KonMari – Week 5 begins tomorrow

Thank you to the Readers who are taking this journey with me.

I hope by sharing my experiences with you – your own KonMari voyage will benefit in some way.

One key lesson I learned during Week 4 that I must share with you today…..if you think an armoire will take 45 minutes to tidy…..multiply that amount of time by 2 or 3.

Could be I am just slower than the average ‘tidier’ – but that rule of thumb has held true during my past four weeks. I keep reassuring myself that there is no secret timer with a giant, loud buzzer or alarm.

KonMari is a natural, peaceful process. Not to be hurried….

This armoire has always been a personal favorite of mine. It was custom-made to my specifications in Louisiana from dark-stained Cypress – which is indigenous to that swampy area. A very talented local artisan made this about 15+ years ago. Talk about spark JOY! This piece does just that for me!

Before I downsized my home and lived in a house with ample square footage, this armoire was built specifically for my office papers and supplies along with my sons’ school documents. When we shrunk our living space by well over a 1000 sq. ft., I successfully repurposed it for a different type of storage.

Every. Single. Time…..I opened the doors of this armoire, I cringed. It was a jumbled mess. Now, I look for reasons to admire the handiwork of tidying this treasured piece of furniture!

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So dear Readers…..as I look back on my KonMari days (beginning on February 25), here are a few takeaways I would like to share with you.

1. Even during the overwhelming categories, this process still feels productive and positive. For me, it was PAPER. That one category took over a week. And even through the daunting mountain (literally) of papers, file folders, manuscripts I’ve written, etc…..I knew this was a good thing!
2. Emotions are abound. I foolishly thought that my feelings would be saved for the last category: SENTIMENTAL MEMENTOS. wrong. wrong. wrong. All of the categories I have completed: Clothing / Books / Paper have given rise to heightened emotions. The crosses that I purchased at the Vatican in 1984. The book on ballet that I received as a young child. And the short story that I wrote – loosely autobiographical – about Elizabeth who learned that family members were savagely ridiculing and making fun of her…. and encouraged her very own daughter-in-law to join in on the ‘fun’.

KonMari opened my ‘big box of feeling’ and no, it isn’t an easy process or procedure, but nothing worthwhile has been easy in my life.

Tidying has allowed me to deal with a lot of tangible and intangible ‘stuff’. Some good. Some bad. Some great. Some downright horrible. But KonMari allowed me to address all the memories deeply hidden in my belongings.

I guarantee you this: I feel lighter and brighter and happier.

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P.S.

I bought this apothecary chest at an antique auction some 20 years ago (give or take a year or two)…I’ve loved it ever since….but it was reduced to a hiding place for unnecessary Komono! No More!

There’s so much more to unpack. Literally and Figuratively. Still working on KOMONO (miscellaneous) which will probably take all of Week 5.

Stay tuned, please.