The Marie Kondo phenomenon
I doubt I have to spend time explaining you the Marie Kondo phenomenon. She has taken over our homes and our wardrobes over the last few months. Everyone is throwing away anything that doesn’t spark joy, just ask the Local Op shops around the country that have been overwhelmed by donations.
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Every mum would agree with me when it comes to toys and décor especially what probably sparks joy in your little one probably has the exact opposite effect on you.
“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.”
― The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
My kids are older now but how can I forget all the noisy toys and by noisy, I mean deafeningly so and the hideously useless gadgets that well-intentioned friends offered our kids over the years.
No one ever intentionally turns their space into a disorganised and cluttered mess. Life, kids, work and everything in between happen until one day you look, really look at your home and it is nothing like the gorgeous space you first created. No matter how much time and money you spend to make it better, all effort only seems to add to the chaos. The reality of the task to put it back into the home you used to have can be terribly overwhelming.
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That’s where Mary Kondo’s genius has struck. This petite soft-spoken lady tells you in the nicest possible that there is a way out and she has the formula. That one size fits all formula that will give you your home and your happy life back.
There is no doubt it works, the message is clear, we have too much, far too much of everything and in every room.
“Clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore, storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort needed to get them out.”
― The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
In my line of work, I have entered many homes, in which most of the liveable space seemed to have been taken over by the children, all the way to the not so sacro saint parents’ bedroom. What happened to us? What do our homes say about us? No wonder we are all exhausted and overwhelmed, most homes do not offer a place to switch off and recharge, to just be.
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When I help people get unstuck, they wish I gave them the formula, the magical one that will put everything back where it belongs, which I can do and I am more than happy to. My aim though is to educate these families, not just to show them where to put things. I want to make them feel in control and with their input find a way to transform their home as well as their mindset, which in my opinion, is what will spark the most joy.
Mary Kondo, bless her, has brought the problem of the well off countries into light. We love watching the show because we recognise ourselves in some of the episodes. We can visually compare ourselves to these people in the privacy of our own living rooms.
I truly believe how we chose to keep and decorate our home have a direct impact on how families interact and grow and sometimes, having an outsider coming into your space can give you the motivation you need to get started and to keep going on your own.
