"Tidy a little every day and you'll be tidying forever, " Marie Kondo couldn't have said it better. When I saw the Minimalist Spring Cleaning Challenge, I found myself tossing stuff from the wardrobe on the bed.
As the rest of the world welcomes spring, we, tropical islanders in the Philippines are sweating under the sweltering heat. The dry season is upon us. All electric fans in full swing, I locked the door and turned on the air-conditioning, and decided that for the first phase of simplifying, I'll start with the bedroom.
De-cluttering the entire home as seen in many shows would most likely take days to several weeks depending on the floor area and amount of items present.
We are currently staying in a 70 sq. meter 2-bedroom bungalow rental inside a resort village. It seems a room per day is a do-able and stress-free task while still being able to handle the other chores.
It was 9 am and I have just downed 2 mugs of freshly brewed coffee. The word Kaizen popped into my head while I stood on top of the wooden step stool.
Kaizen is a Japanese word for "improvements." My first encounter with Kaizen was during a 5-day Course of Basic Occupational Safety and Health Training (BOSH) that I attended 4 years ago. Kaizen is a business philosophy to create seamless processes towards continuous improvement.
In the BOSH Training, we learned the 5S in workplace safety:
- Sort
Segregating items according to their function and evaluating their priority based on how often they're used and which one ranks as the most urgent. - Set in Order
Accordingly arrange and designate specific placements of items for ease of use - Shine
Clean regularly - Standardize
Create proper labels, standards, documentation so anyone can conveniently locate the items - Sustain
Continue to streamline, orient users in maintaining standards, and focus on consistent improvement.
My definition of Kaizen is a series of tiny steps to improve towards a goal that will ultimately lead to an impactful change. I was instantly sold on the concept and had this desire to apply it not only in business but in every aspect of my life (unless procrastination sits on my lap).
Tidying up and kaizen for me go hand in hand at home. It's a daily thing because I find pleasure in putting things back where they belong and relish concocting simple yet effective methods to organize.
That's one aspect I enjoy about designing interiors, it's to help the client sort out the mess by planning and arranging things in their proper order while orchestrating the users' movements to effortlessly flow within a space.
With that said, there might not be many differences between the before and after.
The Bedside Tables
We have mismatched bedside tables in the bedroom. The one I'm using was already there when we moved in. We didn't see the need to purchase a new one. They say you can tell so much about someone by the stuff on their bedside tables.
I tend to keep books. I intentionally place them next to my bed to encourage reading more often.
Some I have finished and enjoy re-reading again, some I could barely make it awake after two pages, while others were there to be read someday.
To sort out books I have adopted or borrowed:
@indayclara was kind to lend me two of her inspiring books before the typhoon; Awakening Intuition and Dreams by Carl Jung.
Transform Your Life was a book I purchased when I just moved to Dubai. It helped me a lot then. I was asked to choose 2 to 3 books from a van full of French novels en route to Alliance Francaise Library.
My sister-in-law left these Bad series to me when she and her family stayed with us during their Philippine vacay. I tried reading them but they're not for me, thank you!
The Wardrobe
Our wardrobe is divided into His & Hers. It has shrunk a lot over the years. I used to have two sets of these only for myself a decade ago. Here's the plan:
Sort & Set in Order
The contents of the wardrobe were tossed on the bed.
All sports shoes were removed from their boxes and were placed in the adjacent shoe rack.
Shine & Standardize - Folding of clothes ensued with regular maintenance of the closet organization makes it easy to find items.
Clockwise Left to Right: Personal Care & Gadgets. Et voila!
Sustain: Having given @iamyohann the information where every item is stored, he knows immediately where to look for them even when I am not there. We intend to review the items we own several times a year and remove the unnecessary as soon as possible.
The Benefits of Kaizen in Decluttering and My Take-away
Including tidying up in one's daily routine simplified into bite-sized tasks eliminates the daunting and overwhelming feeling. By sorting and planning, setting things in order, we use space more efficiently. There's always a reason behind each item placement. The waste of time in searching for items is reduced if not entirely avoided. A well-organized 5S space offers a calm, safe, and clean environment.
I took this opportunity to sort out important documents and created an emergency bag that includes toiletries & first aid kit. That had always been on my To-Do List. Thanks to this challenge, I finally accomplished it.
I am tagging @ifarmgirl and @katrin-lux to join the fun Spring Cleaning and Decluttering Challenge. Thank you for reading and have an excellent week ahead!
"I am an old soul who simply loves coffee, who finds joy and beauty in both tangible and the unseen."
Curiosity and imagination lead to unexpected experiences. Interested in Nature, Places, Roads Less Traveled, Minimalism, Authentic Living, Anything French, and International Cuisine. Feel free to follow her, re-blog, and upvote if you enjoy her content.
This looks just so great @discoveringarni
All need and tidy. It just “beams” out calmness and piece.
I’m still working on ours, clean up a lot for a future move and get organised for it.
Everyday a little is what we are doing now. 🤓
Thank you, Jackie, looking forward to seeing your progress on the move. That's a lot of tidying up for sure. 😊
You are welcome 😊
Thanks 😎 I will for sure post about it. But it will take a while, as paperwork is slow and we are not sure when all is sorted out. Hopefully this year. (As it is international…)
Great job in decluttering and organizing! A freshly organized space feels so good, doesn't it?
!BEER
Hello Phoenix, thank you, oh yes, it really makes a difference to be able to find things easily and see them in order. Hope to spare some time to continue the other areas this week.
A girl after my own heart!! I declutter all the time, but, I think it is from moving all the time with the job. I am not a minimalist, but, I don't like clutter or things that are not used, but, stored away. If I don't use it/look at it/enjoy it, why have it?
I do a little cleaning every day, so it feels like I never really have cleaning days. Having things organized, anyone can walk into the house and find things.
That said, you have done an amazing job in such a small space. I never thought of the kitchen that way, having it all open used to make me feel like it was too open, but, what you say makes sense, plus, you don't accumulate that way.
Room by room. It is the way to go! Excellent ideas!
Hello @dswigle, thank you very much for your insightful comment.
Your frequent moves must have led to mastery in decluttering. I can imagine it becomes instinctive and automatic for you to let things go when they're not needed or treasured.
I would have preferred the kitchen cupboards to have cabinet doors in the home we're renting but they came with open shelves. Translucent plastic bins and glass containers helped group items and create order. I can't wait to get my hands on in the kitchen but will gradually tackle everything room by room. 😊
Hello @discoveringarni,
Thank you, time for 🍷 now 😁
You deserve a glass 🍷
Enjoy:)
Hello @discoveringarni,
Wow🙌
Your place is so neat and organised; very pleasing to the eyes😍
I agree that when everything is arranged this simple, it is easier to find things and you are left with less stress, and time to quickly do tasks and move on.
I am impressed with what I see here. It's a commendable effort that you have made.
Your decision to declutter in stages was a smart one. That's a great takeaway from your exercise.
I think having stuff stored away, instead of seeing it all at once makes a difference to our minds.
I'm pleased you took the time to share your decluttering and your participation is this contest in valuable.
Well done!👏
Have a great weekend ahead:)
Hi Camille, Thank you 😁 at least Yohann will stop asking me where his things are. I gave him a blow-by-blow detail of where every item is kept.
Cabinet doors are helpful in reducing visual noise. I think that's the challenge in tiny spaces such as our kitchen. We have a lack of covered storage space. Everything there is exposed but the advantage is. It is efficient while cooking. I find paperwork and sorting through bills and invoices the most taxing and least enjoyable. Overall, I really enjoyed this exercise so thank you for initiating this contest. It was fun 😃 Have a lovely week!
I concur with all that!
It is my pleasure to host this contest. I am happy you decided to participate :)
Have a lovely day too:)
I've got a lot of spring cleaning to do this year. I'm nowhere this organised though :)
Yay to spring cleaning this year! I intend to do it in stages so it's not too overwhelming. Which one will you start first?
😱 I'm such a mess that your personal essentials in a drawer before decluttering looked like so clean for me! My room is not fit for any decent human being to stay.
Marie always says, "I love mess." Let's do it, I am here if I could be of any help.
I don't think I could be helped. 🙈 I just don't want to clean my room.
That's okay, Anais as well 😊
😂 I have my ally in Anais. Good to know.
We tried a few times decluttering her room but after one day, it's back to how it was before. As long as she's happy and comfy in her space but sometimes no decluttering no TV. 😂
Same energy! 😱 Like my mother would clean my room when I'm away, but it will always go back to its original mess when I come home. I guess it's really on me. The messy type. 😂
Why oh why? A bit jealous of how clean and organized your room is. I might do some decluttering soon too! That feeling after decluttering and reorganizing is just... fantastic!
I also still have books to finish. 🤣
Please join us in the decluttering challenge 😁 The mess started at 9 am yesterday and was cleared by 7 pm. The documents took the longest time. Thank you for the books, I am slowly digesting Dreams (Hehe until dreams) 😂 So many to read 😄
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There is something very satisfying about tidying up and organizing the house - especially closest and "junk" drawers if you have one of them. I've never heard of the 5s's method. Sounds like a handy memory tool.
I once devoured a book while I was staying at my sister's home for a few days because there was no way she would agree to take it with me. It was surprisingly about Kaizen. The title was Kaizen: The Japanese Method for Transforming Habits, One Small Step at a Time by Sarah Harvey. It was an interesting read if you like that sort of thing.
We have a catch-all cabinet at home where each member of the family has a box (because it didn't have a drawer) That's part of the future task list, hopefully, I get to it.
Please do join us in the decluttering contest.
Sounds like an interesting book. I'll keep it in mind.
I'll think about the decluttering contest as well lol
Looking forward to your version of spring cleaning if ever you decide to participate 😄
Can you see an "eye" staring at you in this photo?
🤣
Wait, what eye? Is there a lizard hiding in there?
No, I see abstract, so I spotted something that looks like a little eye, on the left. 😂
Phew, I thought there was another lizard that got in. 🤣
Haha!
Iwould have to circle the image so you could see it.
You've got sharp eyes. The one on the bottom left? With the white wrapping and a shadow in the middle?
Yes, I can see something that looks like a little eye 🤣
It's like it's peeking at me:)
Holy moly!!!!
You’ve done a great job! 😍😍😍
A very relaxing process… 💚
Awesome thanks Mamali, grateful for the AC, I enjoyed the process. Are there other spaces you need to declutter?
As of now, not much… but in few days my room is gonna be messy again as I’ll have to get on the road for a 9day trip to west of Iran… 🙂
Ooh, new adventure, exciting times ahead 😊
Yeah yeah! Hopefully I’ll be able to post about it… 🙂
Enjoy and have a fun road trip!
Thank you dear.... :)
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