In my life, I have come across a few books
that literally changed my life.
Surprisingly, they are usually little books,
Surprisingly, they are usually little books,
not the big tomes that go on and on...
Here's the latest one. It even has
"Life Changing"
"Life Changing"
in its title!
The heading on page 22 states the following:
Storage Experts Are Hoarders...
What????
I have always prided myself on my ability to pack things away,
and I like nothing better than a trip to The Container Store
where I buy all sorts of storage items to pack things away.
But there it was, on page 22:
My clients often want me to teach them what
to put where. Believe me, I can relate, but
unfortunately, this is not the real issue...
A booby trap lies within the term "storage".
I looked into my closet and then I started to
understand...
The three pictures above are just one side of
the closet. The other side is just as full!
The book continues:
Putting things away creates the illusion that
the clutter problem has been solved...
Well, I don't want to spoil the book for you.
Just let me say, I have greatly reduced my
"possessions" and plan to release at least half
my "projects" taking up space in our garage!
The book's author, Marie Kondo, lives in Tokyo
and has a 3-month waiting list of clients. She
teaches her clients to simplify and organize
their homes and to learn how to determine
which items "spark joy" and which don't.
Sparking Joy is the most important thing I've
learned so far. Many of the items in our house
just take up space...they will soon be gone!
I bought my copy of the book from Amazon,
but saw it at Costco for $11 the day after we
ordered it.
I'll be back to show the "after" of my closet
when I get it purged and organized.
I've had to put it on hold for now as both my
father-in-law and mother-in-law had illnesses
recently, which required stays in the hospital.
We are in the process of moving them to an
apartment in the assisted-living section of
their retirement community. March 1st
was their 68th wedding anniversary and, as
you can imagine, they have a lot of stuff that
no longer "sparks joy", and we are working
with them to let go...it's a slow process!
Thanks for dropping by!
Find me here this week:
Mrs. Olson's Share Your Cup Thursday...
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I'm in the middle of "it"--and you're right....it IS a slow process. Painful, even.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is in everything I am reading right now! I am slowing conquering the place around here, too.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. I keep hearing about that book, so thank you for sharing inspiration from it.
ReplyDeleteOh- I think I need this book. I have always prided myself on my "organized storage"...lol Maybe that is a sickness in itself.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your inlaws. That is always so hard to see those sorts of thing happen. Not easy to deal with. xo Diana
Gosh, if I had everything stored away as nice and neat and you, I would hate to tear into it. I need read that book! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess I'm not a hoarder because I definitely have UNorganized storage! Ha! I am in the process of getting rid of things though, like the huge bag of books my granddaughter approved of being donated to the neighborhood community library!
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds like the kind of book I need to add to my collection. Thanks for sharing... :)
ReplyDeleteYou know when I watch those Hoarder shows I always feel so bad for the anxiety they feel - and now just reading this post - I swear to you - I feel anxiety LOL -
ReplyDeleteI always say I'm a closet hoarder ( no pun intended ) it's neat and no one would know it walking into my house - but it's there...............I should look into this book ( when I feel less anxious about it )
xoxoxo
Not sure I can read this book...sounds like she wants to get rid of everything!! I keep saying I must start decluttering. I don't want my husband to face it all after I am gone. He threatens that he will sell everything for $5!
ReplyDeleteHmm, I don't even want to go look at my closet full of boxes that I was so proud to get stored away. But I do see exactly what she means. Sounds like I need to go back through and get rid of most of it, but that is for another day. I have to make it through spring cleaning first! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fabulous book. Never thought of storage that way. . .but it is so true!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Rivercrest Cottage,
ReplyDeleteGreat tip of "sparks joy" for what remains and what goes!!!
I've been on a continual editing and purging since retirement and just when I think I have everything organized, I open another closet and go "ugh"!!!
I'll be watching for this publication!!!
Prayers for you and Wild Bill as you begin the process with your parents!!!
Fondly,
Pat
very interesting indeed.. My mom was a hoarder... terribly.. I don't consider myself one but I do have a lot of things.. but I only have a small small storage space.. I try to limit myself.. I just recently got rid of a ton of shoes but mainly for the purpose I can't where them no longer.. well sounds like a wonderful book to read.. thanks for sharing it.. with love Janice
ReplyDeleteI read the book each year, Gifts of the Sea by Anne Lindbergh. .much the same message..just keep the one pretty shell
ReplyDelete