Why Tidy?

Take a look around your home. What do you see?

If you’d asked me this same question three years ago, I would have replied ‘stuff everywhere!’:  a sitting room with shelves full of books we hadn’t read, photographs in drawers we rarely looked at. In the bedroom, a wardrobe and chest of drawers full of clothes that didn’t fit or didn’t love. Boxes under the bed with bank statements dating back decades, souvenirs from trips, souvenirs from other people’s trips! A drawer full of makeup I hardly used, and boxes of hand lotions gifted for birthdays and Christmas. In the kitchen, a mismatch of crockery and glassware and appliances still in their boxes. In the bathroom, out of date medicines, a hotch potch of half used shampoos and conditioners and bags full of hotel miniature toiletries. In our children’s bedroom, more books, toys, clothes, nappies. And in our garage, old furniture, DVDs, academic books and papers, bikes, buggies, car seats; and it didn’t stop there. We had more stored at our parent’s homes. A lifetime of possessions carried with us through school, university, travel, jobs and house moves without ever stopping to think, why? 

As with most life changing decisions, the choice to live with less came at a point of crisis. 

Our life was incredibly busy. Working full time, looking after two under two and renovating out flat, our home was no longer a place of sanctuary, but instead a place of noise, dust and clutter. We felt stressed and overwhelmed and it was at this point that amongst the chaos, we had a moment of clarity: rather than supporting our lifestyle, our possessions were suffocating us, draining us of our time, energy and money and we had to find a way to tackle it, but how? We’d tried all the traditional methods! We needed a different approach – something that would have long lasting results and in reading Marie Kondo’s book ‘The life changing magic of tidying up’  - we knew we’d found it.

If any of the above resonates with you, you are certainly not alone and our own experience of living in chaos very much aligns with the growing body of evidence that clutter negatively impacts both our mental and physical wellbeing.   

So, why tidy? Here are just of handful of the many benefits that come from tidying up once and for all:

Stress reduction.

Being surrounded by things which do not bring us joy can be source of as visual noise. Those piles of papers that need to be removed from the table so you can have dinner, the clothes in your wardrobe that no longer fit, the expensive juicer you bought but rarely use, they distract us and they make us feel guilty and stressed.  Conversely, by living surrounded by only those things you cherish and giving them a ‘home’, you will find the space you inhabit becomes a place of sanctuary. 

Everything has a home.

Whilst the KonMari Method won’t always mean your home is perfectly tidy (particularly if you have children!) it will mean that you will be able to reset things quickly and know where things are. No more hunting for that important letter that came in the post last week and no more searching for those keys, shoes, bags. Life just becomes altogether easier. 

Fosters a gratitude and abundance mindset.

The act of tidying by category and gathering all our belongings into one place is powerful. It shines a spotlight on just how much we own and whilst it may raise feelings of surprise and for some, guilt, it can help those who struggle to let things go, to move from a mindset of scarcity, to one of abundance. It is at this point that people feel empowered to let things go with gratitude. 

Encourages you to become a more mindful consumer.

The KonMari method asks us to view our belongings in a way that many of us have never done before: to consider whether they bring us joy and support our ideal lifestyle. During this process, we can’t help but develop a more conscious appreciation for the things we own and a more mindful approach to what we choose to purchase going forward. This may be as simple as knowing what we have and therefore not buying more of the same or on a deeper level, knowing the kind of fabrics we prefer to wear or realising that it’s important to us that our clothes are eco-friendly and ethically made. 

Less tidying or looking for things and more time for living. 

Tidying is a journey not a destination. The true goal is clear away the clutter so that you may live the life you want to live. Whether it’s spending time with family and friends, pursuing your hobbies, travelling, or simply relaxing at home, ultimately, you are making space and time for the things that bring your joy.