3 things you need to know if you are obsessed with Marie Kondo
It seems as if everyone is talking about Marie Kondo this winter. We all love her; we obsessively watch her show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, on Netflix; we dream about having her float into our humble abode and magically transform our things for us. Her show is the bright spot in this cold, dreary winter.
During Kondo’s appearance on The Late Show, Stephen Colbert said to her, “I don’t understand anything you’re saying when you say it, but even if you had no translator, I would follow you to a cult compound and never leave.” My sister texted me after watching the first episode, “Marie Kondo is so sweet and kind, I would do whatever she said to do.” Kondo just has that calming effect on people.
I’m not nearly as sweet or kind as Marie Kondo, but I’m an organizer and I love it when people get motivated to clean up and neaten their spaces. Before your new-found motivation from binge watching drives you to haul off and start ripping out the content of your entire clothes closet next Saturday morning, there are 3 things to consider:
1. You can do this yourself (maybe)
Before you start, consider the scope of your proposed organizing project. Do you want to transform your closet, pantry, junk drawer, entry closet, garage, or all of the above? Please don’t think that you can casually get up on Saturday morning, organize your closet and be done in time for brunch. Now you may be able to, but depending on how many times you’ve sorted through your clothes and shoes since you moved in 4 years ago, it is most likely a full day or multi-day project.
I have so many clients who call me after they have tried to do it themselves and they just, for many, varied reasons, couldn’t complete the project. It can be caused by uncertainty of the best methods to use or maybe you see something that distracts you to another project. Often, I sense that clients get overwhelmed with the perceived enormity of what they want to accomplish. I suppose the people I’ve never heard from are the ones who did successfully organize their stuff themselves, but don’t be afraid to ask for help if you cannot do it alone. Professional organizers won’t judge you; they will come in and help you achieve your goal of a boutique-like closet or a clutter-free pantry or a garage with stuff on labeled shelves and room to actually park your car.
2. You will have to get rid of some stuff
The thing that a lot of people can’t face or understand is that most of us just have TOO MUCH STUFF. We have multiples of everything and we keep old things even after we have bought new things to “replace” the old. (HINT: It’s NOT a replacement if you keep the old thing, it’s an addition and it causes your overall pile of possessions to increase.)
If you are serious about living well in your space and being organized, you will most likely have to address the physical things you own and get rid of some of them. There are many ways to address this — you can let go of things you haven’t used/worn/ever opened in a certain amount of time, e.g., if you haven’t worn it in a year, you most likely will not wear it. You can arbitrarily work to a certain number such as telling yourself that 12 baseball caps is enough; 25 golf shirts is the right number that will fit in my closet and keep me clothed; or 18 wine glasses is the right number. Then when you decide how many to keep, you pick your favs to meet your goal and let the rest go. These are just a couple of ways to address our clutter. Some things should be donated, some just thrown away and some may be candidates for resale.
The decluttering component is a integral part of most every organizing project. The better you work through your possessions, the better your chances of eventually living that streamlined, organized life of which you dream.
3. It’s not a “one and one done” kind of thing
Sorry about this, but even the best, most thorough decluttering/organizing projects will have to be continually re-visited to keep everything neat. You don’t have to be so obsessive that your family feels as if you are living in a home decorating magazine photo shoot. But you do have to think about where you put things away, what areas may be re-accumulating clutter, and what things you are not using that you could eliminate. I have clients who call me back in once or twice a year for follow-up sessions to get back on track. Remember, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Sarah Campbell is a professional organizer in the city of Chicago. She specializes in decluttering, organizing, preparing for moves and unpacking and setting up after a move for households and small businesses. Contact her at Sarah@anorganizedlifechicago.com for help with your organizing challenges!
