It’s been a hectic time in our family, and a bout of decluttering hasn’t helped. So, early this morning, husband, older daughter, son-in-law and I mused about Marie Kondo and the current decluttering fad she’s part of.
We concluded that there’s another way to see this – a kind of anti-Marie Kondo system. So we created it. Useful? I’m not sure. But it should make you smile, perhaps in recognition. We call it:
10 STEPS TO A “FULLER” LIFE
1) Acquire a space. You’ll need it.
2) Location, location, location. The space must be located where you will visit it often.
3) Easy access is essential to collecting stuff. Don’t block your path to success — er, excess. Remember, your plan is to fill the space with stuff. And remember also that you’re playing a long game — over-accumulation takes time.
4) Start collecting stuff NOW. It’s important to take that first step. As we’re heading into Christmas, surely you need some more Christmas plates to add to the several sets you already have.
5) Identify sources of stuff. The Shopping Network, eBay, Etsy, Kijiji, Costco, Homesense, Dollarama, garage sales, antiques shops and auctions are great sources of stuff. So are friends, by the way. When they declutter their homes, it’s an opportunity to further clutter yours. Cultivate and nurture these relationships.
6) Identify other things you’d like. It could be everything. But be sure to identify them. You don’t want to forget and miss an opportunity to acquire more stuff that you don’t need.
7) Think bigger. You may think because the horizontal spaces — shelves, floors, and surfaces of furniture — are full, that you’ve run out of space. Do not be fooled! Think vertical. Pile things on top of things, boxes on top of boxes. Look for bare spots too. A bare spot is an exciting new opportunity.
8) Do not give away your stuff. Treasure your treasures. You never know when you — or your children or grandchildren or great-grands, or friends — will need them.
9) Defend your stash. Fend off all comers and detractors. People who want your stuff or criticize your accumulative instincts are the enemy. And remember #4: you are collecting what you like. It’s your shield and your sword.
10) Recognize that this is an important part of your legacy, and the bigger the legacy to your loved ones, the better. So, when the current space is verifiably, absolutely, full and cannot take another sliver of anything, be sure to acquire more space and fill it with stuff. It’s your gift to your heirs and to the world.
Of course, if I followed all that advice above, my own family would kill me! Happy day, everyone. Hope we made you smile.
Cynthia Reyes 