Tidying is just a tool, not the final destination. The true goal should be to establish the lifestyle you want most once your house has been put in order.
. . .
Putting things away creates the illusion that the clutter problem has been solved. But sooner or later, all the storage units are full, the room once again overflows with things, and some new and "easy" storage method becomes necessary, creating a negative spiral. This is why tidying must start with discarding. We need to exercise self-control and resist storing our belongings until we have finished identifying what we really want and need to keep.
. . .
Tidying up by location is fatal mistake. I recommend tidying by category. For example, instead of deciding that today you'll tidy a particular room, set goals like "clothes today, books tomorrow."
. . .
Effective tidying involves only two essential actions: discarding and deciding where to store things. Of the two, discarding must come first.
. . .
I never tidy my room. Why? Because it is already tidy.
. . .
Through this experience, I came to conclusion that the best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one's hand and ask: "Does it spark joy?" If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it.
. . .
To quietly work away at disposing of your own excess is actually the best way of dealing with a family that doesn't tidy. As if drawn into your wake, they will begin weeding out unnecessary belongings and tidying without your having to utter a single complaint. It may sound incredible, but when someone starts tidying it sets off a chain reaction.
. . .
If you feel annoyed with your family for being untidy, I urge you to check your own space, especially your storage. You are bound to find things that need to be thrown away. The urge to point out someone else's failure to tidy is usually a sign that you are neglecting to take care of your own space. This is why you should begin by discarding only your own things. You can leave the communal spaces to the end. The first step is to confront your own stuff.
. . .
If sweatpants are your everyday attire, you'll end up looking like you belong in them, which is not very attractive. What you wear in the house does impact your self-image.
. . .
The key is to store things standing up rather than laid flat.
. . .
Recently, I have noticed that having fewer books actually increases the impact of the information I read. I recognize necessary information much more easily. Many of clients, particularly those who have disposed of a substantial number of books and papers, have also mentioned this. For books, timing is everything. The moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it. To avoid missing that moment, I recommend that you keep your collection small.
. . .
The reason every item must have a designated place is because the existence of an item without a home multiplies the chances that your space will become cluttered again.
. . .
The secret to maintaining an uncluttered room is to pursue ultimate simplicity in storage so that you can tell at a glance how much you have.
. . .
For the reasons described above, my storage method is extremely simple. I have only two rules: store all items of the same type in the same place and don't scatter storage space.
. . .
If you live with your family, first clearly define separate storage spaces for each of family member. This is essential. For example, you can designate separate closets for you, your husband, and your children, and store whatever belongs to each person in his or her respective closet. That's all you need to do. The important points here is to designate only one place per person if at all possible. In other words, storage should be focused in one spot. If storage places are spread around, the entire house will become cluttered in no time. To concentrate the belongings of each person in one spot is the most effective way for keeping storage tidy.
. . .
Clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore, storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort needed to get them out.
. . .
I store things vertically and avoid stacking for two reasons. First, if you stack things, you end up with what seems like inexhaustible storage space. Things can be stacked forever and endlessly on top, which makes it harder to notice the increasing volume. In contrast, when things are stored vertically, any increase takes up space and you will eventually run out of storage area. When you do, you'll notice, "Ah, I'm starting to accumulate stuff again."
The other reason is this: stacking is very hard on the things at the bottom. When things are piled on top of one another, the things underneath get squished. Stacking weakens and exhausts the things that bear the weight of the pile.
. . .
Spaces that are out of sight are still part of your house. By eliminating excess visual information that doesn't inspire joy, you can make your space much more peaceful and comfortable. The difference this makes is so amazing it would be a waste not to try it.
. . .
No comments:
Post a Comment