sparking joy

so my Sewing Circle met last week and the conversation came around to Marie Kondo and tidying up. unless you have just returned from an extended space mission, you must know SOMETHING about the KonMari method.

let's review what the fuss is about, straight from Marie Kondo:

"The KonMari Method™ encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service – then let them go."

millions of people around the world have had their lives changed by embracing KonMari. i am not one of them. yet.

i come by my "stuff" naturally. my grandmother collected carrier bags (a fancy English term for plastic bags from stores.) she had thousands from all manner of places - supermarkets, wine stores, clothing stores, department stores, souvenir shops. if there were a storefront in Europe, she had the bag to prove its existence. so guess what i started doing during my summers in England? yes. collecting my own. and i still have them.

i did a little googling {i'm VERY good at this} on KonMari. I haven't yet viewed the show on netflix. the Real Housewives of {insert here} is enough reality tv for me. that and the circus that is our country's leadership.

so i started with clothes. my clothes. and i got anxiety when i got to my Spanx. when i asked myself if they spark joy, the answer was no. but neither does my muffin top. so they stayed and i thanked them profusely for smoothing my carb indiscretions. on the bright side, i was able to thank and discard a polka dot headwrap that was used precisely two times to hold my hair while i washed my face. Did i mention it was polka dot with a bow? thanks emily routon for encouraging THAT purchase.

moving on to books. nothing to see there. papers? too overwhelming to tackle. komono? this was tough. let's talk utensils. like chopsticks. not your to-go from your favorite Asian restaurant cheap wooden ones. the really nice ones that have been gifted to you from countries where they actually know how to use a chopstick. twelve sets. 12. but we used four of them last week when we made sushi. so they stay. litter boxes? they definitely DO NOT SPARK JOY. ever. and they certainly don't speak to my heart. the only thing they speak to is the fact that they are gross regardless of how clean you may be. they are best served hidden with copious amounts of essential oil diffused in same space.

finally, sentimental items. hmm. this one is complicated. Said boy is a sentimental item. She is a sentimental item. Do they spark joy? most minutes of most days. I'm thinking they should be concerned that i opt to practice KonMari on the same day they are not sparking joy. like in the morning when they refuse to get up as i TRY to get her to school without incurring a tardy pass and myself to that 8:30 a.m. meeting. or when they return from some outside activity, say ripsticking, and all helmets, ripsticks, wrist guards, shoes, socks, etc. form a line to anywhere but where they belong. definitely not sparking joy.

i think i will just continue along with my own method of tidying up which we shall simply call "UP." as in up in the attic. my very large attic. with all of the things that i will leave for her to KonMari long after we are gone. including the thousands of plastic carrier bags from summers long ago. and Said Boy and her from time to time.