Care tasks are neutral

I recently listened to a really great episode of the podcast Ten Percent Happier, titled Messiness Is Not a Moral Failing, with therapist KC Davis (of Struggle Care) as a guest. I’d like to give you some takeaways from the episode as well as my opinion on it.

KC Davis Author Photo 2022 © Julie Soefer

First, let’s define an important term: “care tasks.” Care tasks are things that we need to do to maintain our home/ourselves, but they are never finished in that they are cyclical. For example, I could wash all the dishes and be done with that task (until the next meal, that is), but while I did that, the kids made a mess with their toys. If I pick it up, there will still be the bathroom to clean and the laundry to do, and while I was taking care of that, the dust was settling in the bedroom and the grass was getting long outside… You see where I’m going with this? There’s always something to be done, and that’s alright – we have to learn to live with that.

So, care tasks should be neutral. What I mean by that, what this whole episode was about, is that we often feel guilty or ashamed for not doing enough of those tasks, or we force ourselves to do them a certain way to live up to imaginary standards. Not doing the dishes doesn’t make one a bad person, just like doing all of them doesn’t make one more virtuous. If this is a pain point for you, ask yourself why you want the dishes done in the first place. Strictly speaking, what you *need* are enough clean dishes to eat and prepare meals; that’s the basic health and safety issue. Perhaps the sight of dirty dishes also bothers you, and you would be more comfortable without them in the way. Some people are happier cleaning as they go, so that they never have dirty dishes pile up; other people will be stressed out by that and will be happier setting aside a chunk of time to tackle everything (or at least the essentials) at the end of the day. The trick is to stop passing judgement on ourselves for having dirty dishes in the first place, and to learn to be at peace with whatever system we choose for cleaning dishes. If it’s the sight of dirty dishes in the sink that bothers you, but you can’t clean as you go for whatever reason, then we can come up with other solutions, like storing dirty dishes in the dishwasher, or even rinsing dishes and storing them in a drying rack until they can be washed properly, thus freeing up your sink in the meantime. The point is to reassess your priorities and put your energy where it will have the most impact.

As another example, so many people feel ashamed of their clothes chair, but I think you should embrace it if it’s functional! Remember that you don’t exist to serve your space, but your space exists to serve you. So we need to create systems that are functional for *you*, even if that’s not the way you were taught that things *should* be. I have a client who stores her young daughter’s clothes in the closet of the main bedroom, because that’s just where her daughter gets dressed anyway and that’s what works for them. I have a friend who doesn't fold any clothes for her family of 6 because she absolutely hates folding, and everyone still has clean clothes to wear every day (taken from a bin or a hanger). Sometimes there can also be a problem to solve, like if your dirty clothes always end up on the floor of the bathroom instead of in the hamper in the bedroom. Then I’d say to simply put the hamper in the bathroom (and even consider a lidless hamper, because for some people, removing that little obstacle can make all the difference).

Any change that we want to bring to our life should come from a place of caring for ourselves and should bring joy to our life. Take the pressure off and know that you are worthy of resting! For me, cooking is like that – I don’t necessarily enjoy the act of cooking, but I do like eating well, so cooking most of my own food improves my life in that way. My “hack” is that I always cook enough food to have leftovers for a second meal. So I put in about the same effort, but reap twice the rewards, and because I don’t mind leftovers, this works for me. I have redefined the goal to what serves me (i.e., having nourishing food instead of cooking from scratch every single night). Redefining the goal to something that is realistic and functional for *us* is key!

Another thing that struck me is that KC Davis doesn’t believe that laziness exists. Some people won’t do a particular task because they have ADHD, depression, or a physical illness; some are in a season of their life where they must care for small children or are grieving; others get overwhelmed by the thought of starting a task or simply have different priorities. In any case, we should feel self-compassion instead of shame, and aim for good enough instead of perfect. It’s also really important to do that work in order to figure out to what extent clutter bothers you – do the sight and chaos of it truly overwhelm you, or were you just worried about what others might think if they were to see it? I’m all about making things functional before making them look good, so if you can still find everything despite a little clutter, then don’t beat yourself up about it.

Some care tasks can be outsourced. Decluttering is a care task too. We all have to declutter periodically (yes, even me!), and us professional organizers are in a good position to be non-judgmental with our clients and their clutter. I tend to see it as problem-solving. Some clients want me to set up a system that they can maintain themselves, while others need me for periodic maintenance. It’s fine either way – I’m happy to help!

The junk drawer

I recently saw this Etsy listing for a junk drawer starter kit, containing batteries, rubber bands, matches, a screwdriver, a flashlight, scissors, tape, and a pen. At first I laughed, but then realized that the things in there were useful and, therefore, this was not necessarily a gag gift. But it also made me want to define exactly what a junk drawer is.

photo taken by Karolina Grabowska for Pexels.

According to Wiktionary, a “junk drawer” is a “drawer designated for the storage of various miscellaneous, small, occasionally useful items of little value.” The reason I don’t really like the term “junk drawer” is because to me, “junk” makes it sound like useless stuff, whereas in people’s homes, the contents of the junk drawer are actually useful!

The mid-century modern furniture company Joybird conducted a survey of 1,900 people in 2020 and determined the top 10 items that people keep in their junk drawer, which are (in order): tape, pens, spare batteries, scissors, flashlights, glue, paper clips, matches, rubber bands, and keys.

Infographic reprinted with permission from Joybird.

So here’s the thing: even though I consider myself to be someone who does not have a junk drawer, I do have all of these items in my home – they are just not stored together. I have a home office (albeit in an open area), so office supplies like tape, pens, scissors, glue, and paper clips are stored there. I keep the flashlight and spare batteries in the hall closet, the rubber bands in the pantry, and the matches (along with birthday candles) in a high cupboard out of reach of the kids. In the kitchen, I do have a small drawer of miscellaneous useful items such as masking tape and a marker (to label things going into the freezer), kitchen twine, bag clips, and a first aid kit, but to me that’s a utility drawer, not a junk drawer. It’s all in the wording, right?

The important thing is for every item to have a place, so that you know just where to look for them (and put them away). I love using small trays such as these to corral small items in place. Small trays allow you to customize your drawer, and designating a home for your items keeps order in the drawer and helps you find things more quickly. You can also use small boxes, lids, or even mismatched saucers. If you’re like me and like to label all the things, consider clip labels made specifically for drawer organizers! Labels aren’t necessarily for you so much as for the other members of your household to know where to put things back, instead of just tossing them in there and shutting the drawer.

 Here’s to making peace with your junk drawer!

Spice storage

[This post contains some affiliate links. This means that if you were to purchase a product using my affiliate link, I would get a tiny commission, at no cost to you. As always, I only recommend products that I own myself or that I would buy if I were starting from scratch.]

I decided to write a quick post about my spice storage at home. No matter where you live, whether it’s a single-family house or a studio apartment, whether you own or rent, one constant is that you have a kitchen. There’s a place where you prepare food, which means there are spices. And it’s so common to see spices out of control in a kitchen! They come in different containers: glass jars, metal tins, plastic bags and boxes. Even if you stick to only glass jars, they come in different shapes and sizes! What’s a home cook to do?

The main problem with commercial spice racks is that they don’t seem to be designed by people who cook. If they were, they would hold more than 12 or 20 jars, for one thing! I have about 44 spices in my set, and I would be at a loss to pare it back below 40!

Here’s my recommendation for storage: If there is one single thing you can do to help get things under control, it’s to decant all your spices into uniform-looking jars. Personally, I favor short, wide jars with a 4-ounce capacity, like these affordable and sturdy ones. The wide mouth of the jar allows you to dip measuring spoons into it, which makes your life so much easier than trying to tip out the right amount of spice! They are also big enough for the contents of most spice bottles. Then, instead of a rack, place your jars on expandable risers like these. You can put them in a cupboard to protect the spices from the light, but tinted jars work too.

The set to which I linked above comes with chalkboard labels and a chalk marker, so there’s no need to buy a label maker if you don’t have one already. You can also consider using a white paint marker directly on the glass jar. If you have room for the jars in a drawer, you can label the cap. And with a custom-sized sheet of galvanized metal and some magnets, you can make a magnetic spice rack!

Another tip is to organize your spices alphabetically. I started doing this when I was 20 or so, after accidentally buying a second jar of tarragon when I didn’t realize I already had one – and I don’t even like tarragon all that much in the first place! Some people like grouping their spices by themes, like putting all the holiday baking spices together, but to me this becomes confusing when I’m cooking Indian food and need cinnamon, for example.

You’ll notice that this set creates clear limits for my spices. When I added dried sage last fall, it took the place of grains of paradise, which I wasn’t really using anyway. Having a space budget helps keep things under control!

Not only do these jars look fantastic, but they are also more functional than the original containers. Both aesthetics and functionality will help you be more at peace in your kitchen, and that, to me, is the point of organizing.

Swedish death cleaning

This post contains some affiliate links. If you make a purchase using an affiliate link, I’ll get a very small commission, at no cost to you.

A lot of people get scared away by Swedish death cleaning because of the word “death” and how morbid it sounds. But death is going to happen to all of us (along with taxes and… butter exploding in the microwave); it’s just a fact of life. So what is death cleaning, exactly?

I read The Gentle Art of Swedish Death-Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson and really enjoyed it. It’s a short, light read that gives lots of explanations and concrete examples. In essence, “death cleaning” is the process of going through one’s things while keeping our death in mind. It has been a longstanding practice in Sweden (where it is called döstädning). Some people do this when they are elderly and feel like they are at the end of their life, but a lot of people do this as a matter of course earlier on simply to feel unburdened. I remember that when I was 12 or so, my friend’s mother turned 50 and went through all her belongings to declutter, because she didn’t want her kids to have to do it someday. I believe she’s about to turn 80 now! And here’s a video by Do It On A Dime on the topic, so that you can see what it might look like in the life of a busy 30-something mother (and fellow professional organizer).

How does death cleaning compare to Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, you might wonder? Well, you DO pare down to just the things you love, but with the greater goal of making life easier for those you leave behind. It can be so overwhelming dealing with someone’s estate after they have passed, so anything you can do to make that transition easier for your family will be appreciated. An important extra step, though, is to take care of paperwork pertaining to your estate. Make sure you have your affairs in order: an up-to-date will, instructions for funeral arrangements, all relevant paperwork and passwords in a secure-but-easy-to-access location, etc. Even if you don’t have heirs, it WILL be someone’s problem (here’s an example).

In some cases, there might be things you are keeping for the purpose of handing down to your grown children. If they have their own home, consider passing things on now instead of after your death! Not only will it make life easier for everyone, but you’ll also get the satisfaction of seeing your things get used again. And if your kids don’t want those things? Well, at least now you know, and you can find a better place for them.

You can also create a box with things that are deeply meaningful to you, but would be insignificant to anyone else (or that you would prefer no one sees). Label that box clearly with instructions for your loved ones to dispose of it after you are deceased.

In summary, Swedish death cleaning is an act of kindness meant to avoid burdening your descendants with your stuff. It does require you to adopt a minimalist mindset so as to create a simple lifestyle that is easy to manage and that leaves more room for joy. In that way, it is meant to make your life better.

The clothes chair

Do you have a “clothes chair”? You know, a chair that sits in the corner of your bedroom and on which you pile clothes that have been worn once and are too clean to be put in the hamper, but not clean enough to be put away? Do you see it as an eyesore, as something embarrassing? Well, I’m here to say, don’t! There’s no reason to feel shame about that chair – as a matter of fact, I encourage you to fully welcome it in your room!

Most people have one, because they are just very practical. And its practicality is exactly why I think it’s perfectly fine to have it! It allows you to keep some clothes there, relatively unwrinkled, so that you can get another wear out of them before washing them. As long as this system works for you (or as long as you can *make* it work for you), it’s all good.

The key is to avoid letting it get out of control. Ideally, you should still be able to see the chair, and to distinguish individual pieces of clothing; otherwise, it looks like a pile of clutter. Make it a point to look there first when you get dressed, so that items don’t linger there too long and don’t become part of the scenery. You can also decide to grab items off of the chair and throw them in the wash to round out a load of laundry you need to do (e.g. all the white items, or all the delicates).

Don’t mix very clean clothes and definitely dirty ones! Dirty clothes should go straight in the hamper; a load of clean clothes from the dryer can be set aside before being folded, if you must, but do set a time to take care of it promptly (the sooner the better, to avoid wrinkles). Even then, it’s a better idea to dump those clean clothes on the bed or in a laundry basket rather than risk mixing them with those on the chair.

If the chair *really* bothers you, consider draping clothes over a blanket ladder, or set aside a small area of your closet specifically for this if you have the space. Another idea to make it look more intentional is to get a clothes valet, also called a valet stand. Again, don’t let things pile up too much!

Bonus tip: If you don’t know where to store your pajamas during the day and you want them out of sight, try folding them and placing them under your pillow.

Advent calendar options

I know what you’re thinking – Halloween is just barely over, why are you posting about Christmas already? Well, bear with me! Those of us who fill our own Advent calendars need to get it done before December 1st, so… it’s gotta happen this month. If you’re like me, you don’t want to buy a bunch of trinkets at the dollar store, because then you’ll just end up with a bunch of clutter. But, if your kids are like my kids, they will become *completely* blasé about the chocolate on day 3, and you’ll need some variety in there to keep things interesting.

I figured I’d give you some ideas of things that don’t usually become clutter, as they are meant to be used up. Note that these can also make good stocking stuffers or Hanukkah gifts, or even party favors for the classroom on your child’s birthday or on Valentine’s Day. Let me know if you have other ideas!

Knick-knacks that are not disposable so much as consumable:

• individual-sized bubble wands (0.2 oz.)

• temporary tattoos

• balloons (inflating them and playing with them will make my kids surprisingly happy)

• small candy canes

• chocolate

• Hanukkah gelt

• jelly beans

• mini Nutella containers (0.88 oz.)

• popcorn

• cute tissue packets

• lip balm

• crayons / pencils / erasers

• bubble bath / bath bomb

• chocolate spoon or individual hot cocoa / hot chocolate packet

• fun socks

• gift cards/tickets to an activity (movie, zoo, museum…)

Be aware of which days are weekends or early release days, and plan activities for those – just let it be a surprise for your kids!

Activity ideas:

• buying / trimming the tree

• making hot cocoa / hot chocolate

• making gingerbread people or sugar cookies

• decorating gingerbread houses

• driving out to see holiday lights

• watching a holiday movie

• doing a puzzle together

• playing a new card game or board game

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month! Given how trying last February was in Texas, I decided to write a short blog post about this topic.

This image is from Ready.gov.

A large part of preparedness in case of an emergency or natural disaster is having a plan in place. For example, how would you get in touch with other members of your household? Would your kids need to be picked up from school? Where is a safe meeting place? Which shelters (or hotels) would take you in with your pets? Which out-of-town relative could host your family and/or act as a relay for information? What would your evacuation route(s) be?

FEMA has a good guide to basic preparedness; it also has an app to locate nearby shelters and stay up-to-date during an emergency. That being said, based on user comments, the app is clumsy and likely to give you false warnings, so it might be best to download it only if you’re nervous about a specific upcoming emergency (such as before a hurricane or ice storm). If, like me, you live in Bexar County, you can (and should!) sign up for emergency notifications here. Another good way to get information is to follow your local police department and municipality on social media.

Concretely, having an emergency kit is a great way to be prepared, and it helps bring peace of mind. I’ll talk a bit about my own family emergency kit and give you a (non-exhaustive) list of its contents.

Our emergency kit contains non-perishable food items and water; you should aim for about three days’ worth of food, and 1 gallon of water per person per day. I know someone whose emergency food is stored in a freezer, and I MUST warn against that, because 1) it would spoil in a power failure, and 2) perhaps that point is moot because they would need power to prepare/reheat it or water to boil it in the first place, and those might not be available in an emergency. As for us, we focused on canned and boxed food items, though the specific foods tend to vary over time. I update my Google Calendar periodically with expiration dates so that I can replace things before they expire (we just integrate those items to our weekly menu). We also have a manual can opener and plastic utensils in the kit. After last February, we’ve decided to buy a few more gallons of water – we didn’t run out, but it would have been nice to feel more secure about it! If you have pets, their food and water should be included in the kit.

Our emergency kit also contains essentials like toilet paper, wipes, a first aid kit, a flashlight and a radio with batteries, candles and matches, trash bags, reflective tape, a whistle, and hand sanitizer. You should also keep some cash in the kit: if there’s a massive power failure, you won’t be able to get money at an ATM, and no business will be able to accept cards. This doesn’t have to be a large amount, just enough to get you through for a few days. Another good tip: we have a book of brain stretchers and puzzles along with a few pencils and an eraser. If we have to survive without power for a few days, we’ll need something to pass the time!

You can build your own kit using the government’s guidelines or you can buy a ready-made one such as these and supplement as needed. Ideally, you want your kit to be mobile so that you could take it with you in your car if you had to evacuate.

Taped on the lid of the plastic bin that houses our kit is a list of things that we would need to take along if we evacuated: important documents like passports; sentimental items like family photos; medications; clothing; toiletries; blankets; and phone chargers. For a pet, you will also need a leash or pet carrier, plus dishes for food and water. You might have other items depending in your situation, but those are the basic guidelines.

I know it’s a lot to absorb all at once (and a lot of adulting!), but you can take some time building your emergency kit. The important thing is to get started and keep at it until it’s done. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you want my help getting your own kit ready!

Update: I now sell printables to help you! Here is a checklist to create your own emergency kit, as well as a checklist to help you collect information and prepare a plan in case of an emergency.

Back to school!

For many of us, this fall is the return to normal we had been waiting for. Schools in Texas are open for in-person learning, and there is no longer an option for remote learning. The downside is that, at least when I write these lines, my school district has decided NOT to enforce mask-wearing or social distancing, despite the recommendations from the AAP, the WHO and the CDC…

If you choose to make mask-wearing a part of your (and your child’s) routine, you’ll need to buy enough spare ones for your needs. It might be one or more per person per day, plus a few extras in case one is lost, a mesh bag to wash them safely, and designated spots for the clean and dirty masks. For my children, I put labels with their name in each mask (I like the ones from Name Bubbles for clothing). Your supply may need to be replenished if last year’s masks are too worn.

This photo was taken by Jessica Lewis for Unsplash.

As for organizing the space in your home, you’ll need a place for your kids to do homework. Hopefully most of the kinks were ironed out last year during remote learning! In any case, it’s important for a child to have a dedicated place to work. It doesn’t even have to be a desk – some kids will do fine at the dining room table, while others might be more comfortable in the living room (as long as the television isn’t on). Essentially, they need someplace to sit (or stand, for the more fidgety kids) without distractions so they can work. Headphones can help cut out noise if that is really an issue. Younger kids will benefit from being close to a caregiver who can help explain instructions or redirect their attention, but older kids are typically more autonomous. Consider a rolling tiered cart to corral school and art supplies; it’ll keep them handy while also allowing you to wheel them away when the kids are done. I also recommend supply caddies and sturdy magazine holders.

You might also need to streamline your entryway. There will now be more shoes, backpacks, lunchboxes, sports equipment, etc., to deal with, and you don’t want it all piling up in one place – or worse, all over the place! In our house, we limit the number of shoes any one person can keep near the door (spares go in their bedroom closet). It’s also helpful to have a designated spot for anything coming in or going out: for example, your child should know where to drop her backpack when she comes home from school, when to give you her agenda to sign, where to put sports gear… For the latter, uniforms need to be washed, so the laundry room makes sense, but other equipment might be better off in the garage until the next practice. Designate the place, then communicate it so that all members of the household are on the same page.

This photo was taken by Natasha Hall for Unsplash.

It’s also important to set up a weekly/monthly schedule and to keep it posted where family members can see it – I recommend a paper copy for your family command center and a digital copy with clickable links for ease of use from any electronic device. Free apps like Google Calendar or Cozi allow you to synch schedules for all family members. Cozi even has a grocery list that you can update in real time from any device!

My single best tip to pack a suitcase

The internet seems full of advice for packing a suitcase, much of it redundant or obvious. I mean, we all know already to pack toiletries in a resealable plastic bag and to put our heavy items at the bottom of the suitcase, right? So, I’ve decided to keep it simple and tell you about the one single thing that has improved my suitcase the most: packing cubes.

Yes, packing cubes have been an absolute game-changer for me! Gone are the days of the entire contents of my suitcase shifting during travel, or of having to riffle through everything just to get the one shirt that I wanted. With packing cubes, you can just grab the cube you need and reposition all cubes as you see fit without creating a mess! They are easy to arrange neatly in suitcases of any size.

I’m a big fan of these dual-sided packing cubes by Taskin for packing socks, bras, and underwear. I put all the items on the side with the mesh cover when I pack, then as the trip goes on, dirty items go in the water- and odor-resistant side until laundry day. I do the same for my kids. Taskin packing cubes are also expandable, which is a big help.

I like to separate my items among a few cubes (which, to be honest, are not cubes so much as rectangular prisms). On our family trip to Florida in June, I had my swimsuits and cover-up in one cube, then t-shirt-and-capri-outfits in one and skirt-or-dress-outfits in another. Some people might prefer to have one cube for tops and one cube for bottoms; one cube for business-wear and one for casual clothing; or perhaps one for their clean clothes and another for dirty clothes. It’s about whatever works for you on this trip. Obviously, I file-fold clothes in there just like I do in my dresser – that’s been another gamechanger!

I also love that packing cubes come in different colors, which is particularly useful if you are packing a single suitcase for two kids, for example. You can assign a color for each one and never have to riffle through a whole bag to get their things, since they’re visible at a glance. I also designate a color for the first aid kit so that it stands out among my black packing cubes. (Packing essential first aid items for a trip, by the way, is a great opportunity to organize your first aid and pharmacy items at home! Toss what is expired or no longer useful and replenish stock as needed.)

So, there you have it. – packing cubes. I wouldn’t live without them now!

The Joy of Domesticity

I came across this New York Times article about South Korean women making videos on the joy of domesticity, mainly cooking and cleaning tasks. It’s not about organizing per se, but it falls at the crossroads between “hygge” and “spark joy,” which is my territory.

There were many similarities between the various videos, but let’s take Vlog that makes you want to clean by Ms. Kim Sang-mi (a.k.a. Haegreendal) as an example. According to the article, she is “one of many South Korean female creators who have carved out a genre of aspirational videos on YouTube that show the simple pleasures of keeping a clean, organized and food-filled home.”

The first thing that I noticed, besides how popular these videos are (often millions of views; 4.85M for the one I linked to above), is the particular aesthetic. Not just the fact that these videos look professionally made, but that they are incredibly soothing. It’s not the domestic aspects; it’s the tone, the unhurried tasks, the casual shuffle of slippered feet, the abundant light, the air, the minimalist and ecofriendly simplicity, the calm and quiet (kids are rarely present for the video, even when they are in the house, and the videos have subtitles instead of voice-overs). The vloggers often remain anonymous, choosing to appear on camera only from behind or in close-ups of their hands or lower limbs. These videos are about slowing down and awakening the senses; the video itself is a form of meditation. The article said that “mundane activities like cooking and cleaning [are] given a cinematic treatment,” which hits the nail on the head.

The pitfall is that these videos reinforce traditional gender roles (but even though specific things like that division of labor don’t work for me, they might still work for someone else, obviously). Moreover, these videos can make it seem like that’s all that the protagonist does all day, and only when you listen closely do you realize that, in Ms. Kim’s case, she had to complete a contract with a tight deadline that day (she’s a freelance illustrator working from home); but that is never shown. She may also be monetizing her online presence, and honestly, good on her if she does.

Even though some videos can sound prescriptive (see The orders for living a wise day), they are never dogmatic. The domesticity is interspersed with nuggets of wisdom, like “Even if you are somebody’s wife and mother, don’t give up on your own happiness.” It seems to present self-care as found in domesticity itself.

I couldn’t help but compare this to videos made by women in North America. There are videos like this one by duo SisLetters, two Korean sisters who live in the U.S., and it does stick to the same genre as above. Other American videos are radically different, though. I started with another vlogger referenced in the article, Ebony Nikita Okeke (a Dominican living in Atlanta). She posts things like Day in the life of a young housewife, twice a week. Her videos are much less professional-looking; she is in front of the camera a lot, giving beauty tips and tutorials in addition to homemaking advice. She is also more into decorating and showing products in a way that feels consumeristic. With her, self-care is luxurious.

I followed up with A day in the life of a stay-at-home wife by Texan Tachae Blunt. Her videos are more descriptive of her day-to-day life instead of having special moments chosen for the camera, and she’s less “in your face” than the Atlanta vlogger but much more so than the South Korean ones.

The one that came the closest was Cynthia Loewen, from Canada, with videos like Planning, Clean with me, Homemaking, though she also discusses femininity and lifestyle. (I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Minimal Mom, Dawn from Minnesota: her videos are more professional and target the same market, but they’re not about domesticity in the same way that the South Korean ones are.)

In all cases, the American videos have a very different tone from the South Korean ones. American vloggers put themselves in the forefront and make videos that aim to be somewhat instructional. They can be very interesting and worth watching, of course, but are never soothing in the way that the South Korean ones are. I’m not even sure what this genre is called, but I’m really enjoying it!

I’ll leave you with a palate cleanser of bloopers for the South Korean-style videos, which seem that much funnier given the seriousness of the finished product!

Minimalism, Marie Kondo, and The Home Edit

My last post was about minimalism, and today I want to elaborate on the relationship between minimalism and Marie Kondo as well as compare it to The Home Edit.

I remember that when Marie Kondo opened her online shop (initially selling household objects and with broader offerings now), many people criticized her for “selling out.” I believe that those critics did not understand her philosophy. You see, the goal of the KonMari Method™ is not to get rid of as many objects as possible, but to mindfully choose which objects to keep.

One of the first steps of a tidying festival is to imagine your ideal lifestyle; this might look different for everyone, and some people will definitely be more comfortable keeping most of their belongings. The thing to keep in mind is that you should be surrounding yourself with only objects that you love (which is where the carefully curated objects in her store come in, if they speak to you). In practice, this means that many people will realize along the way that they had been keeping objects that they did not love or which did not serve them, and so they will discard those objects and end up with much more curated belongings. This can overlap with minimalism, but it is not the case for everyone.

Marie Kondo’s official website maintains that KonMari is not minimalism. That being said, if I go back to Joshua Becker’s definition, minimalism being “the intentional pursuit of the things we value the most and the removal of anything that distracts us,” I feel like Marie Kondo’s philosophy is indeed compatible with minimalism (though, again, not asceticism).

I want to make a quick comparison here to Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin of The Home Edit. To simplify, their method is based on the appeal of a ROYGBV aesthetic as well as, ideally, the purchase of certain objects sold by the organizers (either directly from their website, or through their exclusive collection at the Container Store). It is also premised on having a LOT of backstock – and therefore enough room to store it! Their Netflix show, Get Organized with The Home Edit, was advertising all that product, whereas Tidying Up with Marie Kondo was all about using organizing products you already have on hand. The KonMari reveals were much less spectacular – more down-to-earth, if you will.

Critics also like to talk about the wastefulness of the KonMari Method™, what with all the “discarding,” but again I have to say that I disagree. While there can be a substantial quantity of items donated (those in good condition) and trashed or recycled (expired makeup, papers that are no longer useful, etc.), I would argue that the KonMari Method™ did not create those items. It merely moved them from their temporary, cumbersome place in your home to a more appropriate place – the problem really began when useless objects were manufactured (before they were even purchased!), and this has to do with our consumerist culture. The KonMari Method™ actually encourages mindfully acquiring new objects, thereby reducing the likelihood of buying useless things in the future.

Meanwhile, on the second episode of Get Organized with The Home Edit, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin were in Rachel Zoe’s closet – which they had ALREADY organized over a year prior and were just touching up – and they dealt with it by… relocating some items to her off-site storage space AND adding storage to the closet. So, certainly not a minimalist approach! I mean, I understand that Rachel Zoe is a fashion designer and needs to keep certain items for reference, but in my opinion, those should be archived in a warehouse or something, not in her personal closet. She’ll need to deal with it at some point, like after the next few seasons’ worth of designs come into her space.

I really enjoyed this Refinery 29 article comparing Marie Kondo and The Home Edit. This quote jumped out at me: “But if Kondo’s method elevates objects in a uniquely Japanese way [based on Shintoism], allowing us to consider and value them, The Home Edit elevates objects in a uniquely American way: by putting them on display. Here, of course, is where the product is necessary. Our many things, from Clorox wipes to designer purses, go on display. Their closets and drawers and pantries become their own sort of shrine to consumption.”

That being said, Marie Kondo will be joining in on the fun! Next month, the Container Store will be launching her line of sustainably sourced products. I can’t wait to see what they look like!

 If you are interested in either method (KonMari or The Home Edit), be sure to get in touch!

Minimalism

As I start my journey into professional organizing, I’ve noticed that there’s a chasm between what the word “minimalism” means and what the general public envisions. I bet some of you are already picturing a monk’s room, devoid of all material possessions. While that may look peaceful to some, it can lack warmth and comfort, not to mention that it is not at all practical for most people! However, I’m here to say that what you’re thinking of is actually asceticism, not minimalism. The Oxford Dictionary defines “asceticism” as “severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence.” That’s not what I preach.

I like the way Joshua Becker, of Becoming Minimalist, defines it: “Minimalism is the intentional pursuit of the things we value the most and the removal of anything that distracts us.” This essentially means that it’s about removing clutter from your life, whether we’re talking about clutter that is physical (my specialty) or not (overloaded schedule, for example). He says that “minimalism isn’t about removing things you love. It’s about removing the things that distract you from the things you love. It’s about living more by owning less.”

You see, removing distractions allows you to focus on what is most important to you. You own your stuff, not the other way around! When you aren’t distracted by clutter taking up your mental bandwidth (what we might call “visual pollution”) or by objects taking up your time (maintaining them, cleaning them, putting them away), you are then able to focus on what you actually want to do.

I’m aware that some people are vehemently opposed to minimalism, because they see it as “just another boring product wealthy people can buy”. However, to me, that’s missing the point. It’s really just criticism of a certain aesthetic that, granted, we see often, but is not minimalism per se. Minimalism will look different for every household, but to me, it always seeks to improve one’s life by simplifying it.

Of course, that’s easier to say when minimalism is a choice, but it’s not pleasant when it is forced upon us. Did you know that over 60% of Americans can’t deal with a $500 emergency? And that was BEFORE 2020 hit!

In Quebec, where I’m from, I often heard the concept of “voluntary simplicity,” which doesn’t seem as widespread in Anglophone culture. It’s essentially about mindfully choosing how we spend our money and being satisfied with less. In an article titled “The Voluntary Simplicity Movement: A multi-national survey analysis in theoretical context” (published in the Journal of Consumer Culture), Samuel Alexander and Simon Ussher say that “the Voluntary Simplicity Movement can be understood broadly as a diverse social movement made up of people who are resisting high consumption lifestyles and who are seeking, in various ways, a lower consumption but higher quality of life alternative.”

In my line of work, I’ve seen that the initial effort (decluttering, organizing, and changing habits) is time-consuming, but the rewards are reaped later and are well worth it. Don’t let people scare you with tiny living and drastically down-sizing, because that’s not at all necessary! Simple living is the way to go.

If you want to read more on the subject, in addition to Becoming Minimalist, I also recommend Be More with Less. That blog is run by Courtney Carver, who created the fashion challenge Project 333, which I believe was the original capsule wardrobe. If videos are more your thing, there’s the lovely Minimal Mom on YouTube. And let’s not forget Minimalist Baker, whose food blog has recipes call for 10 ingredients or fewer, 1 bowl only, or 30 minutes or less to prepare.

As always, I’m available to answer your questions on the topic!