January 14th, 2019

 "Keep only those things that speak to your heart," Marie Kondo, Japanese organizing consultant and author. (1984 -     ) 

BY JULIA ANDERSON
 Marie Kondo’s book, “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up,” will be delivered this week to my doorstep. I’ve watched three episodes of her eight-part Netflix series, “Tidying Up.”

I am intrigued by her mantra, “Does this object bring you joy?” If not, say thank you and goodbye.

Over the weekend, I decluttered the guest bedroom closet and a cupboard in the laundry room. I know, Kondo wants you to start with clothes, but I decided to start small. For me the experiment worked!

I let go of the big-shouldered ‘80s gold silk blouse with the black swooshes across the front that I wore at my 40th birthday party. I thanked it for the joy it had brought me and said goodbye. My 40th is so far in the past it isn’t even in my rear-view mirror.

I said goodbye to a couple of business suits I still held on to from nearly nine years ago when I left the 9-to-5 newsroom job. My thinking: I might need a classy business suit again someday. Not going to happen.

De-cluttering hangs like a guilty fog over many in my Baby Boomer generation. We look around our houses and see sentimental connections to the past in our furniture, our dishware, art and certainly our family photos. Never mind all the stuff we’ve picked up here and there.

After 18 years of living in the same house, every closet, all shelf space and every cabinet is full. I need to tidy up.

Kondo’s technique asks us to organize according to preference. This is somehow freeing. I can let go if I say thank you. I can let go if it no longer “sparks joy.” The process worked with the blouse from my 40th. 

And it worked with the laundry room cabinet space where I have stashed stuff without any thought to category or why it went there. With nothing of high priority, items went either to the trash or to the downstairs shop with the rest of the paint supplies. Most of the laundry shelf space is now empty, a happy (if not unsettling) result.

These small steps feel good. Maybe I can work my way to clothes in the over-stuffed master closet and to the big bin of “collectible” T-shirts from rock concerts that is hidden in the attic.

According to media interviews, Kondo is shocked by how much stuff Americans have and how emotional we get when we unburden ourselves by letting go and throwing away.

Her KonMari Method challenges us to ask the simple question, “Does this spark joy?”  If not, goodbye.
She breaks the de-cluttering process into categories, not by place: (Oops, I already violated that rule.)

Those categories in order are:
Clothes
Books
Papers
Miscellany (How about bathroom cupboards?)
Mementos (photos, scrap books etc.)

She asks you to pile ALL your clothes in a big pile in a one location. Then ALL your books. ALL your kitchen stuff, and so on. Then you address each item in each pile by holding it and asking yourself, “does it spark joy.” If not, discard.  She recommends discarding first, then storing later.

Once the discarding is finished, designate a place for each thing that you keep.

This worked for me with the closet and the cupboard. At least I tiptoed into the experience.

But Baby Boomers may need a new revised book from Kondo. This new book would cover de-cluttering but also suggest how to handle the dispersal of tangible assets of real value (art, jewelry, books, dishware, cars). The new book might suggest a process for finding out what your heirs want. And a process for organizing a list to avoid fights later.

Her new book might suggest how to off-load items of value such as art pieces that no family member wants, rugs that are too big for Millennial apartments, valuable furniture and collectibles. I can’t just give this stuff to Goodwill.

For me, the pressure is growing. In her early 90s, my mother turned to me one day and said how sorry she was about leaving her house full of stuff for me and my sister to sort through. Her house was definitely full from top to bottom. Fortunately for me, my sister moved into the house. I only asked for a few things.

My issue now with my own home is not so much clearing out clutter because I am not totally over-run but letting go of sentimental treasures. The clock is ticking. I don't want to end up with regrets, like my mother's.
My pledge to myself this year is to:
- Sell something on eBay.
- Sell something on Craig’s list.
- Invite all family members to tour the house and make a list of items they someday might want. Then update the tangible asset distribution list and give a copy to everyone affected.
- Give away to charity certain items of value that might raise money for a worthy cause.
​
According to Kondo’s book web site, she’s sold 5 million copies of “Tidying Up,” worldwide.  Bless you, Marie.
 
For MORE:
For her book at Amazon.com, click here.
My SMART MONEY show regarding tangible assets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeNE3F4PV4w

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