Timely Reading

TimeI’m glad I got the second Marie Kondo book. Even though I haven’t made it very far, there are details I appreciate her bringing up. Every time I read something, I inevitably think “oops, I already messed that up” but I realize it’s not completely my fault. I simply started “tidying” before I knew all of her expert tips. I got rid of books she would have allowed me to keep. I apologized to clothing with tags still on, for not wearing and appreciating them (she has this thing about saying thank you and treating inanimate objects as living beings).

I’m happy to report I read something today just in time. She said if you have iffy items, go ahead and keep them confidently. Don’t stash them in the corner and see if you don’t miss them in 2 or 3 months. She says go ahead and keep them as if you love them, and see what happens. Either you’ll appreciate the item more, or realize you really don’t enjoy it that much. It reminds me of a youtube video by someone else (Simple Happy Zen, I believe) that said if you’re not sure about clothes you haven’t worn in a while, then start wearing them. You’ll either enjoy them and realize what you’re missing, or you’ll realize what was wrong with them and the reason you stopped wearing them. Either way, it sounds like it’ll be that much easier to make the decision and be at peace with it.

I had a couple of stuffies this week I just wasn’t sure about. I thought if they don’t jump out at you as sparking joy, that’s kind of a signal right off the bat that it’s a “no.” But Konmari says go ahead and keep them. She said keep them “with confidence.” I liked that. Keep them as if you have every right to. Like to heck with other people who tell you to make up your mind already. Just keep them as if you have every right to. Treat them wonderfully as if they do spark joy, and you will either love them or realize they have served their purpose and it’s ok to let them go (perhaps they did spark joy previously, so it’s ok, their mission has been completed). So these two stuffies are staying. I figured why not snuggle them and lounge about with them and see if I do feel a little happier with them being around. Just because they don’t rate a 10 on the spark joy scale, if I’m not ready to let them go yet, it’s ok. See, I told you I like her philosophies for the most part. This is why I got her books and am following her method (sort of, aside from my mistakes). She makes the process more enjoyable. I think that can make all the difference. You can get rid of stuff because you feel forced to, and feel dejected and disappointed. Feeling like you’re bad for having items in the first place, and worse that you feel obligated to get rid of items. You still liked. Or you can let stuff go because you realize you don’t love it anymore, and it’s time to move on, and create what is your ideal paradise around you right now. The end result might be the same number of items in your home, or similar improved space and clear pathways and reduced clutter. But the enjoyment of what you keep is her emphasis, and I’m all for it. By evaluating things as to whether they still “spark joy” for you is her theme, and it makes it so much easier to part with things when you realize it’s ok to thank them and let them go. Giving them to my relatives or a thrift shop means they still have a chance at being used and appreciated, so even treating them like living things, I’m allowing them to move on to a better life than being cramped up in my closet or storage. I’m not rejecting them and telling them they’re no good or have failed me. If that’s not therapeutic, I almost don’t know what is.