Ep 9 | Tidying by Location is a Fatal Mistake

Karin and Kristyn discuss how organizing by category can help you keep your home organized and prevent a return to clutter.

In this episode, we begin by sharing what is sparking joy for us today. We discuss the work of Mel Robbins, of The Five Second Rule fame, along with some aspirational travel goals!

We take a look Marie Kondo’s famous quote, “Tidying by location is a fatal mistake.” What it means and how it guides the practice of KonMari. We talk about the concept in practical terms, with some real life experiences sprinkled throughout, so that you can apply the concept to your own Tidying Festival.

We also answer a great question from a Spark Joy listener about how to apply KonMari principles to the ongoing struggle of paper management in a busy family.

Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at  www.sparkjoypodcast.com, email us at  [email protected] to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook or on Twitter at @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:
• Learning about the Mel Robbin’s course that Kristyn is enrolled in and it’s ground breaking, action focused plan for success: The Power of You

Mel Robbins first came on the scene with this TED talk on the Five Second Rule: The Five Second Rule

• Hear about Karin’s holiday wish for a yoga retreat in Thailand. Here is one of the retreats she is considering: Absolute Sanctuary
And here is a good resource for doing yoga retreat research: Yoga Journal

• We review the KonMari categories we described in Spark Joy Podcast, Episode 1 | KonMari 101

• Why processing each clutter category, completely and in order, is critical to long-term success

• As a review, here are the categories:

• Clothing
  
• Books
• Paper
• Komono (miscellaneous items)
• Sentimental
  

• Hear more about why the Clothing Category is the first category and how it builds your ability to determine what sparks joy

• Learning how coming to terms with the amount of things you own will help you hone your decision making process

• Why revisiting your vision statement is a helpful next step when you are struggling with a particular category. We discussed this in Spark Joy Podcast, Episode 4 | The KonMari Lifestyle

• Discover tips on how to deal with paper clutter:

• Stop paper at the source
• Use available tools to keep it from coming into your home in the first place
• Use flat surfaces for activities and not for storage
• Rethink your self-talk about time: manage your priorities and expectations

Gems:
“When items are dispersed throughout the home, you can never fully grasp the overall volume and get discouraged before finishing.”

“What does my clutter say about me?”

“Buying more organizational tools such as file folders is not always the best solution.”

“Flat surfaces are for activity not for storage.”

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy