Changes in the Rest of Your Life from Using the Kondo Method

[ejchase]

Hi Everybody,

I have been putting off reading Kondo's book ever since it came out simply because I'm more on the brink of being a hoarder than just a messy person, and I thought it would be too discouraging. But after starting reading it today, I can see the total logic in it. It's just that "doing everything in one fell swoop" in my house would mean taking a month off of work and all other responsibilities, which I can't do. Nevertheless, I am on a reduced work schedule this summer and have, actually, been doing what she says you must do first: discarding. And I've been able to do it in long sessions. And I can see that once I'm through with that, that I will be able to sort things by category.

One thing I love in the book is the idea that changing your home will change your life. I've always totally believed that my hoarding issues were, at bottom, a spiritual issue, and that when I tidy, I'm doing a kind of spiritual work. I mean after all, getting rid of what you don't need and arranging what is most important in the way that makes the most sense to you seems to be, to me, the essence of living a good life.

I'm curious if any of you who have done so much Kondo-ing have noticed significant changes in other areas of you life. Hearing about them sure would be inspiring!

[Yppej]

Getting rid of the DVDs my ex boyfriend left here over 3 years ago has been cathartic, and amazingly he has stopped contacting me. Coincidence?

I have to be careful though. The Bible talks about a woman who finally cleared her house of a devil and it saw the house swept and cleaned and returned with 7 spirits more evil than itself. So it's not just getting rid of bad energy but keeping it away by changing underlying habits and not just the surface level of things.

[Tammy]

I greatly reduced the items hanging on my walls a few years ago. Pictures, paintings, etc. now there's only have 7 in the whole house.

Now it's things that are meaningful to me instead of things that someone gave me so I felt the need to display it.

I feel like my house is mine - not someone else's museum or display case.

This makes me feel:

More able to say no
More empowered when visitors stop by
More confident in who I am without needing to explain or defend

[Teacher Terry]

Now that my home is less cluttered I feel calmer and I want to clean more often because it is so much easier. I too only kept those things that have real meaning to me. I slowly donated my porcelain doll collection to silent auctions for medical care for people in need. I am down to 2 dolls that I am keeping. I sold my curio cabinet and donated everything in it to Husky rescue which resells the items through ebay.

[Geila]

We're enjoying our house so much more. It always looks clean because there's no clutter. And when it's time to clean, it's so much easier. I find that it's made me really focus on what is important to me right now and put my energies towards that.

I also have much more energy to pursue things that are not house/clutter related. When my house was cluttered, my mind felt cluttered and tired from all the energy that the clutter represented and drained from me. In a real sense, clutter is a depressant for me. So that's a big one - it has relieved me of a depression-inducing burden.

[ejchase]

I realized I could answer my question by just reading the "Trying out the Konmari Method" thread below. Thanks to all of you who chimed in there and here. It helps to hear from people who have already been through this.

I'm feeling a bit discouraged today. I did 40 hours of decluttering when I was on a reduced work schedule in winter and am halfway through another 40 hours this summer when I am also working less, and it just feels like it will never end. It feels like I have gotten so-o-o much stuff out the door and I look around, and there are so-o-o many piles to go through just to make the place presentable. I'm not even tackling clothes and books yet because the floor of my bedroom, the hallway, and the desk in the guest bedroom are all piled with crap I haven't dealt with. Sigh.

Okay. Thanks for letting me vent.

I'm going back to it now!

[Yppej]

EJ if you aren't already can you play music while you work or anything to help?

[ejchase]

Hi, Yppej, I am playing Baroque music while I work. I read somewhere years ago (maybe on this site?) that that helps, and I find it does, though sometimes I have to turn it off when I really need to concentrate.

I am regrouping, have a plan to focus today on tasks that will help me see progress (just posted the specifics in the 40 hours thread). But I so appreciate knowing all of you who understand are "out there!"

[Teacher Terry]

If I lived by you I would come help) I actually have helped some of my friends do this and it was fun. Keeping working and one day you will notice a huge difference.

[nswef]

EJ, I admire your determination and willingness to change. I do hope your time today lets you see all the progress you have made and gives you courage to continue the process.