This year the rainy season happens to be a real one. By “real” I mean that it rains often, especially on weekends, and whenever you check the forecast with an idea to plan something outdoors, it shows rain and again more rain for the days to come.
If you do not mind going out in the rain, the best thing to do during rainy season is to go enjoy hydrangeas in full bloom. Go to a place with many of them, it will feel like the sky has landed on Earth and the whole world has changed its color into heavenly blue.
With many rainy days and some uncertainty as to whether I am staying or possibly leaving, I realized that in any case it is a good opportunity to review all the stuff at home. After all, it has been four years since I moved to Japan, and as you may know, things do accumulate. This is where Marie Kondo comes into the spotlight.
If we were still in 2018, you would probably not know the name; yet since the beginning of 2019 when her show came out on Netflix, Marie Kondo became a super star and her name keeps appearing in articles and blogs, TV programs and conversations all around the world.
A tidying guru, as she is called, Marie Kondo has been popular in Japan for quite a long time already. She has published a couple of books and had a six month waiting list even before getting on Netflix. I had one of her books as well, and while the concept seemed interesting, I nevertheless thought that it is primarily about reducing the amount of stuff you have and changing the way you fold and store things. However, the TV show has completely changed my opinion, as with each episode I could see how people and relationships have evolved during the process and how people started to think and feel differently. It turns out that KonMari method is not just about tidying your home, but rather changing your mind and life altogether.
It can be both an individual and a team journey, depending on whether you do it on your own or with someone, and each individual experiences it differently. We all tend to hold onto different types of things and emotions, and so different steps of KonMari method are easier for some and more difficult for others. The sequence though is always the same: clothes, books, papers, komono (or everything what does not fall in other four categories), and sentimental items. The idea is to go through the things by category and select only the ones that spark “joy” and that you want to take into your new life. You also have to thank all those things you are letting go, as they all played certain role in your life and home and deserve your gratitude for that.
Many of those who participated in her show mentioned that even energy seems to be different at home, and I can confirm the same. While I have not yet finished going through various papers and other miscellaneous items, it does feel good. In fact, I am glad that the rainy season this year is so rainy!
p.s. and I am still staying after all 😉
