Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” has become a cultural sensation. The book focuses on Kondo’s unique approach, the KonMari Method, for thoroughly decluttering a home or office.
The KonMari Method promotes discarding belongings that are no longer useful or do not “spark joy” while retaining items that bring purpose and significance. Instead of pursuing minimalism by having fewer possessions overall, Marie Kondo’s philosophy focuses on keeping only those truly cherished items.
It employs a distinct selection method – selecting only what brings you joy! Rather than deciding what to throw away, you focus on retaining only the things that resonate with your heart. Grip each item and question whether you cherish it or if it ignites joy within you.
In summary, the process of “organizing” consists of two fundamental steps:
1. determining what to retain and what to throw away
2. figuring out where to store the items you decide to keep
The Konmari method starts with clothes and ends with sentimental items. It involves organizing garments by type—tops, bottoms, jackets, and socks. Kondo highlights the importance of folding clothes into compact rectangles to stand upright, saving space and remaining accessible. This structured approach builds momentum, ensuring you complete each category before moving on to the next.
The focus should be on choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.
The Six Steps of Tidying:
1. Dedicate yourself to the process of tidying.
2. Envision your ideal lifestyle.
3. Complete the discarding process first.
4. Tidy by category rather than by location – instead of declaring, “I’ll tidy the bedroom today!” she would say, “I’m going to organize my clothing today!”
5. Adhere to the appropriate sequence – since parting with items can be challenging, begin with items that are typically easier to let go of, progressing to those with sentimental value. The order is Clothes > Books > Paper > Komono (miscellaneous items) > Sentimental items.
6. Consider whether it brings you joy.
A few additional steps to take:
- Clearing out your entire environment simultaneously reduces the chances of slipping back into old clutter habits.
- Avoid Focusing on Storage—Kondo generally does not advocate for storage solutions. “Storing items away gives the false impression that the clutter issue has been resolved.”
- The emphasis should be on deciding what we wish to preserve rather than what we aim to eliminate.
There are various philosophies in circulation, such as the idea, “Get rid of anything you haven’t utilized in the last two years” or “For every new item you purchase, eliminate an older one.” However, Marie’s approach stands apart from these.
