Get Rid of Old Technology: Konmari Your Electronics

When was the last time you did an inventory of all the technology and electronic devices you have scattered all over your home, car, office, garage, and/or storage unit? I bet it's been a while and that you have a lot more than you think you do. Now, this process can get a bit overwhelming, so Marie Kondo in her book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" suggests that you sort CDs and DVDs first before sorting all the other electronics in your house.

When I started this process, I thought, this will be easy. After all, I recently helped my parents move out of their house and into a wonderful assisted living center. Part of this process including sorting through a lot of old technology and getting rid of everything they no longer needed.  So, when I did my own electronics inventory as part of "Konmari-ing" my RV, I was actually shocked that I still had electronics that "didn't spark joy" or "that I didn't use anymore".

One thing I learned about myself is that I kept a lot of "stuff" in storage because I was afraid. "What if I need it someday?" was the question I kept asking. Well, since most of the things I was keeping, like mystery chargers and cords, actually don't cost that much, the answer to that question is "You buy it when you discover you need it."  Before you get too freaked out by that thought, read through the rest of this post to see why it is unlikely you will ever really need to buy something you decide to throw away or donate.

So, where should you start if you want to minimize your electronics?

First:  Gather ALL of Your Technology and Electronics

Pick the place where you will put all your electrical and technological stuff. If you don't have much this can be a large table. If you have A LOT, you might want to throw an old sheet on the floor. Now, this may take some time. When I first started, I thought I had everything, then I remembered I had some things in my glove box in the car and in a plastic box under my bed. Don't forget to check outlets for those random cords and chargers.

Second: Arrange Electronics by Category

• cords, cables, chargers, batteries
• remote controls
• phones, smartphones
• computers, tablets, e-readers
• printers, ink cartridges
• cameras and camera equipment
• gaming systems and accessories
• home theatre (if it is too much trouble to remove speakers from walls, leave them there)
• wireless internet and home network equipment
• memory sticks, SD cards, photo disks, other data disks
• empty CD and DVD cases, unused DVD-RW and CD-RW disks
• Other categories based on your hobbies or work

Third:  Keep what you love!

I know, not every electrical cord sparks joy, but the laptop it plugs into does. Now, this is where the Konmari method really shines. Unlike other cleaning and organizing tips that have you clean one room at a time, the Konmari method has you clean by category. Now is the time to throw away all those mystery cords, cables, and chargers.  Take each one and try it on every piece of electrical equipment you have. If it doesn't fit in any of them, LET IT GO!  Donate it, sell it, or more than likely, throw it away. You no longer need to worry, "What if I need it?" You just proved the mystery cord you've been hanging on to actually doesn't go with anything you own.  

The trick with the Konmari method is to sort as quickly as possible. So, put those sentimental things (your first childhood gaming console) or things you need to review (SD cards and memory sticks) in a TECH PENDING BOX.  Set aside old laptops, tablets, and other devices if you need to transfer their data to a new device. This helps you not to get stuck or too overwhelmed. When I had time in the evenings, I took the box and my laptop and reviewed all my old data disks and transferred old files that I needed onto my current PC. (I even threw in two watches that needed new batteries so I would remember to do that.)

Fourth: Donate, Recycle, Sell or Throw Away

This is the stage where I used to quit and put everything back in a box. Hearing on the news that someone will use my old equipment to steal my identity made me AFRAID. This fear made me hang on to every broken old phone, PC and tablet. So, what's a person to do? Research, that's what! Get online and learn how to wipe the data off of your old computers, tablets, and smartphones. Find a reputable store that accepts donations of old equipment or that will allow you to trade it in for credit toward something new. Talk to a friend or relative who knows a lot about technology and ask for their help. Don't let fear cause you to hang on to things that no longer bring you joy or serve your current needs.  If you need help getting started, Consumer Reports has an article with tips for recycling old equipment.

While I didn't have much to get rid of, I did find I had a few game CDs not compatible with my current PC, some CD-RW with only 700MB of space, a camera that takes lower quality photos than my iPhone and some old iPhone cords. Oh, I also have some old equipment I want to get repaired. If I don't get it repaired by Valentine's Day, then I am wiping the hard drives and recycling them at a local Best Buy. 

Fifth: Store Your Electronics Together So You Can See Everything

Marie Kondo's Konmari method stresses that to keep things tidy, you need to store things so you can see them easily.  I picked a different storage method for each category. For example, my cables and chargers are either in a bright green net bag in my purse, in labeled ziplock bags in my newly defined "tech drawer" or the ziplock bags are taped to the device they go with. I stored "only used sometimes" devices like my DVD burner and large external hard drive in a large plastic bin. Then, I typed an inventory of the bin's contents and taped this to the inside of the bin. That way when the bin is stored in my basement with all the other bins, I can find what I need easily.

Lastly, Celebrate Your New Tidiness!

You worked hard to sort out your electronics. You may have felt overwhelmed and tired at times in the process. You made hard decisions to let go of some things. You dealt with feelings of guilt when you realized how much you spent on things you never used.  Now, that the work is finished, take time to celebrate how your new tidy space is helping to support the life you want to live now. Diffuse a favorite therapeutic essential oil. Grab a cookie and a cup of coffee or maybe a glass of wine. Be proud of your hard work.  You deserve to celebrate.

Have you used the Konari method to tidy your electronics? Do you have any tips for newbies? Share these in the comments section below. We all love learning from each other.