I consider myself a minimalist in most areas of my material life. My favorite pastime is getting rid of things which pairs well with the fact that my second favorite pastime is acquiring things. Those of you who know me & have seen my living space would be shocked to think there was much left in my closets & cupboards to declutter but when a friend told me about a book she was reading it piqued my interest. Marie Kondo is an organizing guru/celebrity in Japan. Her book "The life-changing magic of tidying up" made me rethink my relationships to the objects in my house. For the last week I have fallen into the Kondo vortex and have purged over 15 garbage bags of items that no longer bring me "joy"- this is her litmus test on whether to keep or toss an item. Regardless of how much you have spent on an item or the sentimental value it holds (her point is that most of us hold onto items for nostalgic reasons only to put it in a box on a shelf). I have to say it is remarkable how much of a difference I feel in my space and in my head and body. I have always felt that clutter is a subtle form of insanity & anxiety. Have you ever gone to someones house that is filled with clutter and excessive stuff and felt the frenetic energy? I think people tend to think of minimalism as cold and sterile but you can still create a warm, comfortable environment without the dead weight of chaos and stuff around you. I highly recommend her book, even if you take apply only a fraction of her philosophy to your home you will feel a transformation.
