Written by Catherine Amos, Kayla Anderson, Lila Bolze, Lucy Conrey and Giselle Taylor
Simple Living FYS
According to Foxcroft NYC, we wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time. The rest of the clothing just stays in the drawers, gathering dust. Current buying culture encourages the purchase of too many items that we neglect and never use.
Marie Kondo, a Japanese businesswoman and author, has revolutionized the way individuals view their possessions.
Kondo states that she has always loved organizing. At the age of 26, she developed “The KonMari Method,” a system of purging and organizing possessions that she explains in her book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
Kondo’s website defines the KonMari Method as “a state of mind —and a way of life—that encourages cherishing the things that spark joy in one’s life.” In this column, we will share some ways to use the KonMari Method to encourage a decluttered and joy-filled atmosphere in your college dorm.
According to Dormstormers.com, the average college dorm is 130 square feet. That does not give you much elbow room for extra clutter!
Adopting the practice of the KonMari method will help to bring joy to your small space. Kondo challenges us to pick up each item in your small space and ask, “Does this spark joy?”
If you no longer feel the spark of connection to an article of clothing or a possession, consider giving the item new life by donating to it to Goodwill or Community Aid, freecycling it to a friend or consigning the item at a local shop.
You may also try to earn a few dollars by posting it on the Letgo or Offerup apps.
Adopting this practice will empower you to minimize your clutter and encourage you to be grateful for everything you own.
Kondo’s organizational system also revolves around folding and storing clothing so that articles of clothing are all compact and visible. This system is beneficial for college students living with limited storage space or a finite amount of time before class to sort through clothing.
To fold a t-shirt using the KonMari Method, first lay the shirt flat on a table. Fold both edges of the tee inwards so that they meet at the center of the garment to form a rectangle. Fold the rectangle in half, lengthwise, and then fold the rectangle into square thirds. Stand the folded shirt upright on a table and transfer the folded masterpiece to your drawer.
You can watch videos of Kondo demonstrating her folding technique on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpc5_1896ro.
Minimizing your clutter, expressing gratitude for individual possessions and organizing your wardrobe are all positive steps toward a simpler lifestyle.
We hope you experiment with the KonMari Method in your dorm or office and share your story using our hashtag, #EtownSimplified!
For more information on the KonMari method, check out “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo.
For more ideas about simplifying your life at Etown, check out our hashtag on Twitter, #EtownSimplified. Stay tuned for next week’s article on how to refrain from impulse buying.
