Decluttering Japanese style: Anyone using the KonMari Method?

[Cindylouwho]

This was my second of 3 Life Changers this summer. I want to share this as it is part of my journey to achieve my New Year's Resolution word for 2015. I'm still in process but I'm really honing in this month before the holidays ramp up so I can hit that goal. My word for 2015 is "Pretty" (in all this surrounds me).

Has anyone on this forum read:
"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo.

I'm in stunned disbelief as I started with a reasonably clean and uncluttered house. We have a lot of stuff but we also have a lot of activities, elderly parents with lots of medical paper, a big house and yard to manage but things are for the most part put away. I do have my headaches -- Paper and The Mudroom. Constant struggles there. And DD's room. Ugh!

Anyhow, I read this book (speed-read it actually using both Audible and eBook to get through it in about 4 hours. After several deep breathes, and ONLY 2 hours I seriously removed over 70% of my entire closet. A large walk-in closet. And I had already decluttered it last season after dropping weight. I'm letting it all go and you know what -- I am completely fine with it. I'm kinda still stunned. Books are next. Then paper (hopefully in time for next weeks Paper and Planning for Home & Holiday). And now my husband and daughter are yanking out their clothes too. Unheard of!

Google her. YouTube her. Yahoo News her. Amazon her. (And read the comments on the first comment. There are like 78 replies to it. Marie Kondo. She's cute as a button! Listen to her presentation at Google Headquarters.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I love it. I'm almost done reading it.

 

[luludou]

I just read about her last week! it was on a blog I was reading. I need to read this.

 

[Cindylouwho]

I showed DD my closet (she has been in classic "stubborn as a mule" mode about her disaster of a room). She loved it but said she doesn't have that much to get rid of. OMG. Really? It is to the rafters. I cut her a deal that said I'd be happy to take her shopping for Back to School after she addresses her room as I have no idea what she truly needs. Whoa - hostile glares. Then I showed her cute little Marie Kondo. She agreed Marie was pretty cute and okaaaaaayyyyyyy she'd do it. Parents aren't supposed to help but she actually asked me to so I kept my opinions to myself and only put things in the bins she told me to. Two hours or so later - she had let go of about half her closet. 8-O This morning she is lounging in her cleared room with a book and cup of tea. Priceless!

The rest of the stuff (non-clothing) is in the hallway (hope there isn't an avalanche). As a family we will follow the declutter order that Kondo specifies -- so Books next, then paper. Gotta crawl our way to #4 for her (#4 is Miscellaneous which will include Crafts). She has a LOT of art supplies.

 

[snowlvr]

I too bought the book and am half way through it-very interesting read and a completely different approach to clutter