The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up | 1 Year After the KonMarie Method

I am writing this exactly one year after I wrote my before and after KonMarie posts last July. If you haven't heard about this amazing new Japanese-style way of decluttering and changing your life, you really, really should check out this book. There is a reason why this book is so popular and has been on the best sellers list for so long. It works...you life will change...

A LOT has changed since my last KonMarie post, but I am happy to say that I did not relapse. My home is still very clean and tidy. I only buy things that I really, really love. And I only keep things that spark joy.

Once I jumped on board of the KM train, I never looked back and went full steam ahead. I LOVE that I am not constantly straightening, and organizing "stuff". I love that I am not always looking to buy bins, and the latest, most amazing organizational items "that will solve all your problems". My problems with being and "organized hoarder" have been solved!

After my first big yard sale, last June, I went through my belongings for a second round had another big yard sale in the fall. I am all for selling and making some extra cash!

This spring I redecorated and painted my living room, hall and entry. I finally got my house just the way I wanted it. Fresh, bright, light, and cheery, filled with just the things I loved.

My fireplace got a total overhaul too, and I just LOVED it! I finally got the mantle I had dreamed about. Everything was fixed and my home was comfortable. I am in no way a minimalist, but I was happy with the way things were.

Then something crazy happened. My husband and I read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey and everything changed again. We were already doing pretty good and not spending money foolishly, thank you Marie. Careless spending just isn't a problem anymore. We were at a place in our lives where we decided we had to do something drastic to be debt-free.

We put our house on the market in June...and it sold in less than 24 hours...

Becoming debt free was important to us, and selling is what we needed to do for that to happen. Plus it was an extremely good time for us to sell, we were in a sellers market. We got a full price offer the day after our house went on the market. We we signed closing papers one month later.

I just thought I was done decluttering last year! If I only knew. I had a moving sale, and I got rid of even more. The money I made from my yard/moving sales paid off a credit card. That, was amazing my friends! Like I said, sales are so worth it to me! Yes, they are a lot of work, but I have nothing but time.

Something happens to you when you decide your going to move and most of your belongs are going into storage, you purge, and you do it BIG time! Suddenly the things that you weren't 100% about become crystal clear. You either love it or you don't. You either use it or you don't. It either brings you joy or it doesn't.

I didn't dread the move at all. I had everything in it's place and a place for everything. My boxes got labeled and numbered so I know exactly what's in each box. I am organized and it's such a relief knowing that when we do decide to move into our new place, it won't be total chaos.

Enough about selling our house, and back to my current KM'ed life...

Alan and I are actually living with Dale, my husbands dad. We have our own bedroom with a decent closet and enough room for our king bed, nightstands, and two dressers. We have our own bathroom and we share all of the other living spaces with Dale. I had decluttered and downsized so much, that moving really was a breeze! I was able to move from our old bedroom into our new bedroom and have the exact same stuff in the same amount of space. And my new bathroom has plenty of storage for what I need. Thank goodness I still don't have all of that stuff I used to have! I would have been a complete stressed out mess trying to decide what I needed and where to put it all!

Oh, and thank goodness my father-in-law is a neat and tidy person, or else I might be going a little crazy.

I did not read Spark Joy, the follow up book to The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Honestly I just didn't see the point. I have already graduated KM University, haha, and my drawers and closets are organized and tidy. I have my shopping under control and I'm living a pretty low key life. I did enough research online and on Pinterest the first go around that I am pretty confident in my ability to fold and organize. BUT, if you are just starting our on you KM journey I think this book would be a great help along the way.

Something that is helping me big time is that I am in "money saving mode" (we are saving for a down payment). So needless spending is not a problem for me. I go to the grocery store with a list and stick to it. I still don't dilly dally around just for the sake of "shopping." I get in and out and on my way. I have a bigger goal in mind :)

One draw back is that I am picky, maybe too picky. Trying to pick out a floor plan or finding a new house might be quite the challenge for me because I am going to have to love it! I really don't like to settle, but I know I'll have to be realistic too. My husband and I have a list of "must haves" for our next house, hopefully we will find something we will both love.

I still fold everything the way Marie suggests, honestly I could never go back to doing it any other way! It makes me so happy to open up  my drawers and see everything lined up and looking nice.

I have not missed a single thing I have gotten rid of. Really. Occasionally I will look through some of my progress pictures and remember certain items, but I have not missed anything at all. SUCCESS!

Looking back on the year and going through such an intense decluttering, there were moments when I laughed, and when I cried. When I felt triumphant, and when I felt defeated. Moments when I threw things out mercilessly, and times when I would reminisce and hold on to items for dear life. Sometimes I felt invincible, and I had so much energy, other times I felt exhausted, and lost. Emotions bubbled up when I went through mementos (for me, and a lot of people, the hardest category) and the whole process taught me something about myself. I am stronger than I thought and happier than I've ever been.

This past year I had more time to create and do the things I wanted to do. I started this blog and I have loved how it's developed. I started taking my photography more seriously and I've been enjoying it and the people I photograph so much! I've made more of an effort to spend time with family and friends. My life has changed for the better.

All in all, it has been a successful year and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up really did change my life. Thank you all for stopping by, I hope you have a sweet & joyful day :)