“Does it spark joy” is very useful heuristic. But what about things that have an emotional attachment? Or were really expensive?
I’m working my way through “it’s all too much” (
https://www.amazon.com/Its-All-Too-Much-Living/dp/0743292650) and it has some great tips. If something is emotionally valuable you better be displaying it or treating it like it’s valuable. If you’re not it’s probably dead weight. If something was costly but you’re not using it, you’re paying MORE for it by storing it indefinitely. And so on. Tips on how to talk about clutter with the family etc. Very useful book.
Photography helped me get rid of old clothes I “loved” 3-4 years ago.
I took all my sentimental clothing items (first concert tee, that gross hoodie I really loved) that I hadn’t worn in years and laid them all out on the floor. I snapped a photo of each and after that I felt completely comfortable with throwing them away.
3-4 years later I haven’t looked at the photos or missed the clothing, but I get a warm feeling anticipating the moments I’ll relive when I do bump into them in Photos.
I do the same thing, and it’s amazing how much it helps. It’s like you don’t want to lose the feeling you remember when seeing the item, but the item itself is completely irrelevant.
If you’re emotionally attached to something, you can consider that “sparking joy”. Although personally, I’d have to think hard about whether or not certain emotional attachments were good or healthy. Like, the old, ratty blanket from childhood? It has sentimental value, but it’s not really worth keeping because it just takes up space.
I think the whole point of KonMari is just that you’re mindful and thoughtful when choosing, but ultimately it’s all up to you.
What I liked about "It's All Too Much" was when he started people off with "Imagine the life you want."
That sort of rearranged things in my mind. You imagine the life you want to live, then it becomes clear what things in your life support your vision, and what things don't fit.
I guess add in "spark joy" and it helps.
The Marie Kondo book also set me straight on paperwork. Basically she said - get rid of it all (with a few minor exceptions).
This comes off as a rather long-winded summary, and it neglects to mention one of the core principles of the method, which is that you must physically touch the object you are deciding whether to keep or discard, not just look at it. Make piles on the floor and hold each item. I would put that in a 50-word summary. :D
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[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 31.6 ms ] threadI’m working my way through “it’s all too much” ( https://www.amazon.com/Its-All-Too-Much-Living/dp/0743292650) and it has some great tips. If something is emotionally valuable you better be displaying it or treating it like it’s valuable. If you’re not it’s probably dead weight. If something was costly but you’re not using it, you’re paying MORE for it by storing it indefinitely. And so on. Tips on how to talk about clutter with the family etc. Very useful book.
I took all my sentimental clothing items (first concert tee, that gross hoodie I really loved) that I hadn’t worn in years and laid them all out on the floor. I snapped a photo of each and after that I felt completely comfortable with throwing them away.
3-4 years later I haven’t looked at the photos or missed the clothing, but I get a warm feeling anticipating the moments I’ll relive when I do bump into them in Photos.
I think the whole point of KonMari is just that you’re mindful and thoughtful when choosing, but ultimately it’s all up to you.
That sort of rearranged things in my mind. You imagine the life you want to live, then it becomes clear what things in your life support your vision, and what things don't fit.
I guess add in "spark joy" and it helps.
The Marie Kondo book also set me straight on paperwork. Basically she said - get rid of it all (with a few minor exceptions).