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What is the key to being able to let go and discard, for good?

Visualize your Ideal lifestyle

“When you imagine your ideal lifestyle, you are actually clarifying why you want to tidy and identifying the kind of life you want to live once you have finished.”
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo

Step 1: Visualize in detail the ideal lifestyle you dream of
Step 2: Identify why you want to live that lifestyle
Step 3: Dive into the specifics of how you want to live day by day.
When we skip this step it-
- delays the whole tidying process
- puts you at higher risk for rebound

Focus on What Sparks Joy, not what to Discard

What adds value to your life? When you touch something that brings you joy-

A feeling of thrill, often a full body experience
A pleasing design/look that makes you feel peaceful
An item with a high degree of functionality that makes life easier
A sense of rightness
An items thats useful in daily life

When faced with something that does not spark joy-

you feel heavy
your hands pause
you tilt your head slightly and frown
you have to think
you feel guilty
for essential items that don’t spark joy, think about the purpose

The Joy Checking Process

Step 1: Pick up one item at a time
Step 2: Hold it.
- If you’re unsure if it Sparks Joy hug it close to your heart!
- Gaze at it.
- If it is clothing, please try it on!
Step 3: Pay attention to how your body reacts- how do you feel?
Step 4: If you do not know if it Sparks Joy, pick 2-3 similar items and compare
Step 5: Show gratitude for each item you keep or discard.

Try not to focus on-

reducing
efficient storage methods
feeling wasteful
giving items away

Instead focus on-

choosing belongings that inspire joy
enjoying life according to your own standards
appreciate how the items you discard supported you in your life
what role each item has in your life

Reframe Letting Go

When we let go of our belongings a weight is lifted. We keep items that truly Spark Joy®. We also allow the items we give to spark joy in other peoples lives. There’s an opportunity to learn from every material possession we own, even ones we discard.

If you let go of something you’ve used until it’s broken and worn out: appreciate how its helped to enhance your life
If you let go of something you never used: it taught you a lesson in how you shop, that it did not have a purpose in your life
Think consciously about each item you discard: how will you choose to live moving forward? how you will acquire new things?

Keep items with Confidence

If you keep it then…

Use and appreciate it.
Create a forever home for every item: find it and know exactly what you have.
It’s natural to not put away everything all the time. No one is perfect. Make it a priority to create positive habits. Maybe you won’t put belongings back all the time, every day, but commit to putting things away.