My message to all my clients
No, you don't need to buy matching containers.
No, you don't need everything to be labeled in your home.
No, your spices do not need to be decanted into matching glass jars.
No, your shoes do not have to go in matching plastic bins.
No, you don't have to Marie Kondo your clothes.
No, your pantry does not have to look a particular way.
No, you don't have to be influenced by the latest organizing must-haves.
I am sick of women telling me that they feel bad about their home. That they are embarrassed that their house does not look the way it "Should." Who is should? What is should?
Yes, there is always room for growth, and you can accept that having some systems in place and decluttering will make you happier. But you should never feel bad. In fact, you should give yourself grace and know that change is on its way. Now, it's about how you move forward, not what you have done in the past.
Over the last few years, I have learned that there are many reasons why our homes become unmanageable. It can simply be, managing family life leaves little time to manage our homes. There can be health reasons, deaths in the family, you name it. Once you can identify the reason, then change can happen.
90% of the time, a really good decluttering and clearing out can reboot an entire household and the people/family in it. We have all heard of the term Spring Cleaning. This ideology is deeply rooted in many religions. In Jewish custom, Passover (Pesach) is a time of house cleaning. Khāne-takānī is a tradition that takes place in preparation for Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The tradition involves thoroughly cleaning the home to remove clutter and grime and to make space for new beginnings. The Chinese sweep their floors and clean their houses to rid it of bad luck and misfortune that may have accumulated during the previous year.
Decluttering homes has literally been happening for thousands of years. Not since Marie Kondo created it.
There is no right or wrong way to organize. You can start with one room, one drawer, or the entire house. You can ask your friends for help, or you can hire a professional organizer. It doesn't matter how you do it or who you do it with; what matters is that you are ready for change and are doing it.
You are not alone. Please give yourself some grace and be gentle with yourself. Life is hard enough without negative talk. My job exists for a reason. If organizing was easy and fun, we would all do it. I am here to help. We got this! Change is coming, and remember that your home can be the sanctuary you deserve.