If you haven’t yet, you may want to read this post first: https://simplyorganizedyou.com/simply-organizeds-opinion-on-the-netflix-series-tidying-up-with-marie-kondo-the-summary/

Simply Organized’s perspective on Episode 1 “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”

The first episode is called “tidying with toddlers” and follows a family of four who are frustrated, overwhelmed and have no energy. The clutter is stressing them out and they want to fix it so they can enjoy more time with their kids.

On the first day of working, Marie showed the family her process of making a mountain out of their clothes. She wanted them to work on their own piles even though they had plenty of opinions about each other’s clothing. After seeing the amount of clothing, they said they felt guilty that they had so much. This helped them to part with the items they never wore or did not need anymore. It made them cherish what they kept.

At day 17, Marie taught them the process for Komono or the kitchen, garage, bathrooms and miscellaneous items. The client remarked “everything is miscellaneous”. I think this category or space is too large and when working with my clients would not try to tackle all of these “items” at one time.

I do agree that there should be a place for every item in your kitchen and garage (and every room in your home). If you have a space for everything and put your items away each day, you can stay organized. Marie also teaches that if you use it less frequently, it should be placed in a harder to reach area and vice versa.

My favorite parts of this episode are by working on this organizing project together:

1. the couple strengthened their relationship
2. they argued less
3. they started showing their children how to live clutter free

Common themes from episode 1 I see when working with my organizing clients:

1. I hear the word “overwhelmed” every day from my clients. Most of us are over worked and don’t have or want to spend the time to tackle the clutter in our homes.
2. The couple in episode 1 was also facing a common issue of arguing with each other over the mess. Most marriages consist of one type A and one type B personality. While this is great for balance in other areas of the marriage, it sometimes causes friction because the individual decision making styles are very different. There is no right or wrong way so I often remind couples to be patient and compromise during these projects. It’s also good to remember that it’s always easier to get rid of someone else’s possessions than your own.
3. Most projects are going to look worse before they start looking better. It did not get this way over night and it will not go away as quickly as you want it to. With a little elbow grease and focused time, you can do this!

If you would like my help at any time (even if you do not live in Georgia), please contact me: Heather@simplyorganizedyou.com or 404-825-2105.