Declutter – Minimalist Me

Best tips from Marie Kondo

admin@stgweb.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 10:54:26 +0000

Best tips from Marie Kondo

“The life changing magic of tiding up” is not a regular “how to” book. It’s a whole philosophy that can teach you how to change your lifestyle and live in a home that sparks joy.

Discard first

To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those things that have outlived their purpose.

Learn how to let go

Truly precious memories will never vanish even if you discard the object associated with them. No matter how wonderful things used to be we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now is more important. By handling each sentimental item and deciding what to discard you process your past. The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.

Detox your house

When we reduce what we own and essentially “detox” our house, it has a detox effect on our body as well.

How much is just right?

As you would reduce your belongings through the process of tidying, you will come to a point where you suddenly know how much is just right for you. Once you have passed to this point, you’ll find that the amount you own never increases. And that it’s precisely why you will never rebound.

keep only what’s important for you

As you put your house in order and decrease your possessions, you’ll see what your true values are, what is really important to you and your life.

Throughout the process of selecting only those things that inspire joy you can identify precisely what you love what you need.

How to fold your clothes

When it comes to storage, vertical is best.

The word Healing in Japanese is “te-ate” which literally means “to apply hands”. The act of folding is far more then making clothes compact for storage. It is an act of caring, an expression of love an appreciation for the way this clothes support your lifestyle.

No more seasonal storing

The custom of storing seasonal clothes is behind the times. It is time to abandon the custom and keep all your clothes ready to be used year-round, regardless of the season.

Most importantly

Putting your house in order is the magic that creates a vibrant and happy life.

Storage is the sacred act of choosing a home for my belongings.

The post Best tips from Marie Kondo appeared first on Minimalist Me.

Vertical storage

admin@stgweb.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 10:27:59 +0000

Vertical storage

“Putting your house in order is fun. All You need to do is follow the right order. Start with clothes, then move on to books, papers, miscellaneous items (komono) and finally things with sentimental value. By starting with the easy things first and leaving the hardest till last you can gradually hone your decision – making skills so that’s by the end it seems simple”.

The first category

When it comes to decluttering your house, you should start with your clothes. This is the first category.

Start by collecting all your clothes from all over the house. Place it all on top of your bed in a pile. you will be overwhelmed from the amount of clothes you posses.

The next stage is to start holding each item in both of your hands. look at it and ask yourself: “Does it spark joy”?if the answer is no, simply place it in the discarding pile. If the answer is yes, if this item really thrills you, place it on the “to keep” pile. After you’ve went through all your items, one by one, you move to the next stage – folding.

I am a very tidy person by nature and my drawers and shelves were never cluttered. Inside one of my shirts drawers in my dresser all the shirts were folded nicely one on top of the other. But this way I could never really see all the shirts I had. This is why Konmari method makes so much sense.

Folding the shirts with Konmari method not only enabled me to see all that I have, it also created more space !

After

If you don’t have many drawers

This folding method works great even if your wardrobe doesn’t have many drawers. I place the shirts vertically one beside the other. If it’s folded in the right way it will not fall! In this way it’s also very easy the take out the shirt you want without cluttering your wardrobe by pulling one shirt under a pile of shirts.

What about dresses, for instance?

“Hang only those items that look happier when hung”.

If you like this tip, and once you apply it on your clothes, take a picture and tag me on Instagram @minimalistmeblog.

Need help?

Feel like you can’t do it by your own and need help to declutter? Check my services as KonMari professional organizer after the seminar I will attend in April 2019.

The post Vertical storage appeared first on Minimalist Me.

The KonMari™ experience

admin@stgweb.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 09:33:09 +0000

The KonMari experience

The Book that put it altogether

Marie kondo came into my life only recently. As a very tidy person I never felt the need to read her book. However, when I saw that I can become a KonMari consultant I read her book “The life changing magic of tiding up” and I realized how much it all made sense to me.

In her book the following sentence caught my eye:

“keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge to discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on new lifestyle.”

Marie Kondo

The KonMari method is not about what you should throw. It is about what you should keep. BUT – you should start by discarding before you move to the next task.

Discard first

The process of deciding what to keep can be the easy for some people, but when it comes to deciding what to discard, this might be very difficult, as some of us can’t let go of things (not just sentimental items like photos and gifts). Some people will not want to give a way clothes that they didn’t wear for a long time just because they might want to wear it again one day, or thinking it’s a pity to throw away a nice expensive dress or a suit. With this way of thinking they won’t be able to let go of things.

I guess there is a reason why you don’t wear that specific item. it doesn’t spark joy for you when you touch it.

Keep only the things that spark joy.

This is what Marie kondo is all about – embarking into a new lifestyle. It’s not just folding your shirts and arranging your wardrobe. Its a lifestyle

My new journey

I was so influenced by this book and when I realized how much I apply this method naturally in my house, I decided to learn more about it to be able to teach people how to live that way, so I registered to Marie Kondo seminar to become her certified consultant.

This is my lifestyle and this is what MinimalistMe is all about.

If you want this lifestyle read the best tips I learned from her book and sign up to read more about the journey of becoming KonMari consultant in the seminar I will attend in April 2019.

The post The KonMari™ experience appeared first on Minimalist Me.

How to fold thick garments

admin@stgweb.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 09:17:40 +0000

How to fold thick garments

Yesterday I went for my daily run with my dog Drogo. Only this time I went out at 15:30 which is unusual for me as this time of the day is already dark and I like to run in a day light.

Spring is in the air

Its 5°C outside and I feel the spring in the air. The lake is still a bit frozen, still no sign of blooming, but there is no snow ,the sky is blue and there is light!!!
While running I realize that tomorrow it’s the official first day of spring – time to fold the thick heavy sweaters, fleece, jumpers and other thick garments.

Some of you might think I’m crazy. How can I store warm thick clothes when it’s 5 degrees outside. But let me put it this way: after months and months of minus degrees and darkness, 5 degrees together with the sun feels so good!

How to fold thick garments so they will stand

This is the beige sweater I bought at H&M concept store. In second thought, I think I will not store it for off-season yet (as it’s my favorite sweater and it can still snow here and there).

Fold the garment loosely as they expand with air anyway. If you want to store them for the off-season you can use tight fitting bag because half of the volume is air. In case you have enough storage space leave them standing up on the shelf or inside a drawer but if they won’t stay up, just lay them down.

If you see that the garment is too thick and won’t really fold no matter what you do, I guess it will look happier being hung.

Try it yourself

Please leave here a comment to let me know how it worked for you and subscribe for further tips.

The post How to fold thick garments appeared first on Minimalist Me.

What to wear when you meet Marie Kondo (or: tips on packing a suitcase with KonMari™ method)

admin@stgweb.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 08:27:15 +0000

What to wear when you meet Marie Kondo (or: tips on packing a suitcase with KonMari method)

When I think about it, there are few times in your career that are significant. This weekend is going to be one of those time for me.

“Life changing magic of tidying” is magic

I finally reach the point where I found my passion in life. I will help people tidy their house, life and help them to live only with the things that make them happy and spark joy.

I will meet Marie Kondo in London on Friday and this requires packing the best of my wardrobe (that wouldn’t be so difficult, as I have only clothes that spark joy for me). The difficult part, though, will be to choose among my sparking joy garments, only 3 outfits, as the seminar is a three days event..

What to wear when you meet Marie Kondo

The dress code requirements I got from the KonMari team advised that the certification course would be an opportunity to test my consultant “uniforms”, hence, outfits that are professional, polished, authentic to me, and most of all, that spark joy.

I thought it’s an opportunity for me to buy a suit, but while trying it I felt that its not authentic to me at all! I have all that spark joy for me in my wardrobe. So I planned what to wear and started to pack.

How to pack a suitcase with the KonMari method:

Packing a suitcase for business or leisure trips follows the same basic principals as those for storage in the home. clothes should be folded and packed upright. pack small things such as underwear in travel pouch, and transfer lotion and toiletries into smaller bottles to reduce volume.

Toiletries

I always transfer my facial cleanser, hair serum and shampoo to Muji travel refill bottles.

Underwear

I keep my underwear in fabric bags I used to get when I purchased swimming suit and shoes from Cos.
If you are using a bra that has cups, never flatten the cups. You should pack them on top. If you are wearing soft bras, you may fold them and pack them upright in the fabric bag, together with the knickers and socks.

The same goes for my shoes

You can use this bag if you take your shoes on holiday.

The clothes

They should be folded and packed upright, like in your wardrobe. Jackets should be lay flat.

The suitcase

Place all your belonging upright inside your suitcase. This, by the way, will make unpacking so much fun.

Last but not least

I always carry in my suitcase a nice big fabric bag for my laundry. I treat my clothes nice, even when they are dirty.

Next: London

Marie Kondo, me and another 96 women from all around the world in a weekend that will spark you.

The post What to wear when you meet Marie Kondo (or: tips on packing a suitcase with KonMari™ method) appeared first on Minimalist Me.

How to tidy your clothes

admin@stgweb.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:43:57 +0000

How to tidy your clothes

The KonMari seminar

It’s been two weeks since I met Marie Kondo. I spent five days in London, half of the days were in a room full of 120 amazing people. I came back home feeling over the moon. I’m waiting for the pictures (as we were not allowed to take pictures with our phone) to write a post about this amazing experience I had.

The Training

The seminar was the first step in becoming KonMari consultant. After attending the seminar I have to complete 30 hours of tidying sessions, to be able to get the qualification. I was eager to start as soon as I was back home.
Currently I am a KonMari consultant in training, and for my training I found an amazing client. I will cal her “Supper Mommy”.

Super mommy

My client is in her early 30’s on a maternity leave, without family around to help her. She is a mother of three boys, all under the age of 5, and due to her very busy life she simply can’t do it all by herself and needs somebody to help her. She can’t declutter by her own and wants a calm tidy house. This is were I go in.

The first category: Clothes

We started by collecting her clothes from all over the house. Coats from the entrance and maternity clothes from the storage room. It’s important to collect all the garments from every corner of the house, as the basic rule of the KonMari method is to tidy by category and not location. We took all her clothes from the wardrobe and placed them on her bed, one on top of the other, creating a pile.

Discard first & joy check

To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those things that have outlived their purpose.
Marie Kondo

The pile makes you realize how much you own. Sometimes its overwhelming to stand in front of it. But this way you will handle the items one by one and do the joy check.

After we took out of the room the discarded items, it was time to start sorting the clothes.

Visibility & Accessibilty

First we hung all the clothes that look happier being hung, for instance dresses, jackets and shirts from light fabric like silk. Then we started folding all the rest of the clothes and placed them on the bed, before sorting them in the wardrobe.

Sorting in the wardrobe – Before & After

Choose storage options that spark joy for you. I love these pink crates. It’s a great solution if you don’t have many drawers.

Sessions in general take between 4 to 6 hours, and it can be very emotional for some people. I am very privileged to be able to help and guide people through the process on embarking into a new lifestyle.

Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on new lifestyle.

The post How to tidy your clothes appeared first on Minimalist Me.

How to tidy paper

admin@stgweb.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:27:32 +0000

How to tidy paper

My rule of thumb? discard everything. keep only those for which there is a clear purpose.

Marie Kondo

The paper category is not a fun category. I’ve been asked by my client how to know what to discard, as none of her papers spark joy for her. She was right, papers don’t spark so much joy, but the final result of tidying this category will spark joy for you.

The pile

Like with the clothes category, start by collecting all your papers from all over the house and put them all in one place. Then, remove all the papers from it’s folders and binders.

What to keep?

It will be easier to know what to keep if you sort the papers in the following categories: pending, frequently used and infrequently used.

Discard, Discard, Discard

Discard as much as possible, but make sure you know your country’s rules and regulations regarding how many years you should keep papers like tax, property and such. Keep only what you really need. It’s very important to check each paper. Remove stack of papers you find in an envelope. Go over all the papers, one by one. If along the way you find a paper that is sentimental to you, leave it aside to deal with it later. Handling sentimental items it at this point will only delay you.
Incase you are planing to scan all the papers that you will keep and discard the hard copy, make sure that you know the rules and regulations of your country.

Storage solutions

That’s were the fun begins! Find yourself storage solutions that spark joy for you. Marie Kondo is saying that when it comes to storage, vertical is best. also with papers. I love the box file. All the sub categories and papers are visible. For the pending papers I use metal envelope filer.

Before & After

This category can take time to finish and it’s also very tiring. Make sure your windows are open to have fresh air, play some music you love and take breaks. In case you can’t finish it in one day try to come back to it the next day. Don’t delay and postpone. The end result will give you so much joy.

The post How to tidy paper appeared first on Minimalist Me.

Keep calm and KonMari™ your clothes virtual guidance

admin@stgweb.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 14:27:02 +0000

Keep calm and KonMari your clothes virtual guidance

We are home and we are about to spend a lot of time there. Why don’t you try to take advantage of the situation and declutter you home?

Taking good care of your things leads to taking good care of yourself.

Marie Kondo

First category: clothes

The clothes are the first category in the KonMari method.

Start by collecting all your clothes (yours only) from all over the house. Coats from the entrance and maternity clothes from the storage room. It’s important to collect all the garments from every corner of the house, as the basic rule of the KonMari method is to tidy by category and not location. Collect all your clothes from the wardrobe and place them on your bed, one on top of the other, creating a pile.

The Pile

The pile makes you realise how much you own. Sometimes its overwhelming to stand in front of it. But this way you will handle the items one by one and do the joy check.

Take each item in your hands, ask herself “does it spark joy”? If the answer is a clear yes, place it in the “to keep pile”. If it was a “no”, it goes to the discarding (donating) pile, but only after you say “thank you” to each item she discarded. Along the process you will find few items that you won’t be a able to decide, as you might want to try them on. For now kept it a side on the “to try pile”. After you will handle each item, it will be the time to collect all the items that no longer spark joy for you and place them in bags.

These days it might be impossible to go out of home to donate those bags full of clothes. For now keep them in a storage room if possible.

Folding before storing

First hang all the clothes that look happier being hung, for instance dresses, jackets and shirts from light fabric like silk. Then start folding all the rest of the clothes (with the KonMari folding method of course. Want to learn how? check my “How to fold” highlight on my Instagram ) and placed them on the bed, like with like (pants with pants, T-shirts with T-shirts etc) before sorting them in the wardrobe.

Now the fun part begins!

Place your clothes in your wardrobe, taking in considiration your needs, sorting the clothes like with like.

Before & After

Doesn’t this wardrobe spark so much joy?

Need more guidance? Feel free to contact me so I can help you in your own KonMari journey!

The post Keep calm and KonMari™ your clothes virtual guidance appeared first on Minimalist Me.

Storage solutions that spark joy

admin@stgweb.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 13:33:42 +0000

Storage solutions that spark joy

Tidying is a difficult mission for many people. Sometimes my clients complain that they can’t even think of tidying certain categories, such as paper. So I try to make it more fun for them with some storage solutions that spark joy.

Clothes

Some people may think that the KonMari folding method is not suitable for them, as they don’t have many drawers in their wardrobe.This is a misconception. The method works great with shelves too. All you need is a box! Any box would work. I use the plastic colorful crates and white shoe boxes.

These crates can also be used with children’s clothes and bedsheets. I love storing my pillow cases in it.

Makeup & Toiletries

Store your toiletries in baskets or boxes, sort them by sub categories and keep only the things you use. Discard old products and samples that you received and never use.

Paper

I admit, Paper is one of the most boring category to tidy. Sorting paper is tiring and doesn’t bring much joy. But if you choose a nice storage solution you love, the end result will bring you so much joy.
I absolutely love the box file for storing my papers. In this way, all the papers are visible and accessible. For my pending I use an metal envelope letter holder.

Kitchen Komono

Like with every other category, food should also be accessible and visible. I use glass jars to store my food.

Small miscellaneous items

These small circular containers are a great storage for your jewelry and other small items.

Sentimental items

Along the tidying marathon you will find sentimental items. It can be a T-shirt from your university time that you never wear now, a love letter from 20 years ago (before we started to receive those by emails) etc. I love to keep mine in a nice box. It doesn’t mean you have to buy boxes all the time. It might even be a shoe box that sparks joy for you.
I keep my sentimental items in a box on a shelf in my walk-in closet, a place I can see it every time I dress up. It’s not stored in a high shelf where I can’t see it.

Tiding can be so much fun if you find storage solutions that will make you smile just by looking at it. Save

The post Storage solutions that spark joy appeared first on Minimalist Me.