Could Using Marie Kondo’s Tidying Method in Your Home Help To Relieve Your Pandemic Blues?

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There is no denying that it has been a very strange, challenging and anxiety-provoking 18-months for most of us here in Australia, and across the globe. Regardless of which state you are living in, there is a very good chance that you’ve spent in ordinate amount of time at home, compared to previous years. For many families, juggling home schooling, working from home, and limited or no ability to social or see family members has greatly impacted people’s mental health. Whilst home is generally thought of as a haven and a place of safety and warmth for many of us, its not uncommon to now feel trapped within the same four walls.

“Whether a home feels like a prison or like a place that is protecting you is all up to your mindset,” pop culture icon Marie Kondo, told Esquire in April 2020. “Even if you are in this very atypical situation, I think it is possible to remind yourself how much a home does for you physically and emotionally. It is a thing that’s protecting you. This is why I recommend tidying your home, because by tidying, you are considering what you can do to change the environment inside your home so that it’s much more comfortable and lovable for you.”

Tidying guru Kondo, who catapulted to fame in 2014 when her book ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,’ sold 10 million copies, has released her second Netflix show this week titled ‘Sparking Joy.’ If you’ve yet to watch her first show ‘Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,’ or haven’t seen it for a long time, we highly recommend setting aside some time to watch it and understand the unique tidying principles Kondo shares for making your home a space that sparks joy and adds to your sense of wellbeing. She makes it almost impossible to resist the urge to get your home into order, and during these challenging and uncertain times, that may be more important than ever.

According to Marie Kondo there are six basic rules:

1. Commit yourself to tidying up
2. Imagine your ideal lifestyle
3. Finish discarding first. Before getting rid of items sincerely thank each item for serving its purpose.
4. Tidy by category, not location.
5. Follow the right order
6. Ask yourself if it sparks joy.

The five categories that you should tackle, are in this order: clothes, books, papers, kondo (miscellaneous items), and sentimental items.

Not only can tidying be a welcome distraction for people stuck at home during a pandemic, but it can also provide the added benefit of creating calm and joy in your living space. But what should you do with the huge pile of things that you are left with that no longer spark joy for you?

What To Do With Your Clutter After You’ve Sorted Through It

Being huge proponents of recycling and reducing the waste that is sent to landfill, you can probably guess that we aren’t going to tell you to bin it! Instead, our advice would be to turn your hand to second-hand selling and turn your preloved items back into cash.

According to a study in 2017 that surveyed 1000 people in the four biggest Australian states, the average financial value of our unloved items adds up to a whopping $6,623 per household. The Choosi Clutter Report also found that those Aussie’s who made the effort to declutter could fill 6.8 large rubbish bags every year with their unwanted junk! With garage sales currently prohibited due to social distancing rules, charity stores closed and not able to accept donations, it makes sense to turn your pre-loved things into extra cash, rather than extra landfill. We know it sounds cliché, but one man’s trash really is another man’s treasure. Instead of mindlessly throwing things away, consider extending the lifespan of your unused belongings, by selling them to people who not only want or need them, but who are also appreciative of being able to save money by acquiring it second-hand.

Fortunately, eBay is making it easier than ever during these uncertain times, by allowing sellers to safely sell online from the comfort of their home. The eBay partnership with courier company Sendle, makes selling and posting through eBay, 100% contact free. You no longer have to worry about visiting your local post office to arrange postage to your buyer, which, let’s face it is next to impossible anyway if you have children doing their schoolwork from home.

Once your item has sold, all you have to do is simply select and click on “Print Postage Label” in My eBay, follow the prompts, and Sendle will pick up your item from your front door at your chosen date and it will be sent to the buyer.

There is also a printer-free option for those who don’t have a printer to print labels – all you have to do there is select “Printer Free” and write the unique code and your buyers’ details on the package. It couldn’t be easier.

For more information on this service we recommend heading to the eBay website here  for more information.

Happy Kondo-ing! 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by eBay Australia.