SUSAN TIPPETT BRAITHWAITE

It’s October and I should have been back in the word mines for a week or so by now. But, I’m not.

After my week off at the end of August it seemed pointless getting back to work only to have another week off for my birthday—sounds like a lot of off time, but I hadn’t had a day off since June.

Anyway, after my time off I sat down to work and found that I couldn’t. I just kept getting distracted by the neatly organised clutter. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, I just couldn’t focus.

It was driving me crazy and I knew that cleaning wasn’t the solution. I actually already had the solution: Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Cleaning.

I bought the book four years ago and went through the first stage—clothing—and immediately stopped. The thought of tackling paperwork mountain (going through every piece of paper ?) scared the shit out of me.

We’ve been dragging boxes upon boxes of paperwork around with us for over twenty years, adding to it as we went. Hence the fear.

Which brings me to my absence from the blog and pretty much everywhere. Two weeks ago (tomorrow) we restarted our KonMari method for decluttering.

I’ll continue to be AWOL until this is done. The reason being is that it’s physically and emotionally draining. (We’re not even at the sentimental items stage yet!) No one tells you that.

So far, we’ve managed to donate another ten or so bags of clothing and shoes. Fifty odd books gone. Nineteen boxes of paperwork (yip, nineteen) and five hard drives are awaiting collection by the shredding company. Another ten easier to deal with hard drives destroyed by Jez. And now we’re working on all the bits and bobs—kitchen stuff, office gear, appliances etc.

Marie Kondo mentions in her book that it takes around six months to complete her method. By the looks of it we’re looking at a month. Well, I’ve got everything crossed that it doesn’t take longer than that.

If you’ve been thinking of doing this in your own home, go for it. Every day we complete a task there’s a new level of calm in the house. It even sounds quieter, like all the clutter emitted vibrations and now that the excess is being removed it’s diminishing. (? This only makes sense in my head, doesn’t it.)

Well, there’s a pile of sewing supplies calling me to see what “sparks joy.” Until next time, take care. ?