Designed by decluttering specialist Marie Kondo, the KonMari Method of organization encourages people to embrace a minimalist approach to life and only hold on to personal belongings that spark joy. Tidying up with this philosophy helps people hit reset on their lives, ensuring their homes and hearts remain clutter-free. This approach has received a ton of appreciation worldwide for its focus on mindfulness, introspection, and positive thinking for the future.
Tidying up using the KonMari Method
Kondo believes that the KonMari Method is a strong tool to introduce in one’s life to keep clutter away, but it is not the destination. Instead of acting as a one-time exercise, this technique requires dedication and commitment to bring in a major transformation to one’s personal space.
To make it simpler to understand and practice, the KonMari Method has six governing principles.
6 basic rules of tidying
Rule 1: Commit to tidying up
To begin with, one needs to commit themselves to the experience of tidying up. Instead of approaching this as a once-in-a-while cleaning tactic, make it a way of life. Making tidying up an intentional part of one’s life can help ensure one remains motivated and resolute to achieve their ideal lifestyle.
Rule 2: Imagine one’s ideal lifestyle
This method is not designed to be a last-minute cleaning solution that impresses visitors and guests. Rather, it requires careful planning and conviction to change one’s life for the better.
Start by thinking about the kind of house one wants to live in. Use any creative medium here – break out the paints, scribble them on paper, create a vision board online, or cut out inspirational photos from magazines and newspapers.
This is also a good time to outline the reason behind tidying up, as it will continue to motivate one to stick to their plans.
Rule 3: Finish discarding first
Donating, discarding, and throwing away personal belongings can be an emotional experience for many. When relying on the KonMari Method of tidying up, remember to focus on things that one wants to keep around. These are the items one cherishes and those that spark joy in their life. Let the others go with gratitude for their service.
While discarding is not the focus of the KonMari Method, it is a crucial part of the process because it offers individuals the opportunity to learn from their experiences. For instance, giving away an item one has never used before can teach them that objects of that type do not have any purpose in their lives. This learning can be used to guide future purchases so one can be more mindful of their consumption patterns.
Starting the cleaning process with discarding also gives one a reasonable idea about how much needs to be stored, and how to go about it in the most efficient way.
Rule 4: Tidy by category, not by location
When tidying up, most people tend to clean by location – a shelf, a wardrobe, a drawer, or a room. While this may seem instinctual, it is quite repetitive, as people store the same type of articles in multiple locations.
Instead, the KonMari Method recommends tidying up by category. Start with larger (and often easier) categories like clothes, and then move to others like books, papers, and miscellaneous items. Leave sentimental items for the end.
Rule 5: Follow the right order
Following the above-mentioned order is an important part of the KonMari Method of tidying up. This is because individuals end up honing their decision-making skills throughout this process, so it becomes easier to decide what to keep and what to say goodbye to.
Marie Kondo has also devised a special guide on folding clothes and sorting items to tidy up wardrobes efficiently. The KonMari folding technique can be used for folding just about everything, from socks to heavy sweaters. While the full guide for folding each article can be found on her website, there’s one important rule to stowing everything away to maximize space – stand everything upright, rather than horizontally or flat in drawers.
Small items like socks and underwear are best stored in small bins for easy access and containment.
Rule 6: Ask if it sparks joy
Finally, remember that this method is all about keeping items that spark joy. While other cleaning methods focus on the utility of items, the KonMari Method relies heavily on the feelings that one’s belongings evoke. With every object one picks up, ask “Does this spark joy?”, and pay close attention to how the body responds. Since the feeling of joy is incredibly personal, this decision can vary greatly from person to person. Take a slow and mindful approach to this process to understand what one truly loves, and what is cluttering up their life.
If all of this sounds too overwhelming, remember, the more one follows the KonMari organization tips, the easier it becomes. To get started with decluttering the KonMari way, one can begin by creating a short home organization checklist (or using one of the templates offered by Marie Kondo). Sticking to this framework and making decluttering a way of one’s life can be instrumental in treading the path to minimalist living and keeping even the smallest of spaces clean, fresh, and happy.