KonMari Committed…..end of Week 1

I just posted updates and revisions to my previous posts regarding my KonMari Journey. So if you read my first two posts, please re-read both articles.

I must admit that this process is transformative.

How I felt on Day 1 – Minute 1 is completely different from how I feel this am as I rifle through a mountain of printed paper! As I am making my personal peace with paper, I realized that KonMari is not only changing  my environment – but my attitude and my thoughts.

I have been a tutor for 2 decades plus, so in teaching supplies alone, my paper population exploded even after downsizing our homes in 2009 and 2012. Processing just the paper used for educational purposes, it took 6 hours+. I was so excited to finally get this area of my professional life in order that I stayed in my office until 9:00 last night. It felt beyond wonderful…..I just couldn’t stop even for dinner.

Moving on to my extensive filing system – I found pounds and pounds of paper to discard. What did I toss?

Travel Brochures to places I hope to travel one day – but not anytime soon. Old daytimers from years past. “Important” paperwork for my 2 adult sons who have their own independent lives. Party Planning files used for a Social Director position that I recently retired from. Printed copies of emails which reminded me of important deadlines which have passed a long time ago. A box of ugly greeting cards that were a freebie. Mismatched envelopes “too valuable to throw away” – yeah, right! And on and on.

I realized if there is one area which is challenging for me….it’s PAPER. I have a paper problem. Having said this, my “problem” can, also, be a private and personal privilege.

I love beautifully engraved stationery! (Yes, I still write notes and letters to send via snail mail.) And for my parties, I never send mass-emailed invitations with a clicked rsvp mechanism; I only send printed invitations which really show the invited guest how special they are to us. It’s old-fashioned….and I have been told (and lectured) numerous times – it’s unnecessary and a tad ridiculous….but I know how special I feel when I receive a printed invitation in MY mailbox.

I know. I know. I should have a super big garbage bag to fill. But I got started and couldn’t stop. Now, I have a roll of garbage bags ready to be filled.

I promised myself to take the weekend off. But I can’t. I’m motivated and excited to finish PAPER! Thank you Marie for making me face my fetish for all things paper.

Talk to you next week.