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For the last six months or so, I’ve been working through the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. And I have to say that it really has life changing! I’ve always enjoyed reading about organizing and finding the perfect way to store and organize my stuff. There are so many different systems, containers, and stores dedicated to finding the absolute perfect tool for whatever your organizing needs are….and I’ve tried just about every method and probably spent more than I care to admit on the perfect organizing solutions.
In Kondo’s book, she walks us through why to declutter and how to declutter our homes in order to enjoy your space and live peacefully. She doesn’t go into a lot of details about how to use her system in a family setting, download this handy printable guide she put together about using the KonMari System for Kids and Families, created exclusively for eBay.
Going through the book and my home has been a process and I’m nowhere near being done, but I am loving the process and I’m loving the way my home is looking. There is empty space, closets aren’t stuffed, junk drawers are gone, and the whole vibe in our home is becoming more peaceful as I continue the decluttering. During my process, I’ve been slowly teaching my children and husband some of the tools I’m learning. The number one decision to make is: Does this item spark joy? If it does, it stays…if not, it goes (well, mostly…I don’t think my stapler sparks joy, but I only kept the one I liked the best).
As I decide if each item in my home sparks joy, I either put it away where it belongs or put it in one of three piles. I’ve also being teaching this method to my children as they work through their items. The three piles are:
- Garbage (I’ve had so much that I rented a U-Haul to take a ton of garbage to the dump)
- Donation (I’ve taken multiple trips to the donation store with truck loads of useable things. Don’t forget to grab a receipt for you donation…it might be tax deductible.)
- To Sell (I keep anything that I could sell for more than $20 and use eBay Valet to make a little extra money) I let the kids keep any money that the make from selling one of their items.
I hope that helps give you some ideas for using the KonMari system for your kids and family. Make sure to download the eBook HERE.
athina says
Hi. I just started reading the book and I also have a family. I was interested in seeing your printable guide but the link is not working. Is there a way you can email me the link or the printable? I would really appreciate that. I’m trying to declutter before this baby arrives 🙂 Thanks! I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Wendy O'Neal says
Hi Athina, I just checked and the links are working for me. But, just to be safe, here is the link to the pdf: http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/MarieKondo_Kidstips.pdf
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