Anyone that knows me well, knows I always have a stack of books by my bedside and another loaded into my Audible App. I love that you can literally learn anything you want these days just by reading a book. My range of interests varies as I enjoy having books with different genres going at the same time, so that I can read depending on my mood. Just like intuitive eating, I call this intuitive reading!
My most recent read, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, really aligned with what I needed for this season in my life. This book had many amazing lessons, some that I will take and a few I will leave. Here is what I took away: touch every item in your home and if it "Sparks Joy" then keep it. If you don't get that warm and fuzzy feeling of love, put it in a donate pile and make sure to thank it for the purpose it served to you. De-cluttering and organizing can have a huge positive impact on life. It has been said that the state of your space on the outside is a reflection of the state of your space on the inside. Are you feeling cluttered, or trying to pack something else into a space that is not there? How would it feel to be able to breathe again? To come home and be able to spend time doing the things you love in a space where each item sparks joy, rather than feeling the anxiety over what needs to be cleaned.
Another one of Marie Kondo's rules is that each person/place needs their own space. Each person's items belong in that space and should spark joy for that person. As a busy mama living in a tight space, I have found myself storing extra kitchen supplies and appliances in bathroom cabinets and adding basket after basket into my living room, filled with kid toys and things that have no place. The result is, we don't see these things or they are hard to access, and therefore they don't get used. The gist of this rule means that I need to create a space in the kitchen for kitchen things. The toys that are in the living room need to find a permanent home in each of my children's rooms. Only bathroom items should be in the bathroom. Period. As I began trying to fathom how I could create space in an already crowded apartment, I began to pull things off shelves and ask myself "does this spark joy"? To my surprise, many things did not (anymore). Before I knew it, I had 4 giant trash bags filled with items to donate and a large tub of books. I found myself excited to get rid of things that had served their purpose and I felt a sense of pure joy seeing the space that had been created for things that I truly loved to be highlighted and easily accessible for regular use. This is where I am at so far...
The main takeaway I'm experiencing from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is that when you fill your space with things that spark joy, you clear a place for your purpose and passions to show up. It can be hard amidst a jumble of junk to really get clear on what you want to spend your time and energy doing. What do you I see when I look around my place now? Glossy covered beautiful cookbooks, pictures of my family, cute crafts my kids made for me, soft cozy blankets, bright vibrant fruit, healthy zen succulents and LOTS of open space. What does this tell you about me? I love to cook healthy vibrant happy food, I LOVE my family, I
love to feel cozy and I love a quiet peaceful energy to breathe when I am home alone.
If you get the chance to read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up , I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I would love to hear your thoughts below.
Until next time... peace, love, hugs and health!
Xo,
Jenny
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