Sandwiched
2019 has become the year of MAJOR deep cleaning for many people thanks to the popular Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. I first heard about the KonMari method of de-cluttering and cleaning through a Facebook post last month. I typically deep clean my home over a four-day weekend in January or February, so this was perfect timing.
I’m not a huge TV fan, but I decided to check out her show one evening when I wasn’t feeling well. I ended up watching four episodes. The next thing I knew, a friend loaned me Marie Kondo’s book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I read the entire thing in one sitting.
I was hooked. I marked my calendar to take Feb. 8-11 off to do my annual cleaning, and for once I looked forward to that time instead of dreading it!
If you’re not familiar with the concept, in summary, Kondo advises donating things that don’t spark joy and organizing clothing/items vertically vs. horizontally.
Now, I don’t agree with everything she suggested in the show or the book, and I’m sure I’m not alone. For instance, my ugly gardening clogs don’t give me one bit of joy, but they’re necessary for yard work. However, I learned the concepts that fit our family the best and we were off and running!
My husband John had only one appointment for work last Friday and none on Saturday, so he joined me for the first half. After I shared the basic ideas, he surprised me with how much he was willing to part with! Soon we had a minivan full of items for donation and bags for recycling, Household Hazardous Waste, and trash.
My sons joined us Sunday afternoon to clear out their bedrooms and their game room. John worked on a separate room that morning, and soon another minivan full of items headed to Goodwill.
Monday I was on my own and finished the process in our dining room and downstairs bathroom. After trips to Salvation Army, the sheriff’s office for prescription disposal, Staples for some shredding, and a trip Tuesday to Household Hazardous Waste, we were … done! And thankfully we just built a new garage and I de-cluttered and cleaned our basement last summer, so we don’t have to worry about those areas.
So, was it worth our aching heads, backs and the exhaustion? I can tell you 100 percent – YES! For example, by folding clothes and putting them in drawers vertically vs. horizontally, you can find exactly what you need in one glimpse. And putting clothing and other items away with the vertical method is easier as well.
Next stop? My mom’s place! She has a small apartment in assisted living, so I think we can do some major magic together in just one afternoon. Mom’s been hinting about needing some help with organizing, so this is perfect timing.
I’m sure this method isn’t for everyone. But if you’re looking to de-clutter and organize your home, I highly recommend checking out at least some of Kondo’s ideas. Happy cleaning!