Week One | July 8, 2023
spark joy slo
Declutter. Organize. Spark Joy.
Good morning, beautiful people!
Welcome to the summer closet cleanout! I am so happy you are here! I know you’re probably ready to get started on making the signature KonMari® Method pile of clothes but we have some work to do first. This week is all about planning and preparing so that you can have success on your tidying journey. Let’s get started!
What is the KonMari Method?
The KonMari® Method of tidying is about more than just organizing your space. It’s a mindset shift and a change to your relationship with your belongings. It’s about being intentional with what you bring into your life while focusing on gratitude and joy. These slight shifts can have huge impacts on how you move forward in your life.
When I talk with people about tidying, the same questions often come up. Let me answer them for you in case these questions are on your mind too!
-
While this may seem daunting, it is essential to the process and one of the key components to tidying success! When items are taken out of their context, we view them differently. I can guarantee that if you just flip through your rack of clothes, you will get rid of far less than if you pull everything out into one big pile. Trust the process!
-
Let me say this louder for the people in the back! The KonMari® Method is not minimalism!!! Don’t worry. You are not going to have to live with 10 items of clothing that are all the same color. (but if that’s your vibe then go for it!) The goal is to only keep things that spark joy for you. For some people, this does end up looking like minimalism, but it doesn’t have to. I want you to be able to look in your closet or open a drawer and feel joy, or as Marie says, “feel a little thrill run through your body.” You will know what I’m talking about soon enough!
-
The method follows a specific order of categories for a reason. They progress from easiest to hardest– clothing, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous), and sentimental items. Starting with the easier categories allows you to develop your sensitivity to joy which makes for easier decision making once you get to the more difficult categories. If you try tidying by room or drawer rather than category, you will most likely just shift items around and not really get rid of much. Our goal is to give every item a permanent home. Who knows! After you finish your clothing, you may want to keep progressing through the rest of the categories!
This week we are going to prepare our mindset, our materials, and our space.
Mindset
Your mindset is one of the most essential components to ensuring that you are successful in your tidying and that you don’t rebound into unwanted clutter. Although we are only focusing on clothing for this series, it’s important we don’t skip this foundational step that usually occurs in preparation for tidying an entire home. In order to get your mindset ready, I invite you to spend some time imagining your ideal lifestyle. This is a key component to tidying success because you can come back to your vision whenever you are struggling with decision making. So grab a notebook and your favorite pen and jot down a few thoughts. Or you know… make a mental note, a phone note, or a vision board. Make it work for you, just please don’t skip this step! Here are some guiding questions for you as you imagine your ideal lifestyle.
How would you feel in your home?
What are 3 key words to describe your ideal home?
Would you spend your free time differently?
Are there any things you have been wanting to try? What is holding you back?
Currently, what is your favorite space in your home? Why?
What is your least favorite space in your home? What would you like to change?
You may be wondering how these are related to you closet… just trust me! Trust the process!
Materials
It may seem counterintuitive, but it’s best to wait until you have completed decluttering to purchase any storage items! One reason for this is so that as you are deciding what to keep you can truly focus on what sparks joy and not have in the back of your mind how many containers you have to fill, etc. It’s also very common that clients already have what they need in their homes! Once you finish decluttering, you can determine if you need more storage supplies and buy exactly what you need to fit the space rather than guessing haphazardly. So please don’t go wild at Home Goods just yet… ;) For now, you can begin collecting small containers for organization such as shoe boxes, baskets, or other sturdy boxes you already have at your house. We will dive deeper into storage methods in our final week. You will also need-
Trash/donation bags
Wipes/rags for dusting
Emotional support water and snacks (but really… don’t skimp)
Space
Take a few minutes to think about your home and your closet and all they provide you with. If you are comfortable, you can take a moment to show gratitude to your home and your closet, the physical spaces that house you and your clothing.
Next, begin thinking about where you would like to do the majority of your tidying. A.k.a where will you make your big pile?? Where will you be most comfortable? Where is there good light? We will go in more detail about this next week but you can start thinking now.
Wow! That was a lot…. but I have just a bit more for you. Your homework!
Homework
A.k.a suggested tasks for the week! Don’t worry, it will be fun!
Spend time imagining your ideal lifestyle using the guiding questions above.
Start thinking about where you would like to make your pile and do your sorting. (more on this next week too).
Gather your materials- trash/donation bags, dust wipes, water, and snacks.
Do laundry as close to your tidying day as possible so all your clothes are ready to be sorted.
Take before pictures of your closet and your drawers to look back on. You will be amazed and proud of your accomplishments once you are finished.
I would LOVE if you shared your before pictures with me! However, this is of course completely optional! If you would like to share them you can email them to annie@sparkjoyslo.com or DM me or tag me on Instagram. I will never share your photos publicly without explicitly asking you first.
Be sure to check in throughout the week over on Instagram for some fun engagement and motivation!
Again, I am so grateful you are joining me on this joy sparking journey! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions through email or Instagram.
With joy + gratitude,
Annie
Coming up next week—
How to make the pile.
How to decide what sparks joy.
Letting go with gratitude.
What to do if you can’t finish in one day.
Intro to storage.
