Join in on the closing discussion of our September book club and find out what we’re reading in October!
Sifting through the contents of our collective lives is not a task that can be completed in a day. Nor in a weekend. Not even in a month. Yes, one thing that became abundantly clear throughout the pages of Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up is that there’s no quick fix for dealing with a messy life, no matter how much we may wish for one. It’s difficult, emotional work but, if you’re willing to put in the time and energy, the effort will pay off in spades. Who knew that a clearer head, less stress…happiness, were hidden beneath the clutter of our lives?
One month in and I still have plenty of work to do (I have yet to tackle my closet of art supplies), but I can confidently say my clothes are still neat and folded. After traveling for the past few weekends without much time to neatly unpack and repack between trips, I was left with a substantial amount of clothes and paperwork to deal with. While I had made a mess initially — one that I’m sure Marie Kondo would take issue with — I was amazed by how quickly I was able to dispatch everything to its place using the methods learned in the first portion of the book. What usually would have taken me at least a couple of hours was reduced to just 30 minutes of work. As someone who was initially skeptical of the buzz surrounding this book, I’m (mostly) now convinced Kondo’s method of “choosing joy” is potentially life-changing. “Mostly” because I largely disagree with her method in regards to discarding photographs. With no grandparents to relay the history, the huge cache of family photographs — and the notes included with them — my family has stored have been an invaluable resource in tracking our history. While yes, it may be wise to discard those blurry scenic photos taken while driving or the likely large amount of failed selfies on your phone, I believe a bit more care and forethought should be taken with family photos, especially old ones.
In the coming months I’m looking forward to slowly and methodically tackling the remaining categories of stuff in my home. The box of beauty samples, under the kitchen sink, my messy and disorganized pantry, these are the places I always intend to organize but never seem to get around to…until now.
I’d love for you to share your experience with this book in the comments! Did you participate in September’s book club? What are your thoughts after putting Kondo’s methods to use? And for those who are interested in learning the methods we’ve been discussing, we’re giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader! Check out what we’re reading in October and then scroll on to learn how to enter.
October’s book club pick: M Train by Patti Smith
Despite telling myself that I wasn’t going to choose another memoir, having just finished up Kim Gordon’s fantastic Girl in a Band, here I am, Patti Smith’s new book, M Train, in hand. But M Train isn’t your average tell-all — in this quick read, Smith vacillates between dreams and reality as she traverses the process of artistic creation.
We’ll be discussing a few chapters each week throughout the month, so be sure to grab a copy and join in!
+ We’re giving away a copy of Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up! For your chance to win, sign up for our weekly newsletter and leave a comment on this post!
oh…it ended already? I kept waiting for the next book club post not realizing it would end right now, I thought that like the previous posts we would go through the others chapters :( I did participated in the September book club, I don’t think I would ever have picked the book myself, I was too sceptic about it. While reading it I’ve discovered that mostly her approach to declutering and organizing are similar to my own (in theory at least), I’m still reading the book but I think that is food for thought but lacks some emotional support :) or at least some more on point simple emotional tricks to organize life. But I’ve come to discovered that the “spark joy” question is really valuable in a lot of areas of our life that are not objects but as Khalil Gibran once said in a poem, our sadness has deep value too :)
Rita – I agree that there is a lack of emotional support in her practice. It’s easy to say ‘oh, just throw away those photos that don’t spark joy’ (for example, obviously the photo thing struck me) but there’s often much more to it than just ‘joy’ or ‘no joy’, especially when it comes to family things.
I’m bummed I didn’t get to join in this month, but I’d love to catch up with a copy of the book! Also, looking forward to the next :) <3
I don’t know how I’ve been missing out on this all this time! I will definitely be getting the next book and joining along but I’d love to read the previous one!
I need this book. We are getting ready to move into a new house and I need a lifestyle change
i’d love to read that book :)
Quite an interesting coincidence, or maybe not a coincidence at all. I work at a community coop in the Health and Wellness area and I am lucky enough to acquire so many free products ranging from herbs, tinctures, natural body care products , essential oils etc. I’m quite new there and sometimes I leave with a whole grocery bag full of free stuff, a lot that I probably will never use. When I asked one of my coworkers why she wasn’t going to take anything more than the few items she grabbed, she told me that she had read The Life changing magic of Tidying Up, and that it has changed her life. It made me think twice. I feel I’m constantly wanting more, but I know it isn’t the right way. Maybe less is more after all :)
Sounds like a really interesting book and something I should read!
I’d love to read this book! I jus recently moved into my first studio apartment and even though it’s small I know I just have to find ways to clear up and space. Seems like this would be the perfect book to get started with organizing. Hopefully I win! :-)
Xo,
Joyce
Such a great read! We love this at our store. x
Courtney
http://www.waterlilyshop.com
I think what I learned is that my health keeps my life messy. You can tell my emotional and physical state by the state of my apartment. For example, I cleaned my kitchen out, which was great. Then, I caught whatever cold has been going around my university campus, and was sick for two weeks. And today I begin the kitchen process anew. There’s mold growing in the fridge and dishes piled in the sink. I just couldn’t put in the effort to put everything away while I had a fever. Who can?
Anyway, I think there’s a lot of emotional work that goes into the KonMari method. Maybe more than is explicitly explained in the book. (Part of me wonders if that has to do with translation and consumption across cultures. In modern Japanese culture, is there a different understanding of the way our emotions are linked to our everyday lives? Because in the US, they’re assumed to be separate unless otherwise noted. Maybe in Japan, the emotional work seems like a given, so it’s not a surprise to the reader when they attempt to follow the method in the book?)
Lastly, I’m working on it. I’m going to guess that I can have a calm, clean living space by this time next year. We’ll see if it happens.
I’ve been wanting to read this for months! Crossing my fingers and toes.
p.s. I’m a subscriber
xx
Looks like an interesting book. Lifestyle changes can transform your life!
Keep Dreaming, Bethany
http://www.blissfuldreaming.com
I’ve been meaning to get around to this book – all the fuss over it actually dissuaded me until the posts of FP. Thanks for the chance! xxo
I could definitely benefit from this read, thanks for the chance to win a copy :)
A londoner, in need of holistic change and this book could aid me with this fresh new start! Been a subscriber since free people first started.
This is fantastic! I definitely want to get involved with this.
I loved reading this book, though I agree on taking more care with family photographs. And I’m excited to start in on a new memoir, Patti Smith is a favorite of mine.
As someone who is naturally messy and unorganized, I desperately need this book!! :)
-Brittany
I would love to read this book – I often try to simplify the external so that I have a larger spirit of kindness, peace, and love on the inside. Always seeking completeness, always seeking growth.
And, there’s a 100 person hold on this book in my library so winning a copy the coolest!!!
I have been wanting to read this book ever since hearing about this book here on Free People’s blog.
Rae | Love from Berlin
I’d be so excited to get this book! I did a lot of reading about feng shui and it was very helpful. Helped me understand more about the energy that I definitely feel exists in our environments. I am someone who CANNOT work in a cluttered room or workspace. This book is so for me!
I really want to read the book now. I am such a scavenger, and I am too sentimental. I think I would find a feng shui book quite helpful.
I love the book club!
I’d love to read this book!!!!! As a current college girl, life is hectic and this book sounds like it could be quite the life saver for me :)
so happy about the weekly newsletter – love being reminded to read all of these fantastic blog posts. can’t wait for the next book!
I have heard so much about this book! I would absolutely love to win a copy!