3 Simple Steps to Revive your Space

In her latest book, Spark Joy: An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying, bestselling author, Marie Kondo writes, “Only when you know how to choose those things that spark joy can you attain your ideal lifestyle. If you are confident that something brings you joy, keep it, regardless of what anyone else might say.” A clutter-free existence is not necessarily about stark minimalism in life. It is about reviving the space you call home, caring for the things in your home, so that you may finally feel at home. But often we have lost our own way, and do not even know what it is anymore that we want from our homes. The frantic pace of life takes over and we become closet-case chairdrobers inviting chaos into our spaces. Well it’s time to get you back to a place of order, a place of happiness, a place of home-coming.

Begin by dreaming.

Get out those old magazines. Don’t worry about what is ‘trending’ or not. Clip out the images that really speak to you, to a sense of what you love in a space. Not the You Right Now. The Forever You. Flip through some art books in your local library and find works of art that truly appeal to you. Even attend the occasional gallery opening and see what tickles your fancy. Start by getting to know yourself. It will come naturally after enough time and practice. Then you will avoid unnecessary clutter by knowing, by feeling, exactly what it is you do like. 

Make room for the things you love.

It might be a pair of leopard print boots from your wilder youth. It might be a pair of outrageous sunglasses you never seem to have the courage to wear. If it still sparks joy in you, hang onto it. Find a special place for it. Irrespective of whether or not it serves a purpose in your life right now. When you search inside yourself, you will know which items you can let go of… So let go of the items that leave you feeling nothing. These you no longer need, perhaps never needed. Forget about what they did or did not cost you. A sense of respite from the world in your home is worth so much more.

Care for yourself, and care in the home.

Now you should be left with the things you truly love. They should finally be in plain sight. With time, perhaps you will add to them with things that similarly bring you a sense of happiness in your own space. But how we care for our things, those things that hold real value, is often indicative of how we care for ourselves. So spend a Saturday morning repairing that chair that needs some reupholstering, some TLC. Care for the clothes you love so you do not have to rush out and buy new ones that might not hold the same sentimental value. Tend to the plants that may have fallen ill. As you learn to nurture your space, to cultivate it mindfully, so in turn will it nurture and cultivate you.