The KonMari Method™: Lessons From Gathering
Now that you have visualized your ideal lifestyle and have seen the clothing mountains of the families on “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” it is time to begin your tidying journey in the clothing category. So lets get started.
In a previous blog, I have shared the importance of gathering. While gathering ALL the clothing from every corner of your home, you may discover some treasured items that you have forgotten about, had lost, or don't recall buying. This is a completely normal experience and is what makes gathering so much more fun! Gathering gives us time to consider what else is in our closets that is NOT clothing. For example, do you find exercise equipment, luggage, kids part projects, and other miscellaneous items? Our closets are an easy location to store objects. One tip I like to share is taking the time to find these miscellaneous items a proper home to clear the clutter in your closet.
Once your gathering is complete, your Clothing Yama is probably pretty impressive. Take a moment to reflect on the time and energy it has taken for you to accumulate this collection. Gratitude is a very big practice of the KonMari Method™. Think about the gratitude you feel for the resources in your life that have given you this privilege to own all this material. This is a great time to reflect back on your ideal lifestyle.
If you feel overwhelmed by the volume of your gathering, this is the time to reassess your ideal lifestyle and make changes to help you simplify. You are then ready to engage in your joy checking exercise! One-by-one, choose and item from your Clothing Yama and hold it to your heart. Does it lift you up or weigh you down? If you feel it lift you up, it sparks joy. If not, you may want to consider if you want to keep it in your future life. This is your chance to honestly consider each and every single item in your closet. I encourage you to take your time and enjoy the journey of revisiting the circumstances surrounding each item. Believe in what your heart tells you and if you are ready to let something go, show it gratitude with a few words, "thank you for your service.”
There are so many lessons one can learn through KonMari, ones far greater than just organizing your home. Hopefully, through the gathering process, you will discover the sense of gratitude and joy I have described in this blog.
