You’ve watched every episode on Netflix, ripped your house apart like the apocalypse is coming, and now you’re quite literally knee deep in a pile of things that don’t spark joy.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I have three words for you: The Konmari Method. Now go shake a leg and read the post I wrote about the Konmari Method a couple of years back when I discovered The Life Changing Art of Tyding Up, so you can catch up on all the rage! Hurry!
If you do know what I’m talking about, you know that since Marie Kondo is back in the spotlight with her Netflix show, Tyding Up, and binge watching has never been oh-so rewarding. It’s like getting a golden ticket to view a real life episode unfold of Snow White swirling around the cottage tidying up after all those savage dwarfs. Side note: I wonder how many times Snow White asked herself if the pipe organ located in the kitchen brings her joy? Hmm…
My only criticism of Marie’s book, and now the show, is that I feel there is a key element missing; the responsible thing to do with all of your joyless items. You took the time to purge your items, and seemly Mount *Materialist* Everest made its way into your home. So you beg the question, “It doesn’t bring me joy, now what do I do with all of this sh*t?” Fair question.
Your first instinct should not be, “Thank you for your service. Now I’m going to sentence you to a lifelong term in a garbage dump prison for your offense not bringing me endless amounts of joy.” It’s a lazy approach. Let’s try a kinder, ecofriendly, more joy filled approach, shal we?
Being a responsible Konmari student is as easy as this: make piles of: sell, gift, donate, and in the rare cases, garbage.
Sell
There are bound to be items in your pile you can make a little dough on and I swear to you, Facebook marketplace is where its at. Its well organized and items are always seen by a lot of people through groups and searches. Depending on what you’re looking to get rid of, I would also recommend Letgo, Craigslist, and Poshmark. Or if you’re looking to do it the old fashioned way, garage sales are always a great option too. Then, after you make all your earnings, put your money back into a vacation fund or something. When you’re sitting on a beach somewhere drinking a frozen marg thinking about how you finally let go of your beanie baby collection, it will certainly bring you oodles of joy!
Gift
I keep a big plastic bin in my basement to store gifts in after I am out-and-about and find the perfect gifts for friends and family. However, since I adopted the Konmari method, I also use that bin for items I can re-gift. I’m not saying be a cheap-ass and give all your old crap to your loved ones. What I am saying is sometimes, someone else might appreciate something more than you would, making it the perfect candidate for a gift!
Donate
This is probably the area that can be most utilized for the greater good with Marie’s methods. Luckily, there’s no shortage on places to donate your items and there are many, many people who can benefit from this. I’m going to break it down for you.
Salvation Army
A good friend of mine works at the Salvation Army and recently really opened my eyes to how amazing of an organization it is. Did you know the salvation Army takes donations of just about anything you can imagine; cars, boats, clothes, household items…its practically endless. And the best part? Their donations benefit the Adult Rehabilitation Centers they run, helping individuals struggling with drugs and alcohol find help, hope, and a second chance at life. Its an amazing program and you can learn more about it here.
Buffalo Restore
If you know me, you know I loooveee supporting the ReStore locations benefiting Habitat for Humanity. If you’ve never heard of the Habitat ReStores, they are “owned reuse stores operated by local Habitat for Humanity organizations that accept donations and sell home improvement items to the public at a fraction of the retail price.” The proceeds of the ReStore are used to help build strength, stability, self-reliance and shelter in local communities and around the world — a good deal for you, your community and the environment.
But, “I don’t have a way of getting my large items to either of these places!” I’m so glad you brought that up. More good news ahead: BOTH Salvation Army and ReStore will pick up your donations. For real. You just have to call ahead and get on the schedule.
Salvation Army Pickup Information
ReStore Pickup Information
In addition to the Salvation Army and ReStore, churches, shelters and drop off bins are also always great options as well. Whatever works best, makes your heart full and is most convenient for you!
Garbage
Please be a good human and use garbage as your last viable option for letting go of all the items that don’t bring you joy. If you throw something away, it doesn’t mean its gone forever, it just means it out of your sight. Do everything in your power to Konmari responsibly!
Questions? Comments? I want to hear from you!
As always, remember to reclaim reuse and upcycle!
-Jackie
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I’m going to share this on my Home Solutions of WNY facebook page. Well said, Jackie. Also, for people who are curious, an organizer who is a certified Marie Kondo consultant offered this insight: And yes, there WERE KonMari consultants working behind the scenes with several of the shows’ families to help them stay on the production’s timeline. Reality TV is always going to be different than true reality.