Spark Joy

Ep 61 | KonMari Komono Category: Confronting Miscellaneous Items

10.31.2018 - By Kristyn Ivey and Karin SocciPlay

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Komono, or miscellaneous items, is quite often the largest clutter category volume wise, so we help you break it down in a way that it manageable and most joyful to explore.

Before you continue, if you’re just starting your tidying journey, or in need of a refresher on how categories work in the KonMari Method, listen to Spark Joy Episode 1: KonMari 101 and Episode 9: Tidying by Location is a Fatal Mistake

We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show.

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In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

Joy Checks:

Karin: The Serene Home was featured in Oprah.com!

Kristyn: For the Love of Tidy is tidying up its virtual home! New website launch (with special surprises) coming very soon.

Komono Subcategories:

CDs, DVDs

Skin care products

Makeup and perfume

Valuables (passports, credit cards, etc.)

Electrical equipment and appliances

Household equipment (writing materials, sewing kits, linens)

Household supplies (medicine, detergent, tissues)

Linens

Kitchen items

Emergency supplies

Hobbies

Gifts

Seasonal items

Home decor/furniture

Spark Joy listener Lisa submits a question about Komono and craft spaces

We help you answer the tough questions:

What if I need this someday?

Can I keep this as a backup?

What if I need this in an emergency?

The importance of grounding our miscellaneous item decisions in the vision of our ideal life and living environment

We review how to handle the nuances Komono category with care (while keeping your sanity!). For example:

Small items

Mixed bins of items

The "mess”

Kid’s stuff

Sentimental items (see Spark Joy Episode 55 for more on digitizing your sentimental items)

Gems:

"Miscellaneous items play a super important role in everyones life. They are sometimes the supporting character in everything that we do."

"It might be time to put a hobby in the past, as it may not be something you see as part of your vision moving forward."

"It's important to keep like items together to understand the extent of your active supplies and materials vs. materials you are just stockpiling."

"Unlike clothing books and paper, Komono category is so broad and everyone will have different subcategories in their miscellaneous."

"If everything is important, nothing is important."

"What in your home is in such abundance that it's not really feeling important, even though it is a 'must keep' or 'must have'?"

"Miscellaneous items often include things that lean more utility than joyful."

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home

You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

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