Who’d have thunk it?!

Ello ello! Grace here.

I hope you all had lovely weekends. I’ve had the best one in a while actually! Certainly the best weekend since this pandemic has shut us all indoors anyway.

It was the first time that I’ve just accepted the circumstances, didn’t feel anxious about it all and wasn’t sad not to be outdoors. We decided to get productive (outside of work).

Now I know this isn’t related to Clarity, crafting or selling our products… but I think you’ve likely figured out that that is not my Mums, nor my M.O. That’s not what we’re about at Clarity. Particularly not right now. Mum and I talk almost everyday, and if you hadn’t noticed already, our priority is keeping everyone as happy and sane as possible. Through doodling and facebook live, through extra blogs, through sharing artwork, through more online contact since we can’t have in person contact etc etc. And it’s all working! We think 🙂

So, when we come across something wonderful, craft related or not, we want to share it with you. I finally watched a tv show over the weekend that I can say has CHANGED MY LIFE, and reinvigoured me. And I highly recommend it to each and every single person I know.

Have you ever heard of this woman?

Her name is Marie Kondo. And she has a series on Netflix about tidying and organizing. I know… Ugh. Yeah right! I’ve known about this show since it aired January 2019 and people started raving about it then, but I’ve been putting it off myself, because I’ve always had something better to do. But guess what? We have to stay indoors now, so why not make indoors the most zen and gorgeous it’s ever been.

I honestly got 5 minutes in to the show, hit pause and got to work immediately! I was so quickly inspired. And then continued to watch episodes throughout the weekend, on breaks. Threw on some Bill Withers (R.I.P!), Beyonce and Amy Winehouse (also R.I.P) and got to ‘work’. I have never in my life enjoyed tidying and organizing so much! WHO AM I?!

I’m having a hard time even writing this ‘ere blog, because all I want to do is dive in to the nearest draw and MARIE KONDO THE CRAP OUT OF IT.

We woke up this morning feeling so much lighter, more relaxed and SO ready to take on the week. And I immediately want everyone I know to feel the same way, of course.

As you know, I’m a mindful person. And Marie Kondo makes the process of tidying mindful. You start with clothes, and dump EVERY item of clothing from your home in a pile on your bed. Now, this might be a huge pile. The point is to realize how much you have in excess. Next step: pick up each item one at a time, and if it ‘sparks joy’ within you, you keep it. If it doesn’t, you thank it for all it’s given you, and put it in a giveaway or rubbish pile.

AND THEN, once you’ve got your piles… you fold each item you’ve decided to keep, in a particular Marie Kondo way. And your drawers should look like this…

I would have bet against myself, if you’d told me in January that my drawers would look like this!!

Saturday we did Marks clothes. Sunday we did my clothes. And then my make up, then the entire bathroom and then the bedside tables. And BOY! I can’t describe how fulfilling it is.

I wonder how much more enjoyable this pandemic will be if we purge what we don’t need. It’s all about what you want to ‘take with you into your future’. And if there was ever a time to do it, it’s now!

And can you imagine how much more enjoyable your crafting will be, once you get to Marie Kondo’ing your craft rooms/areas?

Each episode is wonderful thus far, covering all situations. From a family trying to declutter after downsizing to a much smaller home, to a couple that have been married and accumulating ‘family stuff’ for 40+ years, to a widow trying to respectfully and sensitively clear her home and move forward with her house and life. I highly highly recommend it.

Between that and doodling, you’ll be more zen than ever before 😉

Stay safe!

Lotsa Love, Grace xoxo

Clarity – The Home of Art, Craft and Well-being.

14 thoughts on “Who’d have thunk it?!

  • 7th April 2020 at 10:43 am
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    Hi Grace,

    Really enjoying the doodles, your Mum is great.
    We have been de-cluttering and tidying for weeks – but with the charity shops closed there is nowhere to store the stuff until they re-open. We also have a skip outside for the rubbish. It has been hard work but well worth it as the house is looking more like a home.
    Stay well 🍒

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    • 7th April 2020 at 6:31 pm
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      Hi Cherry,
      I work for a Hospice and would plead with you to keep your donatable goods somewhere safe if at all possible . They are going to need your donations once they reopen.
      Thanks
      Lisa x

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  • 7th April 2020 at 2:53 pm
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    well my granddaughter had a shock when she went in my wardrobe to find clothes for me when i was in hospital when i fell down stairs last October and fractured my ankle , it was and still is chockablock really no room for more . she didn’t half complain xx

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  • 7th April 2020 at 2:58 pm
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    I dare not do this to my craft room! Instead I ve been sorting out craft packages to send to my friends to spread the joy! Stay safe on NYC xx

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  • 7th April 2020 at 3:01 pm
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    I love Marie Kondo, as you say it’s such a lovely feeling when you follow her set rules, and only keep what sparks Joy ❤️…..two weeks ago I did my wardrobes, threw everything on the bed and went through each item one at a time…it was so liberating….
    Xx

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  • 7th April 2020 at 3:01 pm
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    My daughter gave me a book to read of Marie Kondo’s decluttering a year and more ago. I did start to declutter at that time, well at least the wardrobe. Must start again when the charity shops open. Must admit I find it so hard to get rid of clothes I love but no longer fit into.

    Meant to thank you for my competition prize of the Waimea falls designer pad, I was so shocked when I received an email from Jeannine. I never win anything and had forgotten the competition. Thank you so much Grace.xxx

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  • 7th April 2020 at 3:18 pm
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    Love your tidy drawers, mine are tidy but probably a bit cluttered but for now they can stay as they are until I have somewhere to send the unwanted stuff. Now my craft room is a different story but I am trying to finish the unfinished projects I have found whilst tidying up so that I now have a nice pile of cards & some artwork to show for that. Starting the day with a doodle session is a great boost to facing what the day has to bring. With so many projects on the go the days are blending in to one another & flying by. Just going into my 4th week of isolation but I am lucky to have a husband who loves cooking so things are not so bad x

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  • 7th April 2020 at 3:36 pm
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    Great Blog post ….but ……who are you ? and what have you done with Grace ? ! ? xx
    Seriously though, I love the line. ‘What do want to take into your future?’ There has never been a more appropriate or better time for change, IMO. Keep doing what you are doing Grace xx

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    • 7th April 2020 at 6:26 pm
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      I love Marie Kondo. I read her book over 3 years ago just before we moved house, it was so amazingly helpful and when I saw her series on Netflix I was so excited. We might as well use this time productively as possible, see it as a blessing not a curse. Its hugely satisfying to have a good clear out, I felt lighter as a whole without loads of crap that I didn’t realise was weighing me down. Well done xx

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  • 7th April 2020 at 4:49 pm
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    I need to do this with my clothes and hubbie’s clothes too. There just seems to be no room in my drawers just now. I have been Tidying my craft stuff and have ordered a couple of new boxes to store it in so it is more organised. Don’t think I can purge too much as I love most of the craft stuff I have, but being organised in boxes makes it easier to tidy away once I have finished up. In the last few days I am feeling much calmer than I was last week, as I think the daily doodles are defo helping, so much so, I am actually sewing and finish off a Harry Potter quilt which was meant to be done for Christmas, but I was too stressed to do it.
    Stay safe xx

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  • 7th April 2020 at 6:30 pm
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    Great blog, Grace. I’m slowly going through everything I own. Started with my craft stash, particularly my offcut drawers, which dare I say took at least 15 hours over the course of a week to turn into hundreds of die cuts which will over time find themselves either into projects, or more likely into happy mail packages.

    The kitchen is next on my list, then bathroom, then bedroom. Eeek!

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  • 7th April 2020 at 7:32 pm
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    Thanks for the blog and reminder about she who declutters ! I know the programme is there but haven’t watched yet but am now inspired to. However, how can I fit it in between the doodling, ironing, doodling, sitting the garden reading, doodling, Easter card and jigsaw, to forgetting doodling of course ! I’m scared to watch with hubby but it would do him good to in the garage and there are so man clothes that no longer fit him that I could start my own shop as well as donate to the charity shop ! Thanks for a peek in your drawers. How long I can keep folding up for I don’t know but we can try ! X

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  • 7th April 2020 at 8:25 pm
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    After a week of sorting all my papers and filing them logically, also marking all items I’ve left people in my Will (just in case!!) I don’t dare put all of my clothes on my bed -I wouldn’t have anywhere to sleep for at least a fortnight!!! I’d never heard of Marie Kondo and don’t get Netflix but will google her and see if I can get anything from what I find. I’m pretty much a neat freak anyway, so most of my clothes drawers always look much like yours -they just need a bit of a clear-out as they are getting too full, but, like others, leaving it until charity shops are open again. Thanks for the blogs and sharing your life.

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  • 8th April 2020 at 3:23 pm
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    Love your drawers, if you’ll pardon my cheek! Happy to go through my clothes again but never my crafty stash! Stay safe, Grace x

    Reply

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