With spring on the horizon, many moms are anxiously looking around their crowded homes wondering where to even begin “spring cleaning.”
And with raising young kids, trying to maintain a healthy diet, and dealing with the demands of everyday life – let’s face it – organizing the linen closet is last on the priority list.
But a new hit show on Netflix is motivating moms everywhere to finally begin organizing and purging their stuff – and the best part of all is this technique actually works – and it’s changing the lives of busy moms all across the world.
Tidying Up With Marie Kondo is a Netflix hit which features master organizer Marie Kondo teaching families to adopt “The KonMari Method” when it comes to organizing their stuff.
During this series, she helps tearful moms begin to tackle the crippling mountain of stuff adding chaos to their lives.
And as it turns out, some of her tips are actually quite practical and can help families get their house in order.
So if you’re looking to finally tackle your clutter once and for all and get a head start to spring cleaning, here are some tips to get you started:
Category Not Location: When most of us clean, we start with the typical method of cleaning by room — “clean the living room”, “clean the bathroom”, etc.
But Kondo suggests starting by category, vs. location.
Her five categories (meant to go in order) include: Clothes, Books, Documents, Misc. Items, Mementos.
They key to this strategy is the belief that it is most likely easier to get rid of old clothes, vs. a sentimental item from a family member.
In addition, by de-cluttering by category names, it helps you to stay focused on the task at hand and gain momentum,
For example when tackling the clothes category, clothes are most likely not solely limited to just the bedroom – they are in the laundry room, coat closet, basement storage (and if your house is like most probably sprawled on the living room floor).
So when you tackle the clothes category, you are hitting multiple rooms all at once.
The Joy Test: Kondo suggests picking up each item and asking yourself “Does this item spark joy?” – which has led to countless memes on the Internet!
While we don’t necessarily suggest going to this extreme (such as picking up and talking to every item), it is helpful to understand her basic concept.
For example, are there clothes you have in your closet that you don’t love? You know, that shirt that is a little too tight (or too big), or the one with the color that always washes you out?
Pants with holes? Faded colors? Missing socks?
Her point is, if you don’t love the item you are wearing, let it go.
Not only can the item bring joy to someone else, but you’ll clear space in your closet for things you actually enjoy wearing, that make you feel confident.
You can even repurpose old-t-shirts into cleaning rags for the garage or around the house.
Involve The Whole Family: The goal of decluttering your house is not to stress you out even more nor put the pressure and sole responsibility of getting everything in order on your shoulders!
Kondo encourages the entire family to be involved in the process when it comes to storing and organizing items.
She suggests having each person’s item placed in one spot.
For example, children should have their toys and clothes in one area, not spread all over the home.
So when it comes time to clean up, each person knows their designated space and can quickly put items back where they go.
The key is to have a place for every item!
Yes, every item. Every pen. Every towel. Every battery!
Some parents have “hacked” The KonMari method to what works for them, and one mom shared how she used Kondo’s technique to organize her children’s play toys.
Parents reports:
“Tackle those toys. When decluttering toys, ask if the toy sparks joy for your child. This may mean getting rid of all those beautiful wooden toys you received as gifts and all those “educational” toys you bought with good intention. If your kid’s not in love with it, it’s time to let go. Some signs a toy does not spark joy: It came from a birthday party or doctor’s office, it is broken, it is displayed on a high shelf, it does not have a name, it is one of many identical or nearly identical items, you have unearthed it from a long-hidden location.”
Or to put it simply – throw out the broken toys. Or if you discover there are toys your children are just not interested in, and never play with, consider starting a donation box.
You can even have rules in your home such as whenever a new toy comes in an old one has to go out.
The most important thing to remember is to have patience and grace with yourself. You didn’t accumulate all these possessions overnight so don’t expect everything to be perfectly tidy in one swoop!
Pace yourself and find a method that works for you.
Getting rid of clutter in excess stuff goes deeper than just an organized pantry, experts say the benefits of having an organized home can go deep all the way to the psychological level.
One mom shared her daily struggle and how she found relief in having the entire family involved in the process.
The Washington Post reported:
“With two preschoolers at home, I know quite well how this story starts. Life right now is a constant calibration of my children’s moods and their energy and their belongings, and the answers usually involve me. Do they need a snack or a nap or a snuggle right now? (Answer: usually snuggle.) Where are their coats and mittens and hats? (Answer: One out of every pair of mittens is gone for good. We will never have a matched set again.) Can we squeeze in a trip to the grocery store before nap time? (Answer: Ha! Only if you’re ready for your daughter to climb the bottled water display for the third time.)
It’s easy to see how moms often begin taking on this all-encompassing responsibility for multiple lives, and also easy to understand how hard it can be to stop once you’re accustomed to making all the decisions and doing all the things.”
So moms, take heart! Cleaning and organizing doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task.
Start with the suggested categories above, and have the whole family help out.
And realize change won’t happen overnight, but with everyone on board, the tide will turn and order will prevail.
Have you watched Tidying Up With Marie Kondo on Netflix? If so, what are your thoughts on her suggestions?
What are some ways you help keep your home organized?
Do you see the benefits in having a clutter free home?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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