My KonMari Journey - Introduction & Getting Started

"Transform your home into a permanently tidy, clutter-free space and be amazed at how your whole life changes" 

Marie Kondo

Last year I heard and read a lot about this very popular (and best-seller) book 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' by Japanese organising enthusiast, Marie Kondo and her KonMari Method. I was inspired and had to get my hands on the book and read it for myself, so I bought it for my birthday. After reading the first chapter, I was hooked, line and sinker and wanted to make a start straight away. I found a few YouTube videos from people who have shared their journey (A Young Mum and Lisa Stevens are my favourites) and it inspired me to start my own journey. I am now ready to make positive changes to my home and my life, using the 'KonMari Method'. Will you join me? 

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Let me start by introducing my self...Hi, my name is Charlene and I am a sentimental & emotional hoarder. I own a lot of 'stuff' - stuff my friends and family won't see when they come over for a visit, because I am very good at hiding it. I have stuff that I have kept over the years and find it hard to part with it, in fear that I might need it later or if I do get rid of it, the moment or item will be erased from my memory forever. I know that sounds silly, but hopefully I am not the only one who feels and thinks this way. Having a lot of stuff also plays a huge part in my anxiety and depression, making me feel very overwhelmed when I am bombarded with clutter, even though most of it is hidden away in containers (or cupboards). Clutter is still clutter, regardless if you can see it or not. Mentally, you know it is there. 

Since moving into our new home in August 2015, I have been on a mission to get everything organised. The inside of our home is pretty good, although there is some unnecessary 'clutter' hidden away in the cupboards, and there is that ONE room, you know the one you keep the door closed because you are not ready to face it or don't know where to start - yes - I have one of those rooms - it's my office, also known as my dumping ground and I hate it!

What makes it even harder, is that the office is not in the house, it is a room off the garage outside, so it really is 'out of sight, out of mind', but I know it's there and I know what's in it. It is full of containers with 'stuff' I have yet to go through, simply because I'm not ready, that is until now. I don't plan on moving anytime soon, so there is no reason for me to keep stuff in boxes, and letting it take up valuable space in my home, life and in my mind!

Over the years, I have completed a number of de-clutter and organising challenges, to help ease my anxiety and depression, and for a moment once I have finished the challenges, I feel great, however each time I do these challenges, I am amazed at how much 'stuff' I continue to accumulate.  It seems like as soon as I get rid of stuff, more stuff comes back into my home, feeling like I am constantly chasing my tail and I get so overwhelmed by it all. 

Marie Kondo says when you tidy and organise by location, you are only fixing the problem for a moment, and then you find yourself relapsing, because you haven't tackled the reason behind why the clutter is there in the first place (deep, I know, but I totally get it)

The KonMari method encourages you to sort by category, not by location, and there is a system to this process too. Sorting by category allows you to see EVERYTHING you own (in each category) and you are able to tackle it quickly, rather than finding bits and bobs in different areas of your home. 

The categories as Marie Kondo states in the book are:

• Clothes
• Books
• Paper
• Komono (Miscellaneous) 
• Sentimental. 

Each category has a list of sub-categories, to ensure you do a thorough purge of your belongings. You are asked to put everything on the floor, so you can see the full magnitude of what you own (which will probably shock you), you are to touch everything at least once and keep only the things that 'SPARK JOY'. I will be discussing this in more depth as I work through each category.

The KonMari Method can take up to 6 months to finish (depending on how much stuff you have) and I plan to follow and complete it fully and be surrounded by the things I love and that 'spark joy'.  My goal is for all my belongings to have a home, so I am not tidying every day. I also hope that it will help me change my way of thinking. Now, I don't know if that means I won't be a sentimental hoarder after this challenge, I guess we will just have to wait and see.

I am super excited about this journey and I would love for you to follow along in this process, better yet, join me - Subscribe to my Blog, so you don't miss a post and together we can tidy our homes and change our lives, once and for all. I will also be sharing my journey on my Facebook page, and Instagram, so be sure to follow me there too. Together, we can do this! Today is the day!

Next: My 'KonMari' Journey - CLOTHES 

Charlene

Linking up with Jess at IBOT

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