Question
I recently received a DM on Instagram from a follower that said:
“I’m in the process of KonMari […] and I have so much guilt thinking about where it is going/being green. I’ve done a lot of research but even then you’ll find people who say the companies still end up putting stuff in landfills and whatnot. The thought of piles and piles of things in a landfill from people doing konmari makes my head spin!”
Response
This was my response:
I personally care about the environment a lot. So I can totally relate to your feelings and your concerns! I’m doing my best to minimize my waste, living more sustainably, shop mindfully, etc. I understand your concerns about not being able to trust (certain) organizations. I’ve been down the exact rabbit hole you described.
Do Your Research
My suggestion is to do your research about the organizations you’re considering donating to. Seek out charities, churches, homeless shelters and the like, who’re transparent about what happens with the things they receive. Speak with the people in charge and trust your gut. That’s the best thing you can do and I believe that if you’re being this thorough, you can be (almost) certain that your donations are used the way they are supposed to be used. Yet there is never a guarantee what happens with something once it’s out of your hands.
Mindset Change
Also, I think that going through the KonMari process 100% helps people change their mindset for the better. That is, going forward they shop more mindfully, less overall, and so on. So that means that in the long run, LESS waste is being produced because it’s all about changing one’s mindset. And NOT about throwing out all the things (as so many falsely assume when they think about the method).
Each and every one of my clients who has finished going through their entire belongings have changed their approach to shopping and consumption considerably. They all shop less and with more thought if something is actually needed and brings them joy. And I think that’s an important takeaway.
Forget The Past – Presence & Future Count
You can’t change the actions and choices you made in the past, but you can do better going forward. The things people decide to remove from their homes already exist in this world. There’s not really more waste created; it just changes location. Sooner or later it would make this location change (the question is how AND if it’s done in a way that makes an impact on your future spending).
And of course, I encourage everyone to donate and recycle mindfully. Making a drastic change can help “wake you up”. It will help you live a more conscious life with less consumption and less waste creation in the long run.
(also, check out this article on the topic)
What are your thoughts on this?
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