This is a book (and her additional second book) that is well worth reading, if you love organizing your home and space.
First, I LOVE Kondo’s idea of saying hello to the home. I grew up believing in Animism without knowing it was an actual belief system! It’s basically the idea that all things real and unreal, has a life/energy of some kind. I took great care of my things and toys. I even felt bad for the trees and rocks when it was cold and windy outside. Heck, I even felt for my house! I know they probably don’t feel cold or anything, but my empathy towards them is what mattered. I think that would be another way to express love! So it didn’t surprise me when Kondo would pray to the home. But it is true, if you take care of the house, it will definitely take care of you!
Secondly, I didn’t really put a lot of thought into what I wanted my home to look like. Especially not the details. But it is just like a manifestation technique! So I have been trying to visualize what I want, and oddly enough, what I want changed over the years! I originally wanted a dark, brooding, mansion look for that Victorian vintage feel. Now, living in places with whitish walls and counters, I am leaning towards a brighter feel with clutter-free counters and few favorite pieces on display. I even had a nice dream where I walked into my kitchen and it was all white! It felt so clean! I do love my wooden furniture though. I don’t like the idea of painting over the natural wood color. So the visualization is a work in progress…probably always will be.
Categories! That is what I was doing all along. She discovered categories I have never thought of! So in using her list, I made a list of my own, incorporating her categories. Then began checking them off as I went through my things again. Categories such as grouping all house supplies (cleaning, toilet paper, linens, medicines) and house equipment (sewing, office stuff, tools, vacuum). Keeping electrical things together. Putting valuables together. Who knew?!
I can’t wait to move into our next house, hopefully bigger, to play around with her categories again in a new space!
Saving sentimental items last, is a good idea, because it takes time to go through things that are important to us. For example, on top of a few things I still have at my childhood home since I don’t have room for them, is my totes of school stuff my mom saved from when we all started school! It will take a while to go through! So I plan to do those last. But I AM getting impatient! I can’t wait to go through the memories and have fun doing it.
“What sparks joy?” is a great question to ask. We want to love everything in our space around us! Once I began preaching it a little to my husband, he used it to get a stuffed alpaca and a poncho. Like really? Such is his personality! Haha. He DOES use that poncho!
