Before this blog, and even before my business with Noonday Collection, I discovered the life-changing magic of tidying up.

Well, partly.

If you’re unfamiliar, I’m talking about Marie Kondo’s famous book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. It took the world by storm a few years ago and has resulted in a Netflix series, and army of certified KonMari consultants, and a few more books.

What is KonMari?

In short, the approach entails going through your belongings one category at a time, in the correct order. You touch each item and ask, “Does this spark joy?” (Another helpful question for me is, “Does this belong in my future?”) (Note - the question about joy sometimes gets mocked but we need to think broadly about joy. My screwdriver might not appear to spark joy, and certainly doesn’t in the same way a favorite dress or bowl does. But being relieved of the anxiety I would feel if I didn’t have a screwdriver? Being able to reach for the perfect tool for the job just when it’s needed? I’d say that sparks joy in its own way.) When the answer is no, we thank the item and discard it with respect. Then we store our remaining belongings - all of which surround us with joy - according to Marie Kondo’s tips. (For a great overview of the method, check out the Spark Joy podcast, Episode 1 - but this doesn’t replace reading the book, which is super helpful if you really want to follow the approach.)

So much resonated with me about the book because it lined up with - and informed - my own philosophy of stuff, which I call Conscious Curation. (Read all about it here.) Furthermore, it appealed to me because I needed it! I’m a chronically untidy person, who also, unfortunately, is highly sensitive to clutter. A dangerous combination. When my tasks are interrupted by things being out of place, when I have to search for things or tell family members where to find them, when I want to put something away but don’t have a clear idea of where it should go, when my line of vision just contains reminders of undone tasks rather than a serene view - these things drive my anxiety through the roof and make me want to just escape.

My experience and why it didn’t stick

So I decided in early 2016 to KonMari my home. I did probably 70% of it, which WAS life-changing - but not permanent.

The life change happened because for a time, certain areas of my home truly were serene and well-organized. And my mind became clearer - clear enough, in fact, that I was open to launching my business later that year, much to my surprise.

But 70% wasn’t enough, because when a chunk of your belongings still haven’t been dealt with, they creep through the house and turn it to chaos all over again. Looking back, I also realize that I foolishly took a short cut on the first step of KonMari. The first step is not, as some may think, tidying clothing (although that is the first category). Before any tidying begins, we are told to vividly visualize our ideal lifestyle, and how our home will support it. What are my values? What do I want to feel like at home? What are my goals? Eager to dump all my clothes on my bed and dig in, I never did get a clear vision of what this was all for. For me, KonMari was about avoiding the pain of chaos, not about what I was actually fighting for. And just like with our belongings, the focus in KonMari is not on what we are letting go of, but on what we keep, and what we aspire to.

3.5 years after fizzling out, I’m recently feeling at a breaking point, back to the anxiety described above. So I’m recommitting to the process, and to doing it properly and completely this time, in hopes that I’ll reach that “click” point and it will stick!

How I plan to make this time different

The last few years have brought some clarity around why my KonMari efforts didn’t entirely stick and what to do about it. Here’s how I hope to make it different this time around.

I purchased the Tidy Home Joy Journal, which is by certified KonMari consultant Kristyn Ivey. After hearing her podcast, I was excited to check out this resource, which she developed to help her clients through their process. Completing the first few pages was hard but was a good step for clarifying my vision. She walks you through this vision process, as well as each category, with checklists and some questions to help you reflect on what your belongings and the process are teaching you. I highly recommend it!
I’m reviving a Facebook group that I created in 2016 for encouragement, inspiration, and support as we all attempted to KonMari together. It helped so much last time, because tidying can feel lonely! I hope to also bring attention to the importance of purchasing things that not only “spark joy,” but that are ethically made and built to last when possible.
I plan to involve my kids more this time, now that they’re 7 and 9. In fact, I already went through my 7-year-old daughter’s clothes with her, and she really resonated with the ideas of joy, discarding with gratitude, and even folding. (We’ll see how long that lasts.) She even went through the house finding the perfect empty boxes to divide up her drawers into compartments, and we decided together how to categorize items and where they should go. After years of frustration when my kids refuse to take responsibility for their things, I want to reset my attitude and empower them to move out of the overwhelm and into calm - just like what I need. Although I can’t make anyone else change and I need to remember this process is a personal one, I do hope that they’ll feel inspired and the process will give us some shared language as they make decisions around what to buy, when to give something away, etc. At the very least, we’ll hopefully minimize the exhausting questions of “Mom, where is X?” and “Where does this go?”

How to join me

Whether you’ve attempted KonMari before like me, or you’re new to it, will you join me in committing to surround yourself with joy and let go of the rest? If so, here’s what to do!

Join my Facebook group
Order the book (and the journal if you wish, to help solidify your goals and your planning)
While you wait and in between tidying sessions, check out a few episodes of the Spark Joy podcast for inspiration.
Want to see my progress (and hold me accountable)? I’ll be posting on Instagram (@juliegodshall).

I’d love to hear from you! Have you tried KonMari before? Do you have any tips to share?