We are 100% on board the Marie Kondo bandwagon. You have probably heard of the sensation Tidying Up with Marie Kondo streaming on Netflix screens everywhere. The KonMari method is an excellent practice and philosophy for de-cluttering your home. If you’re still lost on “what’s the big deal” with 2019’s smashing trend, let us explain why we’re believers in tidying up your home and environment and how we do it.
FUNCTIONALITY FIRST
As designers, we wholeheartedly believe that our environment impacts our attitudes, happiness and health. The space you wake up in each morning, create family memories, come home to, and fall asleep in are directly connected to how we feel about ourselves and our lives. A sure-fire way to improve our home’s happiness level is by decluttering and cleaning. If your space isn’t functioning, neither are you. Also, clutter looks bad. We are not perfect, and we have no illusions that every home is completely clean and organized all the time. We do, however, believe our homes function best when everything has a purpose and place. This includes every kitchen gadget, mail, clothing, toy, and so on. Even your stuff is happier when it has a home. Invest in bins, cabinets, and (our favorite) a label maker so everyone in your home knows where things belong. Encourage your children’s independence to be responsible for their belongings by teaching them to put things in their “home” when they’re finished using them.
LET IT GO… let it go…
Clutter stresses us out! When we’re surrounded by clutter in forms of piles of clothes, bills and paperwork, dishes, overflowing cupboards and drawers, and so on, our minds can’t focus appropriately at the task at hand. It affects our productivity, concentration, and energy when items are misplaced and disorderly. One habit we started was an evening pick up. Before going to sleep, we take the time to pick up and put away. This will help you sleep peacefully and wake up ready to take on the day. If you’ve watched the show, you know that Marie Kondo’s motto is to see whether items “spark joy” or not. If you are holding onto things that don’t “spark joy,” then it’s time to let go. You still have to pay your bills, but once it’s paid, burn or shred the paperwork to get it out of the way.
GUILT IS NO GOOD
By letting go of guilt, we gain freedom. We have realized that guilt can be the culprit of clutter. Don’t hold on to items because of guilt. That scarf your relative knitted you once for your birthday many years ago but you never wear? It’s okay to part with it. That ice cream maker you got on major sale, never use, but might use it someday… Get rid of it. We have all held on to items because we felt guilty getting rid of them or fear of one day needing it. There’s nothing wrong with keeping sentimental items, but don’t keep for the sake of keeping and never using.
So you have a mountain of things to get rid of, where should it go? Here are a few suggestions to consciously recycle your belongings:
- Post items on Facebook Marketplace or your neighborhood garage sale site so it can go directly to someone with a need for it.
- Research local non-profit organizations that assist in specific needs, such as women and men trying to find clothing for jobs, women’s shelters, veteran services, medical condition organizations, etc. Our favorites – Bridging, Habitat for Humanity, Veterans Association, and local food shelves.
- Donate towels and bedding to a local animal shelter.
- Donate books, toys, games, arts and crafts supplies, and electronics to school/child care programs, libraries, crisis housing, low-income housing programs, etc.
- Donate Tupperware and food storage containers to a local soup kitchen or low-income housing programs.
We hope this was helpful. It can be a daunting task to declutter and minimize, but it is well worth it! You’re going to love the tidy look and the peacefulness it will bring you. We wish you a happy journey towards “sparking joy!”
Cheers,
Interior Impressions team
Authors: Katie Dean Miller & Jordan Weitzel
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