By Emily Schilling

Hoarders take note! Decluttering our homes is all the rage thanks to Marie Kondo, a proponent of living more sparsely, simply and, ultimately, stress-free. Kondo says you should get rid of everything that does not “spark joy” in your life.  

You might have seen Kondo on television in shows like Good Morning America, Rachael Ray, and Entertainment Tonight or her own Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.  She has written two books about ditching clutter and she earned a spot on Time magazine’s Top 100 Influential People list in 2015.

As part of Kondo’s “KonMari” organizational method, anything that doesn’t make you happy should receive a proper and literal “thank you” before being relegated to the trash pile. Yes, she actually speaks to her discards, acknowledging that they served their purpose, but that, hey, it’s time for the heave-ho.

Kondo’s philosophy intrigues me. I tend to keep more than I should. There’ve been a few instances when I threw out items I ended up needing, so now I overanalyze whether I really should be parting ways with a lot of my possessions.

Ah, but the promise of a clutter-free life is so inviting! And if I can’t accomplish it environmentally, perhaps I’ll start with Kondo’s tips for decluttering the mind. By getting down to the core of what makes me happy — what sparks my joy — I can theoretically concentrate less on nagging everyday issues that take up a lot of head space and focus on what is fundamentally important to me. Once I straighten myself up (a true herculean task!), I just might tackle my junk drawer! 

EMILY SCHILLING is editor of Indiana Connection