Tidy House, Tidy Life

The art of tidying up your home according to Marie Kondo's formula is no longer news; millions have learned about her KonMari method that transforms your home into a tidy space.

But that's not all – the key effect of her method is that after you establish order in your home, order will also prevail in your life. This is according to the young author of 4 books who has been advising clients for years on how to tidy up their homes and lives, and also holds educational training on the same topic.
Marie often receives thank-you letters from her clients who reveal that after training or consultation, they emerged from life stagnation, for example, quit their jobs and started companies, entered new happy relationships, improved their relationships with their spouses, lost weight, etc.
You are probably wondering why you are constantly cleaning, yet nothing seems to change in your life – as if you are in a vicious cycle. Perhaps you are stuck.

What is Stagnation
Life stagnation generally refers to a state of stagnation when, regarding a certain aspect or issue of life, you are neither moving forward nor backward, yet you should be because the situation requires resolution. You are going in circles; you think one thing today, another tomorrow. This state is often caused by or associated with an unconscious inner conflict regarding someone or something in your life, which prevents you from making a decision, taking a step forward, and breaking the vicious cycle. Your energy is also stagnant, and this state is usually accompanied by withdrawal (spending more and more time at home), overeating, accumulating unnecessary things, making wrong choices, consequently fatigue, loss of energy for daily activities – all of which, if prolonged, can lead to depression.

While stagnation can sometimes resolve 'on its own' through a spontaneous change in life circumstances that cause it, professional help from a coach, counselor, or therapist is sometimes necessary. If, however, you manage to at least become aware of it yourself with the help of psychological literature or conversations with others, or perhaps this very article, take action – start with a detox of your own home.

The Philosophy of Minimalism
Minimalism is at the root of many Eastern philosophies. The premise that we should give up attachment to the material things we own because they should not define us is as old as Buddhism itself, for example. Consequently, the happiness and satisfaction we strive for on our life journey should not be tied to material possessions – their source should be within ourselves and our relationships with others. Likewise, suffering should not be caused by not possessing material things (here we mean things we can do without, luxury, etc.). When we free ourselves from excess things, many 'filters' through which we have viewed ourselves and our lives will be lifted. Our perspective will clear, and we will see ourselves and life more clearly.

Where to even begin? You can take these 3 steps immediately, and you won't have to wait long for positive effects: 
1. Get rid of excess things that do not add value to your life
2. Buy only necessary items, thereby preventing further debt
3. Spend on experiences instead of things
This strategy will help you develop better relationships with people because you will see true life values more clearly.

Does it Spark Joy?
Even Marie Kondo, in her early organizational days, didn't immediately have solutions for tidying up a home that would lead to instant life joy. First, she realized that simply throwing things away wouldn't bring satisfaction, but possibly even greater frustration due to financial loss. She realized that we need to choose what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of. And so, she came up with the formula – when you start tidying, or sorting things, pick up each item and ask yourself: 'Does this spark joy in me?'

If it does, keep it. If not, discard it.

The 90/90 Rule
Contemporary proponents of minimalism like Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus have established the 90/90 rule that you can apply to any item: if you haven't used it in the last 90 days and won't use it in the next 90 days, get rid of it without guilt.
These two minimalists have a global impact on people's lives through their website the minimalist.com, books, articles, and podcasts, because they deeply believe that minimalism as a life philosophy is particularly applicable in the modern age of consumerism.

Minimalism for Freedom
Joshua and Ryan believe that minimalism is a path to freedom, and that it can help us free ourselves from fear, worries, guilt, depression, and being stuck in the world of consumerism that many of us are enslaved to.
Contemporary minimalists do not believe there is anything wrong with owning material possessions; the problem arises when we attribute too much importance and value to things compared to our relationships with others, health, personal growth, and personal contribution to the community.
It's okay to have vehicles, real estate, designer clothing, but do we assess our own worth based on the things we own and, consequently, would our worth decrease if we lost those things? Do we believe we are more valuable in the eyes of others based on our 'asset statement'? What if we lose it?

Perhaps it's time to start with spring cleaning around us and within us.

(living.ba)