last three years and it was overwhelming at first. I didn't know where to start. For me, I knew I needed to go through the kids clothes and toys that they had grown out of. It was way more emotional than I expected but it felt SO GOOD and really liberating when I freed up that space. Next, I did my clothes and I realized how much sentimental value I was holding onto in my closet. For clothes that I couldn't quite part with because "what if I have a wedding and I want to wear that dress" or "what if I need that 15-year old long underwear because we might go skiing this year," I put in a box and vowed to donate it if I didn't miss it or wear it by next year. SPOILER ALERT: I've always donated everything I put in that box - I never used it and didn't miss it.
If you're a book lover, you can get her books on Amazon too. (This page contains affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you use them. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)
Definitely try Marie Kondo's tidying up method if you're ready to let is flow + let shit go!
With Love,
Ming-Wai