Last week, a colleague mentioned she was cleaning out her closet Marie-Kondo-style She showed me a New York Times review her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I began to think about all the "stuff" in my life as I downloaded her book, a few hours later, and began reading.
Certainly, I have too many clothes. I can be a few different sizes, depending on the stress in my life and how often I am "hitting the gym." I could get rid of some of the really small things I will never wear again, like that size 6 suit. Who am I kidding? I could also get rid of a few TJ Maxx super-bargains that I never worn outside of the dressing room and a few party dresses never to be worn again. I could hold up each and ask, Kondo style, "Does this bring me joy?" I could take control of my closet even if the sock folding project would NOT be sustained. (I can hardly match the socks up!)
Certainly, I have too much fabric. Now that the "kids" aren't around, a closet is filled with my fabric stash. I could/should/would do some pruning....and then, I remembered the feel of some of those fabric treasures awaiting me. The potential for quilts, skirts, pillows, pieced place mats....all those project awaiting a slow spot in my life...or perhaps retirement...and I stopped knowing I could part with some....but certainly not all as some will not give me joy until they are part of something bigger. I might be able to prune, but I did not think I could take control of it my fabric stash.
Then, I looked up from my Kindle, and my heart began to beat faster and I thought of my office..... "Too many books," I said aloud as I fingered the classics that changed my thinking about teaching. Conversations, read first on the beach in Ocean City. Transitions, read over the winter recess long ago. Marie Clay, Marilyn Adams, Lucy Calkins, Debbie Miller, Ardis Cole, Carl Anderson, Grant Wiggins, Ralph Fletcher, Donald Graves, and all the old and new voices that have shaped me over the years. These are not clutter, I assured myself as I looked lovingly at my books. It's going to be very hard to do much pruning in this corner, I thought aloud. I tried to assure myself, they "fit perfectly into the space that I have for them."
I'll keep you posted; however, I am not sure I will be a Kondo-success story. I will try to prune and try to get organized; however, as long as I have a corner like this in a cozy office, I'm keeping Clay, Adams, Calkins, Miller, Cole, Anderson, Wiggins, Fletcher, Graves, and the rest, nearby.
http://tidyingup.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/garden/home-organization-advice-from-marie-kondo.html
6 comments:
The first week of my summer I did clean up and out and it felt good. I haven't tackled the clothes yet. I lost my momentum after the laundry room. Maybe I'll try Kondo style before summer's end.
A major pruning is scheduled for our house, too, spurred by plans for a garage sale next month. Seems we have common clothes, books, and craft stashes...But today, being my first real day of summer break, I'm thinking pruning can wait!
I admire you for trying, & 'get' the clothes thing too. I need to be generous & get rid of some of the clothes I bought & have not worn for sure. I brought home ALL my books from school in these past weeks. My back hall is filled because the book room was already filled. I promise that I am having a teacher book sale in July. If all of you would come, I'd gladly share. Something must be gone. I understand about the fabric from my mother, a quilter. She just kept buying, Anita, & did make fabulous quilts, but her real love I think was browsing in a fabric store, just as mine is in a book store. Thanks for the nudge, & good luck with doing a little bit!
I admire anyone who is able to tackle massive ceaning taks. I have occassionally emptied my closets. Book shelves just keep growing.
Avoiding the cleaning tasks brings me joy this summer. I did clean out part of my closet, but I have more to do. I have a closet in what use to be my oldest son's room, and it is filled w/ coats. Don't I need lots of coats living in Idaho? Another closet has craft stuff; I get pelted in the head by a pillow needing a new form whenever I open the door. It's not really messy, just full. My desk and ironing board and sewing machine--which hasn't been used in years--are in that room. The office is another story altogether. Every year I haul home lots of books from school w/ good intentions of reading them. Those boxes are in the family room next to workout equipment. I sound like a real slob, don't I. It's all clutter I notice more than anyone else does. I want to clean. Really, I do, but I want to read more!
I have a very hard time parting with books, and when I do I am guilt and loss ridden, meaning I have to run out and replace them/buy a few more. I would fail at Kondo-type clearing.
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