Readers who have tried both the Konmari and the Spacious “slow drip” methods weigh in on their experiences…
“I decided to try the commando method of organizing briefly. Your book had made profound, actually life-altering, changes in my mindset; my psychological/emotional- and financial-worlds are deeply indebted. But I thought I’d try the KM way to make faster progress in my physical world… In a way it felt like forcing myself to give up items I didn’t want to give up, which was very stress-inducing, not the home feel I am going for! … I remain highly successful as a devotee of yours for my internal space, and my outer space is a really comfy, peaceful work in progress!” –M.B.
“This is the second best book about decluttering that exists – the best being Marie Kondo’s “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying up”. But Marie Kondo’s book is all simple practicality. This one is about that more elusive decluttering project, of focusing brain and feeling and getting at root causes of not just clutter but dissatifaction, delusion and distress. An easy task? No, but nothing is more worth doing.” –Elizabeth, Goodreads
“I received [Marie Kondo’s] book in e-form for a book review, and while I enjoyed it, your approach is the one that meshed with me. I realize you’re not plumbing for compliments, but it’s true. Marie was too radical for me, and you use a tender way of clearing. Much better in my state of mind. I think her immaturity was showing just a bit.” –M.G.
“Loved [Konmari’s] method because it got rid of the stuff I did not need. However, I am looking back at the categories and find that I need to go through it again. Now that I can ‘see’ my favorite stuff I am finding that they are either torn, stained, falling apart. Not so favorites anymore. Without the Konmari Method I would have been lost. Now is the time for your method [where] I can be gentler with my possessions and really ‘look’ at them. Your method is the clean-up I need. A slower, gentler more mindful method.” –D.J.
“That book [The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up], while interesting, made me laugh. The approach just did not work for me. It would take me half the day and all my energy to take out every shirt I own, summer and winter, at which point I would have run out of room to sort and discard, and probably start to cry. [Your Spacious Self] just resonated with me. I actually read the whole process first, and will now go back and start over, doing the exercises and keeping the journal. I think I now understand my procrastination tendencies and this will help me break thru. As the daughter of an extreme hoarder, I am frightened to death to leave the same kind of mess for my children when I am gone. I refuse to. But so much of it is emotional, and I never tried to address that side of it before. I am excited for the journey!”–Amazon Reviewer
“I just read the Konmari method and really loved it. It was a Wow factor for me that told me I was on the right track. After I finished and 4 huge garbage bags later, I felt such a release. However A Year to Clear is slowing me down which I recognized that I needed to do after tidying my clothes. Shifting between both these methods feels right for me. I am a hospice chaplain and I see what a burden leaving behind “stuff” can cause. I am determined to leave a tidy house.” –B.T.
“I, for one was paying attention to what happened with Marie Kondo’s book because I only took it out of the library, read a few pages on folding my jeans and then promptly returned it. To my way of thinking, your books (and yes, they are too different to even compare) have stayed with me, are re-read and have multi-faceted writing and suggestions. There are no absolutes…. maybe I just think your approach is more lasting, more empathetic and more of what is disappearing from the culture.” –H.S.
“I guess I am a slow drip girl all the way. I have been faced with many major house repairs this summer (like re-piping) in which I have had to deal with my stuff. When feeling overwhelmed I just remember you talking about stopping, breathing, noticing the “weather” of what’s passing through me and shifting some energy by doing one thing. Sometimes I would try your idea of sweeping or just doing one pile of stuff or papers and it is amazing to me how clearing one thing really does shift the energy! I have started to stop and honor that feeling, to savor it. While I guess with this way there isn’t the full-on rush of seeing everything cleared, cleaned and organized all at once, that option seems only doable if you can wave the magic wand and voila! it’s done. Thanks so much for your depth approach to clearing and living.” –R.W.
“I am on day 139 and I am reaping the benefits of [Your Spacious Self]. Space is happening on the inside and outside… It is a wonderful process to discover how [when] I relate to things and release some of that grief from my being, then the sorting and tidying begins to flow. I really see a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for your slow drip. –M.B.
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