I’m not sure whether it’s the start of a new decade – or that I’ve been trapped inside all week during Edmonton’s deep freeze – but I’m in total home organization mode over here!
Fortunately for me – and you too – this ‘need for clean’ couldn’t come at a better time; the Edmonton Renovation Show is back this weekend, January 24 through 26.
The Edmonton Expo Centre will be buzzing with inspiration as an incredible lineup of celebrity speakers take the main stage, over 250 exhibitors share their expertise and reno-tastic new features provide the knowledge you need to start, finish and love your next home improvement project.
A presenter you won’t want to miss: Helen Youn
Now, don’t get too jealous but I was lucky enough to chat one-on-one with feature speaker Helen Youn. She’s a Calgary-based professional organizer and one of the first Certified KonMari Consultants in the world outside of Japan.
If you have Netflix – and even if you don’t – you’ve probably heard of the woman behind the popular series, Tidying up with Marie Kondo. I’m going to go ahead and crown Marie Kondo as the authority on all things home organization. Her KonMari Method™ is a revolutionary way to declutter and organize your home in the pursuit of living more mindfully.
And guess what? Helen is going to be providing an introduction to the KonMari Method™ at the Edmonton Renovation Show! She’ll be presenting twice on the main stage – on Friday, January 24 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, January 25 at noon. However, I did have the chance to ask Helen a few questions related to my current ‘problem area’ – my bedroom closet – and am sharing her tips.
Tips to declutter your bedroom closet
The KonMari process tackles clutter by categories – not rooms – starting with clothing and then moving to books, paper, miscellaneous (like holiday decor and kitchen gadgets) and ending with sentimental items.
Given that clothing is the first category, your bedroom closet is a great place to begin.
But before getting started…
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Stop and consider the vision you have for your ideal life
It might sound like a big question but it’s an important one to consider. What brings you the most joy? How are you spending your time? How do you want to live? Having a clear vision of your ideal life will help you clarify which items to keep.
For example, are you a stay-at-home Mom with three kids and haven’t worn office attire in ten years? Sounds like it could be time to ditch the pant suits.
Love yoga and want to practice every day? Sounds like activewear will help support you in living your ideal life.
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Identify what you’d like to change after you declutter your bedroom closet
Do you feel overwhelmed each day when trying to put together an outfit and want to spend less time getting ready in the morning? Or maybe you’re bogged down by items that no longer fit and you want to stop feeling guilty?
Identifying what you’d like to change when your closet is organized will also help you clarify which items to keep.
When you’re ready to declutter your bedroom closet…
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Identify a few of your favourite items that spark joy
You know the ones I’m talking about – they’re the pieces you gravitate to. That put a smile on your face. That spark joy.
Now notice how these items make you feel when you hold them in your hands. This can be a great benchmark to compare other items to and help clarify which items to keep.
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Go through, hold and really consider every item in your closet
If you have a full day to commit to the process, physically remove every item from your closet and place them in a large pile. This is a great way to take inventory and see how much you have as people often don’t realise the volume of their possessions until they see them all together. This also helps ensure you don’t miss anything.
However, if this sounds too overwhelming – you can tackle items by subcategories. For example, on Monday sort through all your swimwear, followed by socks on Tuesday and pyjamas on Wednesday.
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Does it spark joy?
Helen really resonated with me when she said, “It’s not ‘what is the perfect item?’ It’s, ‘what is the perfect item for you?’”
Forget how much you paid for an item. Forget if it was a gift. Forget if it’s on the list of the ‘most fashionable clothing trends of 2020’.
The only criteria you should focus on when considering what to keep is whether it sparks joy for you. Ask this question repeatedly throughout the process.
And at times there might be a practical item that in itself does not spark joy – but what it’s used for does. For example, a pair of thermal underwear might not get you excited – but the thought of wearing them to stay warm while skiing in the winter does. Hence, that item is helping you live your ideal life.
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Your home is a living space, not a storage space
Once you decide an item no longer sparks joy, sell it or give it a second life through donation. Recycling is also a great option when an item is no longer in useable condition.
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Organize the items that spark joy
Once you’ve gone through all your clothing, only return the items that spark joy into your closet. The KonMari Method™ has a few storage principles to help make things easier to find but, in short:
• Store items by category. Shirts go with shirts, pants with pants.
• When it comes to items that are folded, store them upright and side-by-side.
• Divide large storage spaces into compartments. For example, when it comes to your sock drawer, you can use shoeboxes to help segment dress socks from athletic socks.
And voila! There are a few great tips to declutter your bedroom closet. However, if you’d like to hear more, you can catch Helen on the main stage on Friday, January 24 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, January 25 at noon.
Plus, here are a few more details:
2020 Edmonton Renovation Show Details
Where: Edmonton Expo Centre
When: Friday, January 24: Noon – 9 p.m.
Saturday, January 25: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sunday, January 26: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Ticket prices:
Adults: $13 ($11 online)
Seniors (60+): $11 ($9 online, $5 Friday before 5 p.m.)
Kids 12 and under are admitted for free.
Thank you to the Edmonton Renovation Show for sponsoring this post, to Helen for sharing her knowledge with me and credit to Kristen Holm for the beautiful photos in this article.
Xo Holly Hunka
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