 I washed the outside of our windows last weekend, and it feels great! The grime of winter is gone, and the cleaning went quickly this year, thanks to the right tools. (I use a 14” washer, 14” squeegee, micro cleaning cloths in multiple colors, dishwashing soap, and a sturdy step stool). My only regret is that it won’t last long – rain is predicted tomorrow!
When it comes to cleaning away the dirt, that’s an endless household chore: dust and grime will always accumulate. But when it comes to decluttering and storing your belongings, once is good enough if you embrace the right approach! So if you want a home or office that is organized for good, try the KonMari Method® created by Marie Kondo. Kondo says, “Tidying is a powerful tool, but it’s not the destination. The true goal of tidying is to clear away clutter so you can live the life you want. When you put your house in order using the KonMari Method,® you have no choice but to listen to your inner voice – because the question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life. When you reassess your belongings and organize your home, you set the stage for a huge transformation. This is the magic of tidying!” If you’re wondering what your mother and Marie Kondo have in common, it’s that they both understand the power of a clean space in reducing stress, maintaining positive relationships, and improving overall well-being. A key part of the KonMari Method is that when we gather everything we own in one place (category by category), it forces us to engage with each item personally. It forces us to acknowledge the emotional connection we have with so many things and makes us reflect on what truly supports our vision for our own future. “Kondo's method is so much more than tossing out useless clutter. It's about facing who you once were in the reflection of who you are today. ‘While it appears that the process is about stuff, it’s not,’ explains [author Jessica] Lahey. ‘Stripping away everything that detracts and distracts us from ourselves and our family is an incredibly freeing and exhilarating experience,’" according to the article “Why Marie Kondo’s Decluttering Method Is So Life-Changing, According to Experts,” in Everyday Health. By tidying all at once (relatively speaking), finding the things that bring you joy, letting go of those that don’t, and finding a home for your cherished belongings, you, too can experience this “magic.” And the best part is that it lasts. When everything has a home, clutter doesn’t accumulate. You only have to return items to their home after you’re done to support your ideal lifestyle. I’m living proof and so are millions of happy people who have been freed of clutter and are now living the vision for their desired future. Happy tidying! Mrg Simon
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 March 8 is National Organize Your Home Office Day – yes, it’s really a thing! After the past two years, more and more of us have been working at home and using our home as office space, and it’s time to tidy up. Regardless of whether you’re bringing work home from the office or your commute is just to the dining room table, it’s important to set boundaries between work and personal life. It can be freeing to work from home and keeping your workspace tidy can be a relief when you start every day.
1. Out of Sight, Out of Mind. If you don’t have the space for a home office in a separate room, set aside a designated area for working and work in that spot as much as possible. At the end of the day, put away everything. Clear off the dining room table, put your files in a tidy-looking box or basket, and your laptop out of sight. This has the added benefit of helping you mentally shift away from the stress of work and toward your family and personal time. 2. Books and 3-Ring Binders. Your office should be home to books that support your work and your future and you should keep the number to a minimum. That collection of time management books or continuing education materials? Choose only those that are of use to you for the future. Continuing ed stuff gets dated very fast and should be tossed at regular intervals. Your books and binders should be a collection of your hall of fame books that fit your future work, and the rest should be donated or tossed. 3. Manage Paper Ruthlessly. Your goal should be to have no paper in your office. None. You do that by signing up for electronic banking, electronic payment systems for utilities and electronic notices for everything possible. Get rid of any paper that you can find online – toss those product manuals now! The only papers you should keep are pending items – things you will take care of in the next week or two. Note: a) Keep documents that you have a legal or business obligation to keep in paper form, and b) shred any papers with personal or account information on them. 4. Find the Joy. We all collect little things and big things that reflect our personality, gifts from colleagues, plaques, and awards. Home offices can also become the dumping ground for lots of things we don’t know what to do with, such as outdated decor, broken electronics, cords of every sort; the list can seem endless. Gather all of those items into one place on your desk and ask yourself which of these actually bring you joy, lift you up, and make your office space a place where you want to be! Don’t keep things out of obligation; keep only those that remind you of why you do your work in the first place. Your organized home office is within reach. Happy tidying! Mrg Simon (Mrg rhymes with berg) is a Professional Organizer and KonMari® Certified Consultant. She can be reached at [email protected] or (605) 929-1493. |
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