ANNA

I went through the KonMari process at a time when I had to literally empty a storage space that contained furniture and souvenirs from a chalet that I had sold 11 years ago.

 

Yuri invited me to follow the KonMari method to tidy all my belongings at the same time as I was emptying and returning the storage space, and this helped me to do so serenely. We started at my home and proceeded methodically, as the KonMari process is rigorous in terms of structure. Realising that one has so many hidden and forgotten things (most often on purpose) in their home is incredible. Bringing these objects out, taking them in my hands, taking care of them, putting them gently in a drawer or in a box – far from just organising them – was both revealing and overwhelming! Our personal universe is composed of unique items, each of which each have a reason to be there. I remembered exactly where, when, under what circumstances and for what reason I had bought each object or brought it home.

 

Letting go of (and not getting rid of!) objects, whether they represented a good or bad memory, was for me a crucial, enabling me to free myself from so many things.

 

There were some impressive moments: all my pairs of shoes – from my 20s and 30s – spread out in front of me, out of their boxes. Yuri taught me to say "good bye and thank you" to the ones which had accompanied me during certain periods of my life; freeing them for other journeys while also freeing me serenely for my next journeys. Yes, there was a lot of emotion for old shoes! The result is that I have arranged, neatly and visibly, all the shoes which remind me of moments of tenderness, of my youth and of joyful periods.

 

I have come to truly appreciate my clothes, kitchen utensils, decorations and other miscellaneous objects, especially for the very small, seemingly useless and ridiculous things that I now keep in a pretty box and simply enjoy. The books I’ve read, the CDs I’ve listened to, the clothes which are too small and the closed files: all these items are living another life and I am pursuing mine, accompanied by what is important to me; "my home for me".

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Freed from the overwhelming sadness of having to throw away furniture and souvenirs, I was able to empty and return the storage space with serenity after having donated, recycled and even burned some objects in my fireplace while simply saying THANK YOU to them.