This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Goodwill of North Georgia. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up is a #1 New York Times Best Selling book and has proven to be very effective.  Marie Kondo’s method, also know as KonMari, has redefined what it means to clean and organize.

There is no better time than now to clean your home and donate your unwanted items to Goodwill of North Georgia before the New Year!

After reading the book twice I began the process of transforming my home into a space that I felt welcomed and most happiest.  Though you will find lots of helpful tips and detailed instructions inside the book, these 10 secrets I found to be most beneficial to my success.  Use these tips along with the actual book to reap the full rewards of the KonMari method.

Secret #1

“Keep only those things that speak to your heart.  Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.” page 42

To choose what to keep and what to let go, you must ask yourself if it brings you joy?  You must let go of everything else after expressing gratitude for the purpose it has served.

Secret #2

“Start with clothes, then move on to books, papers, kimono (miscellany), and finally things with sentimental value.”page 65

There is an order to the KonMari method.  Start with the easiest categories first to build up to the more difficult to let go items. If you start trying to sort things like trophies, birthday cards, or travel souvenirs too early you will get stuck.  Get practice letting go of items that have no sentimental value first like clothing and makeup.

Secret #3

“..always think in terms of category, not place.” page 43

Declutter by category instead of by room.  This will allow you to tackle things much faster.  Collect all the items in a category and bring it to one place in your home to sort and declutter.  Be sure to gather everything in that category from all areas of your home even if it’s in storage.

Secret #4

“Pursue ultimate simplicity in storage.” page 137

Use shoe boxes and jewelry boxes you already have in your home.  I was surprised to find that I had all the storage I needed in my home.  Jewelry boxes are great for sorting small things and my shoe boxes fits in my draws to keep my clothing contained.

Secret #5

“Every piece of clothing has its own “sweet spot” where it feels just right.” page 76

There is a technique to folding the KonMari method.  You should fold as many clothing items as you can.  The only thing that belongs on a hanger are clothing that looks better hung such as a flared dress, work suits, jackets and coats.

Secret #6

“Clutter is caused by a failure to put things where they belong.” page 142

Everything has a place and belongs in it.  After you declutter you must find a place for every item you own, including the lipstick in your purse.  The lipstick should have a specified place it belongs and should be returned to this space at the end of every day.  This may sound tedious but I’ve tried it and it works.  I empty my purse at the end of the day and place the items back in its place.  I no longer keep a junky purse.

Secret #7

“The best way to store (..) bags is to make sets according to the material, size, and frequency of use and to store them one inside the other, like nested boxes.”  page 152

Storing bags inside bags? Duh! Why didn’t I think of this?  All of your purses, after you remove the ones that no longer brings you joy, can be stored inside other bags. You will need less space for your purses.

Secret #8

“The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.” page 183

Resist the urge to decorate or purchase items until after every thing is decluttered.   It’s important to stay on task while decluttering and not be tempted to add to your space.  Though it may seem like a good idea to start  rearranging furniture once you declutter a room, its not! It will only take you longer to finish and may even delay the declutter process indefinitely.

Secret #9

“When you donate, you do so for the sake of the giver”. page 108

Donate all items to a charity like Goodwill.  I had so many items that no longer brought me joy, including things that were gifted to me.    By giving you gain so much more.  Goodwill is one organization that takes all the proceeds from donations and turns them into jobs in the community.  This year alone Goodwill will help 20,000 people in North Georgia find jobs and I’m happy to contribute.  Goodwill is celebrating 90 years of putting people to work in North Georgia. Happy 90th birthday Goodwill!

Secret #10

“The secret to success is to tidy in one shot, as quickly and completely as possible…” Page 35

It will take a few months to thoroughly declutter and organize all of your possessions.  This isn’t long considering the amount of time you’ve already wasted in the attempts to declutter over the years.  The KonMari method, when executed correctly, promises that you will never need to declutter again once you’ve experienced the freedom of living clutter free.