I could be considered one of those people who has hoarder-like tendencies, but I’m great at shoving all those tendencies into nooks, crannies, drawers, and shelves around the house. I give off the illusion of organization, but the truth is, any number of things in my house are on the verge of bursting with crap that might as well be garbage. Enter: Marie Kondo, thank god(dess).
I find myself giving sentimental value to almost everything, from old t-shirts to a piece of crumpled scrap paper a boy I liked in middle school drew a picture on. Whether or not I use or wear something, I will keep it… most likely for decades.
This has led me to become quite an anxious person. Ok fine, I’m anxious as hell no matter what. But here’s the thing- over the past year, my anxiety has taken a turn for the worse. I toss and turn, I can’t focus, I basically always have weight on my shoulders and chest- all over practically nothing. This is when I began watching the new Netflix Original TV show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.
Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizational powerhouse. I usually tend to hate the shows where people come into homes and throw out people’s belongings, redecorating and making it a totally new environment. Marie doesn’t do that. She lays out her precise cleansing schedule, lets you do all the work, and then just sits back and watches as you change your own life. Finally, a guru who teaches us how to fish rather than kicking us out and throwing all our shit into a hundred plastic garbage bags, leaving us confused, depressed and more likely to go out for a 3-day flea market binge.
Marie’s regime is extremely spiritual and wholesome. When she enters a house, she sits with it, meditates on it, and feels the spirit of the home. I think there are a lot of people out there like me, who have an emotional connection to their belongings. Enough that when they are on the verge of throwing something out, it makes them feel horribly guilty. I can’t tell you how many times I have stood over the Goodwill pile with an old, ill-fitting pair of jeans thinking, but I wore these when I did that one thing… I can’t give them up. Marie solved this problem for me in literally one second. Here’s the trick. Before getting rid of something that you no longer need, hold the item in your hands and thank it for what it’s done for you. Ha! How simple, right? You will be shocked how far a bit of gratitude will get you. This woman is a genius.
I spent my weekend going through all of my belongings and filling up 5 big boxes for donation. I folded all my clothes and found a home for all the bits and pieces that have been floating around in limbo. I feel incredible. My anxiety has lessened, I feel comfortable and at ease in my space.
While the TV show itself is a bit anticlimactic, boring, and repetitive, I would absolutely recommend watching the first few episodes, memorizing the formula for a tidier home, and then purging your life of everything weighing you down. I have no doubts that a more organized home can turn around angsty relationships, provoke creativity, and ease mental health. Let’s jump into this year with a fresh slate. Maybe then we can actually stick to some of our resolutions.
Will you try purging your space a la Marie Kondo? Tweet us @StarterNoise.
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Maggie Joe is a recent graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder where she got her BFA in filmmaking and creative writing. Her long term goals would be writing and directing her own television series, along with self publishing a book of poetry. On any given day you can find Maggie shopping for new skincare at TJ Maxx, preaching feminism at frat boys, and senselessly binge watching whatever is playing on TLC.