Feel great in your fall sweaters!

Fall is upon us, and with it comes cozy fall sweaters!  

You may also be thinking about fall cleaning and getting your home ready for the holidays...  Feeling overwhelmed?  You are not alone.  

Getting physically organized helps with our mental well-being.  Spending some time organizing can decrease your stress and overwhelm this season.  However, the act of organizing can be very overwhelming, too.  So where to start?  And how to proceed?  Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizer who created The KonMari Method™ in her book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up."  She recommends that you always begin with your clothes.  

Why not start with one small category - your fall sweaters.  You know you're excited to see these old friends!  ;)

Step 1:  Make a pile
Remove all of your sweaters from the closets, drawers, etc.  Check every room of the house and any boxes where you may store seasonal items.  It is important to find ALL of your sweaters before you begin.  ​
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Step 2:  Top Three
Pick out your favorite three sweaters from the pile.  Hold them.  Notice the joy and positive feelings you get when you hold them.  As Marie Kondo would say, do they "spark joy"?  Those are the feelings that you want to replicate.

Step 3:  One-by-One
Now, go through the pile and pick up one sweater at a time.  Notice how it makes you feel.  Do you feel joy?  Do you love it?  Do you want to put it on and wear it all day?  If so, keep it with confidence!  Do this with each item.

Step 4:  Reflect
Are you unsure about your feelings?  Ask yourself WHY you are having a hard time deciding whether or not to keep a sweater.  What is getting in the way?  Was it a gift?  Was it expensive?  Did it used to be your favorite?  Take the time to reflect on the "why".  You can journal or talk it out with a friend, too.  

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Step 5:  Fold & Store
Have you tried folding and storing your sweaters vertically?  It makes it easier to see them all at once, and it reduces wrinkles! 

Click here for a great thirty-second youtube video that demonstrates how to fold using the KonMari Method.  The video was created by KonMari Consultant Ann Dooley of Simple Joy with Ann.

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Step 6:  Gratitude
Donate those sweaters that no longer support you today.  Be grateful for the support they have you in the past.  

Great job!  You have just finished your first tidying session!  Now, pick a sweater and enjoy the rest of this fall day.  :)
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