The Japanese are probably the most efficient when it comes to organization and space use. When I came across "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo on Amazon, I got curious and downloaded it on kindle.Here are some of the new things I learned from the KonMari (a combination of the last and first names of the author) method when it comes to organizing and de-cluttering:
1. When you organize, you have to do it completely in one go because this is when you experience the dramatic transformation of your organized space. This major transformation has a profound effect on your emotions and mindset that will inspire a strong aversion to reverting to your previously cluttered state. The same impact won't be achieved if the process of tidying up is done gradually.
2. When we store folded clothes, usually they are stacked vertically so the tendency is we often wear whatever's on top. To avoid this, clothes should be stacked on edge, side by side so that when you pull open your drawer, you can see the edge of every item. And don't worry about wrinkling because the book says that it is not the number of folds that causes wrinkles but the amount of pressure applied on the clothes.
How to fold the clothes? First, fold each lengthwise side of the garment toward the center (such as the left-hand, then right-hand, sides of a shirt) and tuck the sleeves in to make a long rectangular shape. It doesn’t matter how you fold the sleeves. Next, pick up one short end of the rectangle and fold it toward the other short end. Then fold again, in the same manner, in halves or in thirds. The number of folds should be adjusted so that the folded clothing when standing on edge fits the height of the drawer.
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| Source: Pinterest |
3. If you love books (like I do!), you know it's hard to part with books. But here's a nice insight from the author -
The true purpose of books is to be read and to convey information. It’s the information they contain that has meaning. There is no meaning in their just being on your shelves. You read books for the experience of reading. Books you have read have already been experienced and their content is inside you, even if you don’t remember. So when deciding which books to keep, forget about whether you think you’ll read it again or whether you’ve mastered what’s inside. Instead, take each book in your hand and decide whether it moves you or not. Keep only those books that will make you happy...the ones that you really love (your Hall of Fame books).
If you have books you intend to read someday but you've never gotten around reading them, it's time to let them go too. I agree with the author that there's such thing as perfect timing when it comes to books. She said the moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it. To avoid missing that moment, I recommend that you keep your collection small. So true! That's why I stopped hoarding physical books during sale even if they are so cheap because some are left unread and forgotten for years!
Kindle really works for me since I only purchase books one after another (no temptation to hoard), thus, I never miss a moment. I also technically get to keep all the books I want because they don't occupy physical space. :)
4. Discarding sentimental items is probably the most difficult task. Here's something to help you loosen up -
The thought of disposing sparks the fear that we’ll lose precious memories along with them. But you don’t need to worry. Truly precious memories will never vanish even if you discard the objects associated with them. When you think about your future, is it worth keeping mementos of things that you would otherwise forget? We live in the present. No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now are more important.
The same goes for letters. The purpose of a letter is fulfilled the moment it is received. By now, the person who wrote it has long forgotten what he or she wrote and even the letter’s very existence.
That is so true. I have kept old letters from friends (and vice-versa) and when we talk about their content, neither remembers what we were talking about. Haha... But I guess if you really want to keep the letters without occupying too much space, you can always scan them and keep a digital copy.
If you're still not convinced, here's another beautiful insight from the author -
It is not our memories but the person we have become because of those past experiences that we should treasure. This is the lesson these keepsakes teach us when we sort them. The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.
5. Are you the type who change office bags regularly? Try this tip - empty your bag every day. Find a box and place the items vertically inside it. This way, if you need to remove an item from your bag for the day you won't forget. And if you don't need all the usual items for a specific day, you don't have to carry excess baggage as well. I've been practicing this for a week and it does work because I have now become more mindful on what I only need for the day.
One last important thing - the top 2 main causes of clutter are: (1) too much effort is required to put things away and (2) it is unclear where things belong. If we fail in either of these, clutter is likely to come back. Thus, the key is we need to find a way to reduce the effort to put things away. (Still working on this one since I am always on clutter rebound and that is why I occasionally read books like this! Haha...)
