Starting category 3
The date is set, we’re starting paper tonight. There’s only 5 categories, so starting a new one feels like a big deal. And each time I get nervous and excited. Will I be able to let enough go, or is this going to feel like wasted time? Will I get rid of stuff that I may end up needing? It’s extra challenging to avoid regret at discarding things when you find yourself and the whole world in survival/hoarder mode.
Also, when it comes to papers (and most other things) I have a knack for making it more complicated than it need to be. I have a file for things to file, and a file for everything else for that matter. The Marie Kondo suggestion for paper is to get rid of almost everything and only have 3 categories for what’s left – to be dealt with, to be saved for a short amount of time, and to be saved ‘forever’. My home has a lot of potential for simplification here.
Keeping toddlers hands out
Part of what’s tricky with tidying with toddlers is that we can’t leave anything out in the open. We have 3 little people ready to dig through and destroy anything and everything they find. We either have to put it all in a space that we can safely block off, or know that we have to set aside time at the end of each tidying time to put away our unfinished project, just to get it back out next time.
Yes, it can be frustrating. It takes even more time to get through our things because we have to do it all in such small chunks. We already have such limited time without the kids awake to accomplish our decluttering and reorganizing. Keeping them out of a blocked-off space is not simple or pleasant (they loudly voice their dissent when they can’t explore everything behind every gate and door). But the alternative was to not start at all, and I was tired of waiting and living in my storage unit of a house.
How to start again
Once I complete a category, I’m extra tired. I got excited and stayed up late a few nights in a row to finish it. So I take a break for a week (or two), go to bed on time, read a book, or watch some Netflix. Then I need to find the momentum to start back up again.
My momentum comes in the form of the feeling I get when I see or use the spaces that have already been improved through tidying. My drawers of neat, happy, folded clothes. My bookshelves that seem to be able to breathe again for the 1st time in forever (did anyone else just sing some Frozen in their head?).
So I may be a little nervous for our evening of diving into our sea of paper. But I’m also very excited to see the results of our hard work.
Tips for starting a new tidying category
- Re-read the section from ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up’ and/or ‘Spark Joy’ about the category you are ready to start. It gets me in the right mindset and usually reminds me of a good tip that I’ve already forgotten.
- Consider whether the category is the right size for the time you have. Can you break it into a smaller sub category? Set a realistic goal for today, and know you can continue tomorrow.
- Jump right in with the basics. Start with something that you clearly love or you clearly no longer need, and then let the momentum pick up.
Happy tidying, friends.
I love the tip about how satisfying it is to see the parts of your house that you have tidied. Sometimes I feel like I just move from problem to problem in life, but if you can get long term joy out of the work, it feels much more deeply worth it.