The magic of tidying...

It all started here - a Christmas gift

In January/February, I tackled my clothes - sorting and culling... five big bags to the charity shop and neat and tidy drawers and cupboards. I now know exactly what clothes I own and where they are in the bedroom :)

In March/April, I tackled my books - sending another four bags to the charity shop. But I confess I simply cannot heed Kondo's drastic book-clearing methods! My books are my friends, my companions, my soothsayers (as in they speak truth to me). Here's my favourite bookcase - it holds my Virginia Woolf/Bloomsbury Group collection. 

Then, recently, I tackled my desk/art supplies area - here's just one part of the chaos... I couldn't actually get to the desk and art cupboard (out of shot to the right) for months!

I followed Marie Kondo's basic strategy (though not her time-frame!!) - working through different categories of belongings, gathering them all in one place to see exactly I owned (gulp!), and handling each and every one, and asking myself, 'Does this bring me joy?'

And through all this mental and physical energy-draining process, I discovered the joy of reconnecting with long-lost, forgotten things. The joy of saying goodbye to stuff that just doesn't 'do it' for me any more, but it may for someone else :). The joy of clearing a space for things I love and want to touch, handle, wear, play with...

And now, I can actually do the stuff I want to - write letters, journal, draw, paint, stamp, be expressive, creative...

At least I will, when I've fully recovered and built up my energy reserves once again :/