By now most of you have seen at least one episode of Tidying up with Marie Kondo. If not, check it out on Netflix! It's a show about this Japanese organizing consultant, Marie Kondo, who comes to people's homes to help them organize their homes that are in chaos. But it's not just about decluttering your home, she helps families declutter their lives and reconnect with one another. In this post I'll share a summary of the show. I also give my thoughts and share pictures from my own #KonMarie experience that led me to organize three closets in my home. I'll also share some organizational pieces that were my inspiration for organizing each closet..

Here is a summary of some the topics:
1. Clothing
She seems to always start with clothing (probably because Americans typically have much more clothing compared to the typical person in other countries ?). She also spends the most time on this lesson. She has you pull everything out of your closet and put them in a big pile. That way you reacquaint yourself with your belongings (hopefully see the ridiculous amount of clothes you have - preaching to myself here! LOL). Then, you are to take each piece of clothing one by one - and if that item doesn't bring you joy, then you thank it for its service before getting rid of it. My question is this tho - what if all your my clothes bring you joy? Do you get to keep 'em all? (Asking for a friend ?). But seriously though, it's a great way for you to take the time to evaluate whether every single piece of clothing you own is really necessary. Most times you can find a whole bunch that you simply don't need (or want). The final, really cool thing about this lesson is that she teaches you how to fold clothes! She uses a standing method, in which you fold clothes into thirds, and in a way such that they are standing up in the drawer - where you can easily see things from above - smart!

2. Kimono (Miscellaneous items)
Sorting through miscellaneous items can be challenging, especially because you typically don't know where to put them. The key, Marie says, is making sure every thing has a place/home. Other storage tips are putting things in boxes (something Marie seems to be a fan of). So for example, if you have a bunch of things from college you want to keep, try nesting them in boxes with the smallest items in the smallest box. Another example would be organizing your cooking utensil draw by using smaller trays to put cooking spoons, another for tongs, another for serving forks etc. (I actually already do this - wonder if I get extra points??). And as you do with clothing, store as many things upright as possible to ensure you can easily identify it, and use clear containers when possible. 

3. Sentimental items
Now this section is about storing sentimental items, and no you can't consider everything "sentimental" as an excuse to keep it! This includes true sentimental items, like your child's first pair of shoes, or a picture of you and your husband on your first date. Just as you would do with clothing, hold each one and see if it sparks joy. If it doesn't, toss that sucker! You can use the same methods storage (like using boxes, storing things upright, folding things in thirds) whenever you can.

My two cents
What stood out to me most is the importance of evaluating the importance of each "thing" in your home. It's so easy to accumulate "stuff." Marie's method forces you to evaluate each item and ask yourself - do I really need this? Can I live without it? And in all honesty, ridding yourself of unnecessary items makes it so much easier to keep you home tidy. If we're honest with ourselves, most times we don't necessarily need a sophisticated organizing system, we just need less stuff. In sum, I would say that there was an underlying message that decluttering your home was also synonymous with decluttering your life. When the families on the show paired down their lives and simplified, it ultimately brought them closer together and it helped improve their quality of life, not just as individuals, but as a unit.

How I got #KonMari-ed
The Marie Kondo method got me too! I decided to tackle, not my whole house, but 3 closets in my home that were full of stuff. When I moved from my apartment into my house, I didn't have much time to sort through things and minimize. What this led to were closets full of stuff tucked away that ultimately needed attention. Thankful that this show helped get me off my butt and got me excited to organize. See my Before and After pics below of my 1) entry way closet, 2) hall closet, and 3) home office closet. I'm quite happy with the results! It feels good to be organized!

First up: Entry way closet.
My inspiration piece were these CUTE baskets I got at TJ Maxx. I mean....look at them. They're wire and lined with fabric. Once I bought these, I couldn't WAIT to get this closet cleaned out. 

Second up: Hall closet.
My inspiration piece was this ADORABLE hanging organizer (in grey) from Target. (It's where I'll keep offseason clothes that need folding, and my secret TP stash ?). I looked long and hard to find one that didn't go all the way to the ground. This travelista needed space for all her suitcases! (which are all nested one inside the other of course :-))

Last up: Home Office closet.
My inspiration were two clear containers, which I also got at Target. In one I stored a few sentimental items I decided to keep. The other one has miscellaneous office supplies. These containers are practical because they come with a lids, which I really wanted in order to protect the items inside. I also wanted to easily remember what I have in there. I also used this black metal kitchen island that I had from an old apartment. I had it sitting in the garage, and instead of buying new storage, I simply used this one (reuse, reduce, up-cycle Woop woop!)  These shelves were exactly what I needed to store all my craft supplies, my camera and lenses, and all my day to day office bits.  

Have you seen the show? And if you have, what parts stood out to you? Comment below - I'd love to hear your story!.

Adventure on!
​-T

How much do console tables cost?? In my house - $15! This has got to be my greatest Ikea hack to date! I love it so much that I made two of them! Keep reading and I'll show you how!

I just bought my first home about 6 months ago and I've been busy doing lots of diy projects and getting each room set up. As I started to unpack, I realized there were a lot of items I had from my apartment that just did not go with my new home. One of those things was my old tv stand. About a year ago I bought this tv stand at Ikea for about $15. It's a low profile stand and is very narrow. Besides the tv, it couldn't hold much else. It was perfect for apartment living because I didn't have a large tv and I really did not want to spend a lot of money on a tv stand for an apartment, especially because I was gearing up to purchase my home. Additionally, I am all about reusing and up cycling things, if possible. I didn't want to get rid of it unless I couldn't use it for something in the house.

 Don't get me wrong - it's a super cute tv stand. It just didn't fit my needs (I'm mounting my tv at my new house). I literally stood there staring at the tv stand trying to conjure up some creativity. I was thinking "hmmm....how could I reuse this table elsewhere in the house?" And then BAM! It occurred to me! Stack the legs, mount it to the wall, and turn it into a console table! Simple, right?!

​I made a quick YouTube video of how I created it. Check it out below (subscribe to my YouTube channel while you're at it! #shamelessplug

I think it they turned out pretty good! I turned the original console I made into a bar. It's right by the kitchen and it gave me an opportunity to display my cool bar set I bought a few months before buying the house. I couldn't WAIT to bust it out :) I also bought a small wine rack from the At Home store for when I'm ready to pop some bottles. 

Here are some more photos of the finished product.

I turned the second stand into a more traditional console table that has books and frames. It will anchor the small sitting area behind the couch.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think or if you try this!

​-T