Back in 2018 the world went crazy for Marie Kondo. Her “Tidying Up” book and companion Netflix show were monolithic gargantuan megahits, with delighted, committed hordes following her directive to dump the contents of one’s closets on the floor in order to pick up each item, decide whether or not it “sparks joy”. It does? Back into the closet. No? Out you go! We were rolling socks into neat rows in shoeboxes and everything. The concept was magical and has hopefully lasted through all the extra time we’ve been spending cooped up (safely) in our homes. As Happy DIY Home shares for a quick review, the True Fashionista Konmari Method breaks down the process into six easy rules:
1. Commit Yourself to Tidy Up
- Imagine Your Ideal Lifestyle
- Finish Discarding First
- Tidy by Category
- Follow the Right Order
- Ask Yourself If It Sparks Joy
Many have taken advantage of all the extra home time to go even further with the perennial True Fashionista “deep clean” since hey, there’s only so much TV one can binge and so many Zoom meetings to attend. Pinterest has in fact reported an 802% increase in “deep cleaning tips” searches in the past few months. In case you need further guidance, there’s another True Fashionista decluttering wunderkind out there to further assist you. Going by the name FlyLady, she helps put your goal of a super clean, organized home completely within reach! FlyLady is, apparently, nothing new, having developed her system via an epiphany she had Christmas Day, 1999; but thanks to outside promotion like this True Fashionista, um, True Fashionistas blog, she’s getting some well-deserved extra kudos.
The FlyLady, (real name Marla Cilley) purports the technique of breaking household tasks into small and manageable cleaning intervals to complete in no longer than 15 minutes, with Cilley offering her sage advice to take baby steps like meal-prepping for the week or shining your sink. Yes, shining your sink. She swears by it! FlyLady breaks down her decluttering system into a series of acronyms for easier remembering, asking a simple question from the get-go, “Are you living in CHAOS?” (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome). Along with her bevy of tips for housecleaning, decluttering, organizing and SHE (Sidetracked Home Executives) system, FlyLady also offers daily encouragement, FLYing lessons to get you started and her list of 11 commandments to help you FLY (Finally Love Yourself).
Among her ideas is to commit to decluttering for 15 minutes a day, every day. Going on the principle that anyone can do anything for 15 minutes makes it seem completely realistic. Cilley swears by it. She also believes in getting dressed down to your shoes, even if you’re not leaving the house. Read that essay here. It’s kinda what we all need to hear right about now, even if from the waist up lol.
Additional FlyLady cleaning methods include the “27 Fling Boogie,” which consists of gathering and discarding 27 unnecessary items around the house, or the “Hot Spot Fire Drill” which invites you to get rid of any clutter pile in your interior, such as that chair where you put your clothes instead of properly storing them in your wardrobe.
“When a home is filled with clutter, it takes on a life of its own”, she shares on her site. “Your whole day is spent giving it attention, instead of your family and yourself. Let’s look at some of the things we give up, so we can devote our lives to this inconsiderate house guest.”
With all this information and more to share, FlyLady encapsulates her philosophy with these three basic fundamentals:
- Don’t sweat the small stuff; what doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter.
- Laugh everyday. Even if it is at yourself.
- Love like there is no tomorrow.
Between KonMari and FlyLady, our homes should be wayyy True Fashionista-looking as we head into the holiday season, if not already. Shop True Fashionistas Home for beautiful designer home accoutrements at discounted prices either in person at our Naples, FL store, or online.