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The life changing magic of tidying up - Part 2

If you have something for more than 6 months, and is still not used, it is definitely a clutter.


In my previous post - 'The life changing magic of tidying up - Part 1', I had shared my views on 'why Decluttering and organisation is important'. And if you are reading this post, that means you are here for a reason and you have a strong desire to reset your life and improve your lifestyle. #simplifyyourlife

All of us has some "junk" lying around the house. Regardless of how much stuff we have, we all can benefit from the KonMari method of decluttering that I am going to share in this post. (method introduced by Marie Kondo, the author of The Life changing magic of tidying up). The idea of living a decluttered and organised life may seem attractive to many, but some get anxious with the very next question - "Where shall I begin from?" , "What are the ways to step on the decluttering journey?".


Though there are many techniques to follow to declutter your space, but with over four million books copies sold, it's no surprise that KonMari method has gotten so much attention. #Konmari

There is something unique about her method. Her basic principle behind tidying is to decide what is important to you, rather than to decide what to discard.


Here's what I learned from her book:


1. Discard First : What standard do you use to decide what to throw away? One is to discard things when they are no more functional. for example, when electronics break down, we discard them. Second is to discard when things get expired. for example, eatables.

What if you have no reason to discard?

We all have stuff that is lying around in our house since long time but is never used. I used to find it very difficult to discard the items until I read KonMari technique. It says, Hold each item in your hand and ask "Does this spark joy?" If it does, KEEP it else THROW it out.

Declutter your closet, wardrobe in easy steps


2. Tidy by category : Tidying your house is so much fun! But you need to follow the right order. i.e. tidy by category. According to KonMari technique, You may categorize all house stuff into the following categories :

(a) Clothes (including handbags, shoes, belts etc.)

(b) Books/Newspapers/Papers

(c) Miscellaneous Items

(d) Stuff that hold sentimental value like Photographs, albums.


Since tidying by category takes some time, so I like to do this task on weekends.

Lets say, sorting clothes. The first step is to check every wardrobe, cupboard in the house and gather all your clothes in one spot. Make sure you have gathered every last piece of clothing. Then, the next step is hold each piece of cloth and feel if it sparks joy. and Now, you know the drill.

After you have finished with this activity, you will be left with two piles of clothes, one to keep and another one to either throw away or donate.

Konmari technique of decluttering, tidy by category

3. Designate a place for everything : This is the routine I follow every day when I return from work. I put my house keys on the key holder just near my main gate. Then, I take off my shoes and keep them in the designated shoe rack. Then, I put my handbag in the designated box in my cupboard.

The point in deciding specific places to keep things is to designate a spot for EVERYTHING. This not only keeps your house clean, but also let you know if you can buy new item.

Its easy, if you have a space for anything new, only then you should buy it, else it will be a clutter lying around in the house.



Designate a place for everything for easy access

4. Follow OIOO : I recently started following the technique of One IN, One OUT (OIOO). That means, if you purchase something, then discard something of the same category, so that you do not end up making clutter.


The above techniques definitely has changed my mindset and now, instead of counting it as a task, I enjoy cleaning my home. 😊

Tidying is not something to be done everyday. This is a one time activity, once your house is tidy, the only tasks that you will need to continue is to decide what to keep and what to discard.

You can put your house in order, once and forever. 😊

Do share in comments if you like this post, Also share what are your ways to tidy your space.


Keep smiling till my next post. ♡

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