The Life-Changing Magic of Getting Rid of Stuff

I'm brave enough to admit that I, too, read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. It was on the best-seller list and only $7.99 on the Kindle store. $7.99 to change my life? Sign me up!

Spoiler Alert: My life didn't change.

But.

I think there are some really great things to take away from this book. We hold on to so much - things and thoughts and memories - because parting with them can be scary. Things are emotional. Gifts and books and knick-knacks hold a lot of weight because they are physical connections to fond memories.

In this book, Marie Kondo, who, like, really loves to clean, reminds us that we can still hold on to our fond memories without holding onto the items. Just because something once brought us joy doesn't mean that it still does. And we can hold onto the memories forever and ever without tying up closet space.

For me, it's clothes. A dress I bought because it was on sale but was never really my size or the right color still sits in my closet. I try it on maybe once a month when I need something to wear, but as soon as I put it on, remember that I hate it. Back on the hanger it goes.

Marie says let it go. Give it to Goodwill. Move on with your life.

But you think you'll use it later? Unlikely.

Marie also encourages us to talk to our items and hold them and thank them for all of the joy they once brought to us before saying our final farewell. I recommend tossing them straight into a donation bag, but hey, whatever works.

Stuff + Clutter = Stress. At least that's the formula in my life. So I'm trying to reverse it. Stress/Clutter - Stuff = Calm. That's a math formula alright.

Check out the book if you're interested. I think it's worth a read. If anything, it's a reminder that we own our stuff, not the other way around.