January brings out all our best intentions. Goals are made, resolutions set, and the energy for doing “all the things” is infectious. One of the things people get into during this month is the idea of decluttering or restructuring their home. The beginning of a new year is a perfect time for a reset. In fact, I often reset my house, computer, and hobbies during December and January. A lot has been written about decluttering: different methods, pictures of pristine homes, and lots of personal discussion online. Recently, one decluttering method has reached center stage and everyone’s been talking about it.
I’m talking about Marie Kondo’s KonMarie Method, as described in The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up. Last year Netflix created a show of her methodology where she went into cluttered homes and helped owners sort and decide what to keep. Her process is almost too simplistic; and yet, it’s masterful in how it works. She describes it not as a series of rules, but a mind-set on creating order out of chaos. Yes, she has her own steps to sort, organize, and put things away, but it all boils down to one thing: “Does this item spark joy?”
This simple question has triggered many people in saying that she wants you to toss everything out. Which is further from the truth. Why am I mentioning this on a tarot blog, you may ask? There’s a few reasons. One, this method is almost spiritual in nature. It seeks to recognize the clutter and to thank the items for doing the work for the time it spent in your house. My friends know me as a minimalist, I like to keep “clutter” to a minimum because I am allergic to dust and cannot do some house work. So this notion of keeping only what works and sparks joy is perfect for me.
Two, in our small house, we have a limited amount of space. I collect and purchase a lot of decks. The KonMarie method helps me understand which tarot and oracle decks I truly love and will use, and which ones create anxiety or stress by just being there.
Several times a year I take an honest look at my tarot collection—- which I keep to a single long shelf on a bookcase —-and take stock of the remaining room. To be honest, I rarely have space to add all the decks I desire. It seems like at any given time I have about 10 decks on order (darn you kickstarter!). Which means I need to start asking those hard questions: “Which decks spark joy? Which add value to my client? Which ones are in constant use?” Decks which do not make the cut, for whatever reason, I’ll set aside in a bag to find them new homes.
Asking this question on a routine basis keeps my decks fresh and in alignment with my current style. It also helps cultivate a healthy collection where I have decks I enjoy using.
This year, in addition to rotating decks and looking for space, I’ll be taking stock of the decks I own. It’s been a goal of mine to have all my tarot and oracle decks listed on this site for perusal and mini-review.
Do you KonMarie your tarot/oracle collection? What are your collection habits? I’d love to know! Leave a comment below and let’s talk size, shape, and faves.
