“I get a lot of pleasure from seeing areas of my home neat and organized in a pretty way. For me, that DOES mean a container I like to store things in.”
Me too. But I use the beautiful container as a reward after I have organized and kept it up for a bit. So I organized my junk drawer using dollar store container. But a year later when I’d kept it neat I went to container store and bought beautiful Poppin ones. On the fifth anniversary of keeping my closets organized and hanging up all clothes that weren’t gong to the laundry ever single day, I had the Container Store come out and design beautiful new closets and then install them. It makes me happy every time I look in them.
A couple of small tweaks gave me pleasure. I junked all my weird hangers and spent less than 10$ to buy all matching white hangers. And last year, I made all different colored towels “dog towels” and got some “people towels” which are white. Bathrooms are more serene now, and we know which towels to dry the dogs with.
In addition to 1-800-Got Junk mentioned above (relatively expensive), there is the Dolly app (cheaper than Got Junk, basically like uber, but used to hire movers/lifters/deliverers). I think Dolly is national, but there are also city/regional moving apps, too. Our local Nextdoor app always has college kids advertising “strong man” services too.
Someone unthread mentioned that she was struggling with how to organize scarves. This is what I did a couple of years ago, before I ever heard of Marie Kondo. I fold each scarf down to the size of a square or rectangle,and then roll it. All rolled scarves are then stored standing up in a rectangular fabric woven basket. I can see all my scarves, they are contained, and I have easily maintained this system. Since I have a lot of scarves, I actually have two baskets. One is for the lighter weight scarves, and the second is for the heavier, pashmina-like ones.
Kondo lost me when she started selling boxes. In other words, became a vehicle for her clients to buy more STUFF. That’s when, to me, what was a pleasant (and apparently for many people effective) tidying technique became a money-making machine.
I distinctly remember when her book first came out in the US, that she said you don’t need any special boxes, and can reuse containers and boxes that other items come in, things you usually either recycle or throw away, or keep around the house.
Then came the Marie Kondo boxes. What’s next, I wonder? Marie Kondo t-shirts that are easily identifiable when folded? Specially designed underwear for easy folding?
@kiddie I’m sorry about your job but way to look at the bright side.maybe decluttering will open the way for new opportunities.
@rosered55 I agree and that is a big motivation for me too. My kids won’t know the memories attached to some ratty sweater from my college days. That and knowing others could be using certain things makes them easy to pass along.
I liked her books but haven’t enjoyed the shows as much. I don’t roll items like she does but I do appreciate thinking about if it still gives me joy.
We are planning a downsize/move several states away this summer. S19, the last of 3, will graduate HS in May so I’m processing a lot of mental stuff while decluttering. It’s hard but feels good to clean the slate for a new adventure!
@katliamom have you watched the show at all? I ask because it seemed when she walked in the homes she brought an assortment of mixed matched boxes. I would have thought coordinated pretty matching ones - but I didn’t notice any like that. Maybe I missed it though -
Just did sock drawer - … donated six filled bags to goodwill yesterday.
We had a closet company create storage/hanging space in all of our closets when we built our house—also had them create storage space in the laundry room for linens, towels, etc. It makes a huge difference because everything has its place. When a space fills up, I know it is time to get rid of stuff.
In one, where the kids didn’t initially have a dresser, she used standard shoe boxes for the folded t-shirts. (I was kind of impressed she was practical that way.)
She has a business. Most successful businesses look to increase revenue in ways that support their mission - hers, to organize. She never says (on tv anyway) that the purpose is to save $$$ or to stop from spending - it’s to experience order, beauty, joy (or any combo of) in your home.
Chefs write cookbooks, get a cooking show on tv, develop a line of cookware or utensils, start a podcast, etc. - they are nurturing their business.
As a consumer, you decide how much they offer to consume.
Boy, I am all over the place. I see now why she starts with categories of thing. I am jumping from closet to bathroom cabinet to linen closet to hall closet, ridding myself of stuff along the way. I guess it’s all good, just likely not what Marie would suggest.
I really like the Washington Post column linked by happymomof1 back in #134, “Keep your Tidy Spark Joy Hands off my Book Piles.” Kondo apparently suggested discarding books that do not contain information you need now.
I don’t have most of my books for information purposes. I have them for entertainment, inspiration, insights, windows into shared humanity.
I purchased two of the Marie Kondo books, close to the time that they came out. They might be with my collection of approximately 28 other decluttering books.
I basically figured that I was doomed when I held two “Hello Kitty” barrettes in my hand, and found that they did indeed “spark joy.” Most of my possessions either spark joy or serve a needed functional purpose. Our house is still quite cluttered. I suppose I could get rid of the excess decluttering books, but some of them actually help to inspire me to declutter. And it’s different ones, depending on my mood and circumstances.
@abasket Apologies. I’m sorry I said anything. But there’s a level of publicity that makes the Kondo or the celebrity chef du jour. It spreads geometrically. An article here, a tv appearance there, and somehow that conveys authority. Some mass reaction. In itself, it’s a business for the people behind a celebrity. Oh, Rachel Ray needs a line of pots and pans. Dog food, books, dinnerware. Now Kondo has a tv show, sells goods.
I get that it’s capitalism. Or entrepreneurship. But the publicity machine drives it. PR folks suggest articles to media, a contest. It’s not as pure as you and I writing a self help book. And it helps that Kondo is cute and somewhat exotic to Americans.
I do thank items. It helps the anxiety about giving up something that has been “me” for years. But it annoyed me when the widow was filmed implying all is now well because she scrapped his clothes. As if it’s that simple.
I think it’s a matter of perspective. The show is what 35-40 minutes or so? How much could they show about the widow and her life before or after her H died? I simply took Marie helping her as a STEP not a SOLUTION to her grieve. Also, I have to say, that woman really seemed to be a positive, glass half full woman. She clearly -through that 40 minutes or so - conveyed to me that she adored her H, missed him terribly, but was not done living herself - thus the need to take a STEP - maybe just one, inside her home - before she could take other steps in her life outside of her home.
If I was writing a self help book I would have to work my rear off to get noticed. And that would mean employing a degree of PR behind my work - either myself (getting the media, exposure, etc.) or a PR professional.
Anywho, I think I’ll go watch another episode while I do a little computer work - I think I have a couple left !
I think truly living an uncluttered tidy life had to be something you want. At some point a few years ago I got tired of living with clutter and always hunting for things. I set my mind to being different. I read alot and used strategies from different people that worked for me. My home now brings me joy. When the cable guy was here and asked for a spare battery to see if that’s why the new remote wasn’t working it made me so happy when I went right to my cabinet where I keep the batteries in labeled containers and he said “this is the most organized house I’ve ever been in and I’ve been in homes for 20 years!” And it made me happy that I knew where those batteries were.
My life is easier now too that I don’t spend time trying to find things or frantically cleaning because someone is coming over. My house always looks good.
What is a logo t-shirt? Is it a t-shirt that says something? I have two kind of t-shirts; ones the cat has picked holes in and ones she hasn’t gotten to yet. I keep them in separate drawers so I don’t wear the holey ones out of the house.
