What exactly did you declutter?

Sentimental paper collected over a period of about 15 years – from childhood to about my mid-twenties. I love paper, I’m really drawn to it, so I have collected a lot over the years – magazine articles, birthday cards, letters, programs I’ve saved from shows, diaries, – you name it.

What motivated you to declutter?

I’ve been wanting to declutter my childhood bedroom for a long time but was never back at the family home for long enough. When the pandemic hit I moved back, and have had months to spend on it – one of the silver linings of a less than ideal situation!

All that paper spilling out of the cupboards had been weighing on me every time I went home. It felt heavy, and like it belonged to a version of myself that no longer existed.

Was this your first time decluttering?

No, I’ve been decluttering for years – I’ve always loved having a tidy environment. I also spent the first half of my twenties living out of a suitcase which meant constant decluttering in order to be able to carry everything I owned with me.

In one word how would describe how you felt starting the process?

Overwhelmed! Once I had gathered all of the paper together in one place, there were just piles and piles of it and I didn’t really know where to start. It was tempting to shove it all back! That’s why I reached out to Sally – for the first time, I felt I needed some additional guidance. She helped me categorise everything – breaking it down into further categories helped me get through the start of the process.

Kate the ‘paper-lover’ took on a huge sentimental declutter

“When the pandemic  hit I had months to declutter – one of the silver linings of a less than ideal situation”

How has this declutter been different?

This has been the most time-consuming declutter I have ever done. Mainly because for the first time I have actually had that time and space. I essentially transferred all of my sentimental paper into my parents’ spare room (a luxury I definitely don’t have in the city!) and worked on it over a period of about six weeks. I think I needed that time – it’s obviously emotionally exhausting decluttering nostalgic items – so being able to stop and come back to it a few days later was helpful.

Was there anything unexpected along the way?

I’ve probably kept more than I thought I would, but I’m comfortable with that. For example, at the start I pictured myself chucking out lots of my childhood diaries and a huge, heavy weight lifting, but in the end I kept almost all of them! I realised that having a historical record of my life is something I highly value.

One unexpected find was my childhood scrapbooks. I have about six or seven which I hadn’t looked at in probably about two decades. I assumed they would be just full of rubbish so I thought I’d have no difficulty chucking them. Actually though, I’ve kept them all.

One of them turned out to contain the only birthday cards I ever received from my grandfather before he died when I was 10.

I can’t believe they had just been shoved in the cupboard for that long without a thought – or that I had been about to hurl them all in the recycling bin!

Would you recommend engaging Sally, and at what point?

I would highly recommend booking in a tidy session with Sally, especially if you’ve never decluttered before, or are about to tackle a particularly challenging category. In either case I would recommend booking in the session before you start.

Sally will help you to sort things into categories and will help you formulate a strategic plan. She will also help you to talk through why you want to declutter and what you hope to get out of it. It’s important to clarify this at the beginning of the process so that you have a clear idea of what you’re working towards.

How do you feel now?

Lighter and more in control. Rather than feeling like these items were weighing me down, I feel like I’ve deliberately chosen them and curated a collection of things which I actually want to read and look at.

Do you have a decluttering dilemma and need some extra support? A session with Sally could be exactly what you’re looking for. Sally will help you through the hardest hurdle of starting a sentimental declutter, provide a helping hand when things get overwhelming and guide you step by step to meet your goals. Within an hour you will know where and how to start and be equipped with a personalised tidy plan set out into achievable sections.

Click here to book a tailored, one-on-one session with Sally and sign up to our newsletter for all our updates, tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox.

1. Practice gratitude

Put simply, not everyone has somewhere safe to be right now. If you’re reading this, chances are you live in a wealthy country and have somewhere safe to go. So, instead of just being irritated by being stuck inside, try and embrace it. Chances are, staying in your home is your best mode of self-protection at the moment, so take a few minutes each day to be grateful that you have a safe haven to seek refuge in.

2. Avoid the news

I’m someone who usually stays up to date with what is happening in the world but I’ve made a conscious choice not to read the news at the moment. While there is nothing at all wrong with staying informed, the sheer volume of news available is overwhelming, and for me at least, can have a negative impact on my mental health and daily mindset. If you’re feeling the same, you can stay up to date with key developments by going directly to government websites where you’ll get the facts you need without all the spin and padding added by the mainstream news outlets.

Go green in your home sanctuary

3. Help others

One of the best ways I have found to counter feelings of anxiety is to find a way to help someone else. Do you have a skill you could offer up for free to someone who has lost their income? Could you call and chat to someone who you think may be feeling lonely, or offer to pick up some supplies for a neighbour? Your small act of kindness will likely be a real bright spot in someone else’s day, and not only that, it will take your mind off your own worries and give you a sense of purpose in a situation where we’re all at risk of feeling helpless.

4. Declutter

 I admit, this isn’t a surprising one coming from me. When you’re stuck at home though, what better opportunity could you ask for? You may not be in the headspace for a full declutter, but you can still tackle small tasks, like turning out that miscellaneous kitchen drawer, or targeting one category such as photos, sentimental items, cosmetics, or your digital devices. Check out some of my tips for decluttering and simplifying your life here.

5. Make do and mend

Remember all those DIY jobs you never get around to because you’re usually too busy? Well, now might be a good time to turn your attention to them. Whether it’s sewing on a shirt button, making a birthday card, bleaching your whites, or fixing the tap in the bathroom, small achievable tasks are a great way to fill in a weekend spent at home.

6. Go Green

There’s nothing quite like gardening to make you feel more calm and grounded. While we’re not all lucky enough to have an actual garden (myself included), most of us at least have a balcony or windowsill where we can grow some herbs or a few plants. If you can get hold of some seeds or seedlings, planting some vegetables might be worthwhile. As we’re now discovering, many of us live our lives as if the only place we can get food is from stores, but it’s time to break that mindset. 

7. Start that thing you have been meaning to start

Whether it’s a book you’ve been meaning to read, a hobby you’re interested in, a boring administrative task you’ve been putting off, or even a small business idea that needs some research, having an unexpected stint at home might be just the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to finally get around to it. Personally, I am using my free time to kick-start my new podcast. This is something I have been meaning to start for a long time, and there is no better time than the present. Watch this space!

Remember, your home is your sanctuary. Even if it may not seem ‘perfect’, it is perfect for you right now. It is your safe haven and you are doing your bit by just staying at home. If you start with an open mindset each day and embrace this unexpected stint of isolation, you never know, you may look back on this time with fond memories. 

Check out Tips to Decluttering and Simplifying your Life & learn how to Sell Secondhand Clothes

So what do we know about Kondo’s new co-author Scott Sonenshein?

First, and unlike Kondo who focuses primarily on ‘joy’, Sonenshein is an advocate for ‘less’, not only in one’s physical space but mentally as well. His research has typically focused on the mindset of abundance and its dampening effects on creativity and resourcefulness. Put simply, Sonenshein believes having more resources won’t solve our problems and that we can all benefit from making the most out of little. 

Sonenshein’s first book Stretch defined the differences between a ‘stretching-mind’ and a ‘chasing-mind’. 

Stretchers embrace what they have, finding unconventional and productive ways to use resources already at hand. Chasers, by contrast, can’t see the possibilities before them—and they’re left wanting more to do more. 

He explains how a focus on the accumulation of more resources not only steers businesses and individuals away from their goals, it actually reduces their ability to be creative or to see future opportunities to build more sustainable, productive long term business careers and lives.

“When we have an abundance, it can actually stop us from being creative where we think we need a tool for everything. Children with too many toys can experience this. They might not look to making a pillow fort or hat with cardboard boxes when they have multiple play tents and an arts and crafts area stocked with brand new cardboard. There is no need for resourcefulness.”

SCOTT SONENSHEIN

Stretch vs Lean Start-Up

Elsewhere in the business world, a mindset of less is not necessarily new. Eric Ries’ Lean StartUp methodology, published in 2011, encouraged businesses to test and learn, using the markets as a resource for success rather than holding back until their product is ‘perfect’. This ‘go before you’re ready’ entrepreneur movement sounds risky, but it is not too dissimilar to Sonenshien’s ‘stretch’ mindset.

Meanwhile, the Agile Project Methodology, now taking pride of place in some of the world’s largest companies such as Spotify, Microsoft and AT&T, also encourages organisations to use what they have, for example, to cross-skill teams and pull together innovation squads with a mix of disciplines. Working in silos, with excessive teams and localised manpower is an outdated way of working. Organisations are turning to the staff, skills and, at times, the infrastructure they already have to run quicker to market. The days of waiting for the right budget, person or time is over. Less is more and using what we have is the new mindset.

So there you have it. I am really excited for this book!

Sonenshein’s concepts bring to mind the types of arguments we have seen for minimalism, that having additional ‘stuff’ absorbs our energy and distracts us from tasks that matter. It looks like he will bring a scientific mindset that has in some ways been lacking in the area of organisation. I hope Joy at Work will bring the value of ‘less’ in businesses and organisations to an individual level, and showcase ideas and solutions we can put into action in our everyday lives at work.

Learn about the Konmari Method, check out What is the KonMari Method & How To Use It & learn how to Sell Secondhand Clothes.

Here are the top ideas that make Kondo’s method of organising unique;

– Declutter by category not by room

-Always declutter before organising

-Say “goodbye” to items as they are discarded

– Fold clothes into origami squares so they stand-up by themselves

And most importantly, “Spark Joy”

The KonMari Method includes folding clothes into origami squares

Before Kondo came along we had been relying on storage solutions to find order. Flocking to homewares stores for any tidy itch that needed to be scratched and filling our kitchen pantries with lazy Susan contraption to fill every inch of our home.

Until now decluttering has involved keeping items if we paid a lot for them; if there was a possibility it could be useful in some way (you know “just in case”, no point throwing it away); and if an item was gifted to us we would feel too guilty to turn it over to charity. Sound familiar?!

The KonMari Method flips our engrained organising philosophy on its head and asks:  “How does it make you feel? Does it give you joy?”.  Rather than the objects in our lives owning us, the KonMari Method tells us to consider how they are contributing to our lives.

Once we have decided to discard an item, we must thank it (yep say thank you) for its service. For helping you prepare food, for keeping you warm, for confirming that you don’t look good in floral; whatever purpose that item served, thank it and let it go.

“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard the rest” ~ Marie Kondo

Kondo’s unique method is not focused on throwing away or creating minimal homes, it’s about finding joy and being grateful for what we have. While maybe a little woo-hoo for those of us not spiritually inclined, decluttering this way forces us to be honest with ourselves. The KonMari Method urges us to recognise when we have changed; when our ideologies, tastes and desires have shifted, encouraging us to accept and let go items that no longer serve us. Applying the KonMari method is a great starting point in the process of morphing your home into your personal sanctuary.

How to Apply the KonMari Method?

Get Clear

Step one is to get crystal clear on what makes you happy. Now is the time to work out what “joy” means to you. You are as unique as they come. You have your own passions, desires and tastes, and hard as magazines try to convince you otherwise, you are your own joy detector.

So, what does joy mean to you? It can be hard to find the answer right away… don’t rush it. Give yourself a few days to come up with a list of key joy items.

Take note when you smile a little bigger, what comes naturally or reduces any stress you might be holding. If possible take a mindful walk in nature, soaking in the sights and sounds.

Another option is to sit quietly and reflect on a time you felt most yourself. However, a little word of warning, be mindful not to get caught up in happier, maybe unreachable times past. You are looking for actions and items that make you feel good in the now, not who you have been.

If you follow these three steps for every category of items in your home (clothes, shoes, accessories, electronics, books, cooking equipment, tableware, bathroom supplies, hobbies, photos.. just to name a few), you will have a home full of gratitude, joy and connection before you know it.

 How sucessful is this process is? Read how Domain.com journalist enjoyed a tidy lesson with Sally, read Living The KonMari Way.