Life-Changing ... Find Your Joy One Category at a Time

I recently read the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. And then I read the sequel Spark Joy. And then I bought the journal. And then ...

I decided to start with the prescribed first category. As I read these books, I realized with a jolt that true happiness for me lies in organization and structure. And I had fallen away from what truly makes me happy. I have found very little joy in my life of late besides my children and even they are more trying than joyful at the moment. It's time to change my life and I believe whole-heartedly in Marie Kondo's methods. I think by purging and then storing properly, I will be well on my way to living joyfully. 

Clothes: 

I started with tops and piled them up on my floor. The mound was as tall as my 3 year old who last measured at 33". It was easily 4' across. I picked up the first article of clothing and said out loud, "Does this bring me joy?" The answer was a quick no and I was off and running. The process was surprisingly quick. I did have an "I'm not sure" pile with 2 things on it. Both made it to the No pile by the end. What surprised me was that clothes I had worn last week don't bring me joy. I wear them because they can be relied upon to fit, not because they bring me joy. And I found clothes that I had forgotten about that do bring me joy and I began thinking of them with various bottoms and was quite gleeful over finding them. Some of these tops are decades old. I have done 2 major purges besides this one in the last 7 years, but when approaching my things from the angle of whether or not they bring me joy is a radical shift in how I decide what to purge. I don't have to keep things just because I got it home from the store and then didn't wear it because I didn't like it after all. I don't have to keep things because they were a gift 15 years ago. I only keep things that bring me joy. 

I discarded 117 tops. 

Next I tackled pants and skirts. Sweatpants first. I kept three and tossed 4 on the discard pile. Skirts were next. Easy peasy. Off most of them went. Slacks next and the decisions remained easy. Jeans and capris followed. With each article of clothing on the discard pile, I felt lighter and lighter. 

Then coats, dresses and suits. I discarded three winter coats and my only suit. I kept both dresses because they bring me joy. 

Then I did sweatshirts and jackets and added to the discard pile. 

Here is the end results of the massive purge.

I'm not done with my clothes yet either. Still in this categories are socks, underwear, pajamas, swimsuits, shoes and accessories (including scarves, bags, jewelry). I had to stop here for today as I am quite tired and had a toddler who was tired of hanging out in the bedroom with me. She was so patient with me today. With each statement to the room of "This brings me joy." she would rejoin with "Yeah, me too! Like it, Mama!"

Once I'm done purging, the proper storage of the clothing will commence and will be so rewarding. I simply cannot wait, but alas, I must as there are so many hours in the day and husband is off to NY tomorrow. So, perhaps I can work on it next Sunday. We shall see. When I'm done with my clothes, Prima's are next. It will take great patience from her and probably some bribery from me in the form of chocolate or a mommy-daughter day to get her to do it with me, but do it she must. She clings to things and I would very much like to teach her the art of letting go. Wish me luck.

I would like to keep blogging on this topic. Let me know if it's of interest, please.