My Life Changer: Marie Kondo

It’s the morning of my birthday, two weeks post major surgery. I wake up in pain from a drug induced restless night. In walks my family – with hugs and a gift – a book: “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo.

Marie Kondo (born 1985) is a popular Japanese organizing consultant and author. She has written four books on organizing. Her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is a bestseller in Japan and in Europe, and was published in the United States in 2014. Kondo’s method of organizing is known as the KonMari method, and consists of gathering together all of one’s belongings, one category at a time, and then keeping only those things that “spark joy”.

Clockwise from top left: Folded socks, Kitchen napkins, Hat collection, Small closet ideas, Rock collection

I pick up the book and start reading. A few pages into the book and I think I have finally found my soul sister. It’s probably one of a handful of books which I have read, start to finish, within a day. Would have taken me less if not for the medications.

To my surprise, I am already doing 80% of what the author prescribes. Can’t say that I find utter bliss and joy in everything I touch. Neither am I genetically pre-disposed to minimalism but having heard words like ‘OCD’, ‘clean freak’, and an ‘organizing nightmare’ dropped liberally around me by family and friends alike, I needed her. Oh, I so needed her to reinforce what I knew all along that I am not OCD because I like my cabinets and shelves arranged just so. I do find sweet spots for my clothes in my dresser and yes, I do fold my socks. And I love donating, or simply getting rid of things that have stopped talking to me years ago.

Reducing Your Footprint

In an attempt to reduce my footprint in 2018, after years of moving, sometimes across continents, and acquiring much more than wild and memorable experiences along the way, I decided to bite the bullet and start spring cleaning and de-cluttering. Well, spring cleaning as in going through every room in my house and weeding out the good from the bad, the ugly, and the unnecessary. I assure you it can be amazingly liberating to be materially unburdened. As any 4-year-old would remind you, “Try it, try it, you just might like it”. Besides, I can honestly say that I now know what I own.

In case this seems like a complete waste of your time, here are a few reasons why you should get organized:

• It is healthy, it clears your mind while encouraging physical activity.
• It decreases stress and increases overall productivity.
• It helps get rid of allergies and can be very therapeutic.
• It motivates you to organize other aspects of your life, making you a happier person.
• And finally, your clutter can be someone else’s treasure. Think of the single Mom/Dad on welfare who might just benefit from what you donate.

Kitchen draw

Zero Waste

Being raised in a respectable middle class Indian home where repurposing, saving and when possible, reusing was the mantra, recycling and decluttering is in my genes.

Nothing ever went to waste in our home; growing up on hand-me-downs was part of life. It wasn’t that we couldn’t afford new clothes, but according to my mom, how can you possibly give away perfectly good clothing when there’s still life left in it? I am sure many of you can identify with your moms sterilizing and reusing jelly jars and cookie tins. There were no Goodwill donation centers nor door-to-door pick up by Salvation Army when I was growing up and for good reason too. When folks were done with their things, they were ready to be trashed. Yes, we beat the heck out of our material possessions before they reached the end of their life!

Decluttering – Baby Steps

Decluttering and getting organized can be quite intimidating and distressing to some. So, I say baby steps. Use your home-bound time on long cold winter days to get started. At the end of it, treat yourself to some quality time which you now have more of. Also, there are always going to be a few, work in progress, transitional, catch-all closets in your home and that is OK. Start by asking yourselves a few questions as you walk through your home:

So, here’s to happy de-cluttering, organizing and healthy living!!

Author Bio:

Shanta Misra is a software engineer by profession, and holds a Master’s degree from Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio and a Bachelor’s from IIT, Kharagpur, India. She founded, manages, and teaches at the Shruti Sangeet Academy, a music school established to promote and teach Indian classical music in the US and India. Her students have been finalists at SA RE GA MA PA – USA and won awards at multiple domestic and international music competitions. Shanta has performed in and choreographed numerous concerts in the US, India, and Africa. She also enjoys writing and her poetry has been published online. She lives in Dallas, TX with her family.

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