We’re so excited here at One Crazy House to have Sarah Mueller of the Decluttering Club to share 5 Reasons to Declutter Your Home Without the Spark!
Marie Kondo mania has arrived with her new Netflix series. But let’s be real; KonMari isn’t for everyone or every home. In fact, here are 5 reasons I don’t recommend using the KonMari method to declutter your home and what you should do instead.
SORRY, MARIE, BUT THIS ISN’T SPARKING JOY
#1 All. That. Folding.
While I appreciate a perfectly organized sock drawer as much as the next Pinterest user, who has time for all that folding? I’m much too busy chasing my 4 boys around and reminding them to hang up their hoodies (again). And just between you and me, I don’t really care if my t-shirts can stand up on their own. Shh – don’t tell, m’kay?
#2 Emptying your entire closet into your living room
Clutter is overwhelming enough without making a bigger mess.
It is helpful to see just how much clothing you have, but I recommend taking it in much smaller chunks. Do all your t-shirts one day and move on to jeans the next. You’ll be able to keep the mess manageable and pace yourself.
#3 Other people make clutter, too.
Konmari is thrilling if you’ve got the whole household on board and a lot of spare time. But not every husband or kid is going to be as excited as you are when you begin decluttering.
Instead, stay in your own lane. Work through your own stuff. You probably have plenty of clutter to keep you busy. Plus, if you approach the process this way, you may be surprised at how the rest of your family joins in when they’re ready.
#4 You’ll probably never be “finished” decluttering.
Marie suggests that we can declutter once and never have to do it again. This is a lovely thought, but it’s not at all reasonable for most people.
And guess what? That’s ok!
When you’ve got kids, there’s a rotating door of stuff coming in and out of the house. Expecting to be “done” at some point may only make you feel bad for not achieving perfection.
Instead, why not plan to do the areas that bug you the most and not worry about the rest? That way you’ll get the most benefit with the least amount of work. Someday you can get around to emptying the last corner of the attic but that doesn’t have to happen immediately.
#5 Not everything sparks joy.
Sure, your snow shovel could spark just as much joy as your favorite pair of earrings. But if you’re like me, you’re much too practical to seek out joy-sparking choices for every single possession.
Much like the folding issue, I just don’t care that much about some of the items I keep in my home (toilet plunger anyone?). They’re necessary but they won’t ever spark joy for me and that’s ok..
Also, the “does it spark joy” question isn’t a useful measuring stick when you’re deciding what to keep and what to toss. You may find it easier to ask yourself if something is useful, or needed, or if you’d be willing to buy it again.
Truthfully, I’m grateful to Marie Kondo for sparking an entire decluttering movement; I just think there are different ways to go about it.
If your home is a hot mess and you’d like to experience a more relaxed approach to decluttering, sign up for this free series of 10 minute decluttering challenges from Sarah Mueller of Decluttering Club. You won’t believe how good you feel after doing these simple tasks!
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