This post is sponsored by The Motherhood and Kimberly Clark. All opinions are my own.
These KonMari Tips for Spring Cleaning honed from “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” may just be both life-changing and magical! Read on to discover what you need to know about the KonMari process and how they will help you with your spring cleaning process!
Spring cleaning this year took on a much grander implication than the usual swapping of the wardrobes and scrubbing down of the countertops. It actually started quite innocently. I was browsing Amazon and noticed a book with a very long title was on the Bestseller list… “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
Hmm… it caught my attention for a few reasons… life changing? magic? And tidying? What a weird word. Usually it’s organizing or cleaning, but tidying? I was intrigued.
I polled my facebook peeps. Crickets. My mom friends hadn’t read it.
I purchased it anyways. I’m so glad I did. My family may or may not be.
What happens after you read the book? You begin to KonMari. The book would define the KonMari process as compiling everything you own, by category, and selecting only the items which “Spark Joy” to keep; discarding those that have already served their purpose.
My family would define the process of KonMari as Mommy throwing everything away.
Both descriptions are accurate.
Turns out, there were a lot of things in my house that did not spark joy. At least 120 garbage bags full. And, that’s just the stuff that fit in a garbage bag. We had the county Bulky Item trash service come three times. And, we made dozens of trips to Goodwill, consignment stores and the Recycling Center.
What’s left? Things that my family and I love. Clothes that fit me and that I feel good in. Pantry items that I want to cook with and are healthy for me. Toys that my kids actually play with. And some moola that I made from consigning a lot of clothes!
There is new-found space in closets, the pantry and garage. Countertops are open and spacious. The house simply feels bigger. And, you know what else? It’s so much easier to clean and keep tidied.
Ready to KonMari? Yay! Here are a few things you’ll wanna do to get started:
Get a heckuva lot of trashbags. Like an insane person’s amount. You will be astounded by how much you will be getting rid of. May as well be prepared.
Put together a cleaning caddy. Although not really discussed about in the book, you will be cleaning each area of the home while going through your items. I had a caddy loaded with Viva® Towels and Viva® Vantage® Paper Towels.
Viva® Vantage® has a scrubby texture, like a terrycloth. I used it for getting stainless steel appliances and glassware to shine and for scrubbing stovetops and my pollen-covered patio furniture.
Viva® Towels have a soft and smooth texture, like cloth. These I used for wiping down cupboards and cleaning countertops.
I also kept glass cleaner, stain remover, a brush and dust pan, and a roll of trashbags in the caddy all of which can be found at Walmart. If I was emptying out a cupboard, I’d go ahead and brush up any crumbs then wipe the cupboard down with Viva® Towels. They are strong and hold up to multiple uses.
Follow the official KonMari order of tidying. Start with your clothes, move on to knick knacks, and tackle the sentimental items last.
Set aside time. I got carried away in the beginning, cleaning and throwing stuff out for hours at a time. I was going to get burned out. So, I forced myself to stick to an hour or two max a day. Going through ALL of your belongings is a process. A long one. But it’s SOOO worth it!
Don’t take it too seriously. Although I consider myself a KonMari follower, ain’t no way I’m going start having a chat with my socks, or unload my wallet every night. The book has some great ideas, but there are definitely moments when the author gets a little cray-cray.
Now, I wanna know – Have you drank the KonMari Kool-Aid? What tips would you share with those starting the process? Has it changed your life? How?
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Several home decor bloggers have written about this book. Sounds interesting. I’m naturally super tidy and don’t hoard and it helps lower anxiety, I believe. (I think having a smaller home makes it easier in this regard.) Your home looks beautiful. I can’t imagine keeping track of three boys and their stuff! Good for you!