Clear Clutter Once and For All using the KonMari Method of Tidying Up!
Clutter is not Feng Shui’s friend. I’ve written about this topic before in Do You Need a Clutter Buster? and Clearing Clutter in Disguise. There are great and useful tips in those blogs.
So why am I bringing it up again?
- Because despite my best efforts, I still have some clutter and I know you do too.
- I discovered an amazing decluttering method that actually works and had me clearing bags and bags of clutter from places in my home I didn’t think were cluttered!
- Clutter represents stuck energy in Feng Shui. It energetically drains you, lowers your vibration and can cause weight gain, fatigue, brain fog and many other issues.
- I want to help you allow the energy to FLOW in your space. And, with the clutter cleared, your Feng Shui adjustments will be much more effective! Essentially, doing this work will create a vacuum attracting everything you want right into your virtual vortex.
Marie Kondo, author of the Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has spent a lifetime of trial and error figuring out the most effective method for decluttering your space. She had literally been obsessed with tidying (don’t you just love that word?) since she was a little girl.
How is the KonMari decluttering method different?
- Tidying (or decluttering) only needs to be done once. Marie’s clients have never had a relapse which is proof her system works. Having only done the first 2 parts of the system (clothes and books) I can already see how this works and more importantly FEEL the difference in my space.
- The KonMari Method shifts the way you look at and experience the things in your home, teaching you how to make decisions with your heart, not your head!
- Marie’s method honors your possessions by caring for them and finding a permanent place for everything in you home to “live”
Breakdown of the KonMari Method
A) Tidying involves 2 actions:
1. Discarding
2. Deciding where to store the items you choose to keep
B) Clear clutter by category, not by place. I mentioned this briefly in my Do You Need a Clutter Buster blog. However, Marie’s book breaks this down for you by providing a specific order:
1. Clothes
2. Books
3. Papers
4. Miscellaneous
5. Mementos
C) Discarding
The KonMari Method introduces a twist to this time-worn decluttering tradition. Instead of focusing on what to throw away, you are focusing on decising what to keep. And here’s the golden nuggest of advice to take from this book and blog, if you don’t read further:
1. Take everything in that category out whereever it may be in the house and put it all in one place to sort.
2. Decide by picking up, touching and holding every single item and feeling what energy this sparks for you. You ONLY keep the item if it “sparks joy!” This means that you don’t think about whether you wore it yesterday or have never worn it, how much it cost, who gave it to you and so on. The only standard you use in deciding whether to keep something is if you LOVE it.
I also like Marie’s method because she thanks the items being discarded for their service. Even if you never used something, it has fulfilled it’s role. It may have brought you joy when you purchased it or when you received it or it may have been useful in some way. Someone else will love this item or if it’s broken, it may be time for it’s retirement.
D) Storage
You’ve heard this before – A place for everything and everything in it’s place, right? The way Marie determines where things should go is unique because:
- All things of the same category are stored together. Take safey pins, for example. How many of these to you have all over the house? Pulling them all out and putting them in one spot helps you see how much you have (and need) of things. I personally discovered a stash of toilet paper I had totally forgotten about. Needless to say, I won’t need to buy that for a while!
- Placing things where you put them away, not where you use them. It takes only a moment to grab something from it’s storage space, yet not knowing where you put something can cost you literally hours of time searching for it.
- Marie likens your items not having a home to you not having an address. Your things feel lost and uncared for. They don’t wear as well, look as good and often will break.
Folding
Marie recommends folding clothes so that you are able to see all the edges in the drawer. Folding clothes helps you see stains and tears and shows you care for your clothes so they will last longer.
Fold each piece into a simple smooth rectangle by folding the sides in first, then in 1/2 or 1/3. Folded clothes when standing on edge should fit the height of the drawer. See Marie’s book or You tube videos for further instructions on how to fold. Fold socks in half and then in thirds with toes inside. Rolling them stretches out the bands.
Arrange clothes in your closet (the ones that seem to like to hang better) so they rise to the right. This means the heavier, longer and darker color clothes will be on the left.
Seasonal suggestion
Marie recommends keeping all of your clothes out (once you clear those you don’t love, you will have room) and simply organizing them by weight.
One of the key Feng Shui principles is that everything is energy. Your possessions, like your home itself, need to be treated with care. Making sure you surround yourself only with things you love and making sure everything has a home shows appreciation, respect and love for your things and results in those things loving you back by lasting longer and looking better.
Want more details, buy Marie’s book here! It’s a quick read and literally can change your life. #FindingYourFiji #FengShui #Clutter #Organizing #energy #drains
Kim Julen, Shift Master
WWS Certified Feng Shui Practitioner
Certified Angel Card Reader
www.FindingYourFiji.com
651-230-7361
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I have gained a lot of info on Feng shui Tips for your Home Office. Thanks for the detailed explanation.
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You’re so welcome!
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