Decluttering My Closet: Konmari Method

Last summer I decided to revamp my closet. I searched the internet for ideas and finally found a style that I thought would not only look better but that would also make more sense. I decided to purchase The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo since I'd heard so much about it. After reading through the book, I decided to give her method for decluttering clothing and folding a chance.

I started by piling all of my clothes on my bed. Then I stood atop them and began picking up each item individually to see if it sparked any joy. I tried not to reason with myself or try to think of occasions where I would need an item of clothing again.

A good rule of thumb would be: if you have to think of a reason to keep something, get rid of it.



It went well, all things considered. Below is my donation pile:

I also tried the Konmari Method for folding and I actually quite like it. I am still folding my shirts and underwear this way. I like being able to see what all I have and it seems like I can fit more in my limited space. I have two storage bins under my bed for cosplay items and con shirts. Once I purged and folded them, everything fit with room to spare!

I bought my new closet pieces from the Home Depot and painstakingly put them together myself. I did enlist help to attach them to the wall. I didn't really hang my clothes via the Konmari method. I hung them in a way that worked for me. I grouped items together by type and color and didn't focus on length.

I folded my pants and sweaters and placed them on the shelves. I put items such as bathing suits, leggings and shorts in the bins. I finally found a place for everything!

Before

After

I was very happy with the way it turned out. It feels more organized and put together and the best part was I didn't have to find extra places to store my winter clothes. Everything fits! And after purging a good fourth of my wardrobe, I have a ton of extra hangers.

Below are links to the items mentioned above:

Shelving

Corner Organizer

Storage Bins

Rolling Storage Bin

Velvet Hangers

12 Months to a Healthier Life

I may have mentioned this briefly in another post but I have taken on a challenge this year to get healthier one month at a time. I found this particular challenge on Pinterest last month and decided to give it a go.

You can find the original article on The Beachbody Blog here.

In January, the goal was to focus on the positive. So I tried not to stress about parts of myself I don't like as much and things I want to change. It's hard sometimes not to think about the negative, but what you're really doing is discouraging yourself from changing those things. So think positive, people!

My February goal is to keep a food diary. As luck would have it, I had already started keeping a food diary in January. I use MyFitnessPal. So far so good except I do not understand the calorie adjustment thing. I tried linking MFP with my Striiv watch but it never showed any calories burned, so I'm not convinced the step counter really does anything in this app. Otherwise, I like it. I am able to keep up with my calories eaten per day and how many calories I've burned exercising. They also offer articles with healthy recipes and tips.

So if you're looking for a challenge for 2017 but a total lifestyle change seems overwhelming, try this one! I am simultaneously dreading and looking forward to challenging myself in future months (No added sugar and junk food? Eek!).

More updates to come!

February Favorites

I've decided to start a new blogging segment where I talk about my favorite things (clothes, beauty products, books, etc.) and give recommendations on the products I have discovered. So what am I loving this month? Read on!

1. Milk Shake Incredible Milk- I've been using this leave-in conditioner for a while now and I love it. It smells so good and it helps protect my hair from heat while conditioning and preventing frizz. I bought mine from a salon, but you can also find it on Amazon.

2. Plastic Storage Bins- I was inspired to clean out my refrigerator recently and decided to organize it using various sizes of plastic bins. The results have been amazing (I'll post the before and after in a future blog). I bought mine from Amazon and they weren't that expensive.

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Coloring Book- I got the recently released Buffy coloring book for my birthday, the latest in my adult coloring book collection, and I love it. It includes a lot of the classic Buffy moments and some of the show's best quotes. I haven't started coloring in it yet, but I plan to start soon.

4. Wrapped Arrow Ring- My favorite accessory lately has been my wrapped arrow ring from Charming Charlie. I wear it almost every day. It's simple but pretty and it doesn't get in the way of completing my daily tasks.

5. Green Nail Polish- This month I had my nails done in a dark green color (similar to the shade above). I wasn't sure if I would like it at first but I really do. It's the perfect fall/winter color.

6. Maroon Pocket Dress (MTS)- This dress is a recent addition to my wardrobe. It fits well and has pockets! It goes great with leggings and boots. I bought mine at JR Crider's, but I couldn't find it on their website. I did find a similar dress on themogan.com for $27.

7. The Night Bird- I recently finished this Brian Freeman novel. It's a thriller about hypnosis, memory loss and deception. I read the entire book in two days. It hooked me from the beginning and kept me intrigued throughout. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a good mystery read.