I’m going to start this off with that I’m guilty getting sucked into all the Kondo hype. Actually, I caught the bug a few years ago when I read her book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I probably got rid of ten contractor bags full of stuff, and I will admit, I felt so much lighter. But over the last few years in the lapse of reading Kondo’s book and then seeing the Netflix show air, we had filled our house back up with things that we didn’t need or use.
So here’s the deal; Yes, we need to drastically change our lives and declutter so we have that instant gratification, but the downside is that most are more than likely to fill those gaps of emptied space back up quickly. A friend of mine sent me a message and reminded me that consumerism is a part of our culture. So true. I’m guilty of it, my husband is guilty of it, and even Edith is seeing a glimpse into that future of wanting more toys, and being spoiled by grandparents and friends that love her (and buy her stuff).
Let’s think about it for a minute and pause. I have gotten rid of so many things that did not bring me joy and that I no longer had use for, and for two reasons my house hasn’t filled back up: 1. We’re on a tight budget with not a lot of extra to spend, so our money goes toward necessities like groceries, bills and diapers. 2. I have become more mindful of what I really need, and I think twice about buying something that isn’t well made and won’t last long.
Even with something as simple as food storage. What started as a daily frustration, turned into a project to fix that frustration, then turned into a pretty Instagram/blog post. But the reality is, and I am honestly embarrassed about it, is that there was a lot of wasted food simply because I overbought and wasn’t organized so I could see what I had. That’s spending more money than we needed to, and putting more into our landfills.
Let’s celebrate being tidy and surrounding ourselves with things that bring us joy. But let’s not forget to focus on the root of the problem, that we as consumers need to be mindful of what we own and what we are bringing into our homes.
We can’t forget about our planet. We only have one earth, and we need to take care of it. Not to be downer or take away any Kondo love (she’s amazing), I just know that thrift stores are being flooded with donations, and a lot of stuff is being trashed and taken to landfills. So let’s start thinking about “our stuff” with new perspective. Let’s keep what we love, but when bringing something new into our life and home, ask ourselves, “Do I need it? What will I use this for? Is it well made and will last me for a long time?”.
I hope that with this new mindset, I can help my family save money and only bring things into our home that bring us joy or serve a purpose. I want to better our lives, and create a better future for my daughter.
Happy Marie Kondo Monday ya’ll!
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