Tidying Up with Marie Kondo – Episode 4 Review

People keep talking about Marie Kondo’s Netflix series Tidying Up. In Episode 4 Margie Hodges, who has recently lost her husband, meets Marie. If you haven’t seen any of the episodes, I encourage you to watch. There is much to learn from watching someone else go through the process.

Organizing After a Loss

Nine months have passed since Margie has lost her dear husband Rick and she feels that it is time to start a new chapter in her life. Marie says “by tidying you can sometimes ease the pain of the past or even start thinking about your future in a more positive way.” 

As she always does, Marie has her start with decluttering clothing, letting her know that she can save Rick’s things for later. But Margie has prepped herself to deal with it and insists on sorting his clothes before moving on to another area. I admire Margie’s courage and sympathize with her as she says goodbye to his clothing which is such a tangible reminder of his presence. With lots of tears, Margie can pick out her favorite items of Rick’s and lets go of the rest. Afterward, she says it was harder than she thought it would be, but that she was proud of herself and believes Rick would have been proud of her too.

Sorting Photos and Memories

A couple of weeks later, Margie must face a catch-all spare bedroom where all things “I can’t make a decision about this” have gone to live. During their time together in this room, Marie gives Margie some good advice. She says, “instead of focusing on what you want to eliminate, focus on what you want to keep.” This is especially helpful if you are getting stuck or shutting down when working on an organizing project. I agree with Marie’s advice about sorting photos. You can sort chronologically or also by category, whichever is easier for you. 

If you choose to sort chronologically, start with sorting by decade and then go back one category at a time and break it down further. As she continues to make her way through the piles of memories and stuff, Margie says that the baby-steps of sorting through easier things like books and miscellaneous items have prepared her for the photos and memories. That’s why we tackle memories and photos last—they are definitely the most difficult!

In the end, Margie says that she thought the process was very therapeutic. She called the experience a rebirth because she was able to relive so many memories and make room for many more to come. I’m excited about what lies ahead in her future, aren’t you?

Overall I thought this was a great episode and showed a unique perspective that organizers face from time to time. What an opportunity we have to walk shoulder to shoulder with those who have suffered a loss and help them work through the physical “stuff” when they are ready.