Purging the Empty Nest

I just stumbled on the new hot show on Netflix, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. Marie is an expert on organizing and the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. In the show, Marie (who is Japanese and uses an interpreter) visits American homes and helps the occupants purge and prioritize their spaces. She is truly remarkable, and is really more of a therapist than an organizer.

Her respect for the people she works with, and for their homes, seems sincere and her positive enthusiasm no doubt is what truly motivates her clients.

I'd love to pick her brain for an hour or two and ask her about purging two decades of my children's art work, report cards, Mother's Day cards, and other sentimental items. Kondo says you should keep items that "spark joy" and let go of all the rest. But that's easier said than done.

What kind of mother throws out pictures of her kids? Even bad pictures. Is there a special place in hell for those moms? Playing with fate, that's what it would feel like to me. Same for report cards, love notes, and sweet little drawings.

Purging my soon-to-be empty nest is on the horizon, but for now I think I'll watch Kondo and try to glean a few good ideas from her show. I suspect I won't be able to completely embrace her approach. At least, not now. I'm not ready.