The Marie Kondo Method
By now it’s hard to ignore Marie Kondo – with her new show on Netflix, over 2 million followers on Instagram, and author of the #1 New York Times best seller “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing”, she’s tidying the world one closet at a time. We decided to check out what she had to say, and here’s what we gleaned:
Organize by Category, Not by Room
This one may come as a shock because so many of us decide to go through the house one room at a time. It seems like a natural way to organize. But Kondo recommends going by category instead. This way, you won’t get distracted by other things, jumping around. For example, go through all the books in your house first (and then maybe call us to help you create a new custom bookshelf).
Respect Your Items
Before tidying, Kondo begins with a prayer, thanking the house for all it has provided for the family. As you go through each category (clothing, books, papers, miscellaneous items, and then sentimental items), you will be tossing out a lot. Before getting rid of it, though, you should thank it for its lifetime of service to you. Being mindful of your possessions will help you to feel more motivated to take good care of it and put it away after use. It will also help you to get rid of unnecessary clutter.
Make Everything Visible
Kondo’s tidying method, also known as the KonMari Method, ensures that everything is visible and easy to access. As she tells one couple in her show, you should quickly be able to identify what you have and the quantity in just a glance. Her method includes a special way to fold clothing, allowing you to stand it upright in a drawer so you can see everything at once. She loves to use boxes which allow you to better divide space in a customizable way. In your kitchen, group items of a similar size together – again, in boxes. This way they won’t get lost and you can easily find every tool that you have.
Ask if it Sparks Joy
This is the cornerstone to Marie Kondo’s method. By asking yourself if your possessions spark joy, you can be more mindful of what you keep and what you toss. Throughout the episodes in her Netflix show, her clients are instructed to touch each item separately, determine if it sparks joy within them, and then get rid of the items that do not. Although it may seem odd at first, the reasoning behind this is simple. After the decluttering is finished, you will be left with a home that is full of only objects that bring joy to your life. Kondo’s clients are often less stressed, happier, and have more purpose after they finish cleaning their homes.
If the KonMari fever has taken you over as well, we’d love to help you organize! After tackling your house category by category, if you feel you’d benefit from a new, customized pantry, more drawers in your closet, a bookshelf in your office, or all of the above, let us know! Kondo tends to favor drawers over hangers, and we specialize in building custom closets. We’re confident that we can design the perfect area for you to store all of your joy-sparking clothing.