The New Year’s Resolutions Series shares Nancy’s personal insights and recommendations to support you in achieving your New Year’s Resolutions. All of the recommendations are things that Nancy has found helpful in her own resolution journey over the years OR things she will be trying out this year.
As you probably know, “Get Organized” is a very common new year’s resolution. If that’s one of your resolutions this year, we have a great resource to help you do so. This resource is all the rage in the organizing world and that’s because it works!
It’s Japanese professional organizer Marie Kondo’s New York Times best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
TRUTH…Kondo is one tough cookie and this book is not for the faint of heart. Some of the concepts Kondo sets forth don’t fully jive with our own cultural experience. She is a minimalist at heart and her cultural sensibility is far different from the average American. This difference, however, forces you to look at your stuff and your life with fresh eyes.
First and foremost, Kondo’s recommendation is to view everything in your life through this lens…“Does it spark joy?”
If the answer is NO, it’s time to get rid of it (through donation or disposal).
I was travelling on the mainland last spring when I first read the book. I found myself unnerved by some of the things she said. BUT at the same time, I couldn’t WAIT to get back home to try some of her principles on for size myself.
And the “Tidying-Up” proof is in the pudding. Remember, I am a professional organizer and overall I don’t have a lot of stuff as a general rule. With that said, applying Kondo’s principles produced 13 bags of shopping bags of donation items and 2 large contractor bags of garbage from my small home. (Check out my picture!)
I was thrilled! “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” may just be the inspiration you need to get organized once and for all this year.
If you’ve already read Kondo’s first book and you’re hungry for more, good news! Her follow-up book “Spark Joy” comes out January 5, 2016!
Do you want some help through your organizing process?
Consider our “EXPRESS SERVICE” to try us on for size.
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