The space-changing magic of getting rid of crap

I’m not on Twitter or Instagram or whatever social media is “in” these days.

Which is to say I’m often a little behind the times.

So I hope you’ll accept this as reasonably timely when I say I’ve been trying to KonMari my new living space.

Home is the place that nurtures you after all. And a new home is as good as a new year: a delicious opportunity to make new.

So I’ve turned to the sensational “tidying” expert Marie Kondo, who is probably more aptly remembered as “the lady who helps you get rid of your crap.”

It’s a lot easier to put everything together ‘just so’ in a way that brings you joy when you have a lot less getting in the way.

If you’re not familiar with her book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” the gist is this: Kondo asks you to pick up everything –yes, each and every thing – and ask “Does this bring me joy?” Anything that does not bring joy with a resounding “yes!” gets sent politely on its way.

(Really, Kondo even suggests thanking your jackets for keeping you warm or your unused Stairmaster for teaching you where your priorities really are.)

If done faithfully, you should only be surrounded by things that make you happy (plus true essentials like toilet cleaner and soap).

And I thought feng-shui was a radical space-transformer.

Proponents of the method say it can be something of a magical transformation – of yourself as much as your home. And it is. Examining every aspect of your physical home life and determining what truly matters to you (and not just what you think should matter), can be transformative.

But this is not the magical transformation of a fairy princess. It doesn’t feel like Snow White waking up to true love’s kiss.

It feels a little more like that scene in the old Disney film where the Queen slurps down a boiling potion and writhes as her body shrivels into an evil-looking witch.

It’s not easy to re-examine and question every aspect of your life and values (even when it’s done through less important things like possessions).

It can be a rude awakening – which, actually, probably is how Snow White felt waking up to a stranger.

Nonetheless, it is transformative, or at least illuminating. Finding those old pieces of yourself represented in the odd guise of an old promotional T-shirt you never realized you cared about teaches you more about the kind of space you want – and who you are right now.

P.S. I’m not the only one on a space-making escapade; people have been clearing out their homes so much in recent months that many donation-accepting organizations are FULL. Even if you clear some space, you may have to store the excess in your closet for a while anyway.