If you’ve been watching “Tidying Up” on Netflix, you know that Marie Kondo is the guru of decluttering and organizing the home. In this series, Kondo comes into a person’s home and gives them tips for how to tidy up the 5 areas of their home:
- Clothing
- Books
- Papers
- Komono (miscellaneous items)
- Sentimental items
Over the course of 30 days, Kondo checks in on her “students” to see how they’re doing and to give them guidance. With all the magic of TV editing, these people transform their homes in a month, getting rid of old baggage and clutter and giving their homes a new life.
The show is so addictive — try not to watch it without wanting to organize something. But more than that, it got us thinking… If items in your home can “spark joy” as Kondo puts it, can your finances?
Financial Clutter (emotional and physical)
Most of us don’t think of finances as being a source of joy. Sure, your finances can buy you a few cool things and afford you a lifestyle that makes you happy… but does each component of your financial life spark joy? Probably not. We’re also betting that you have financial “junk drawers” — the kind where you stuff the old insurance paperwork, banking account statements, and miscellaneous paperwork.
On top of the physical component of your finances, there’s also the emotional aspect: Do you feel secure in your finances? Do you think you’re spending or saving money in line with your values? What can you do with your money that would really spark joy?
All of these aspects of your finances can be taken off the proverbial shelf and analyzed from time to time, making sure that you really still want to keep them — both the physical things as well as the emotions.
The Five Areas of Financial Clutter
To help you declutter your physical and emotional space surrounding money — and to have a little fun — we’re going to be kickstarting our “Spark Joy” series, which will help you declutter the five areas of your finances:
- Your budget
- Your paperwork
- Your accounts
- Your savings goals
- Your “bucket list”
We’ll be sharing some fun, actionable tips to help you address the paperwork and planning it takes to find joy in your finances, as well as talk about mindset and values. Our hope is that, over the course of the next few weeks, you’ll feel lighter and less weighed down by your worries surrounding money… and that you’ll realize you have so many ways to spark joy.
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