Tidying up a Home using the KonMari, Marie Kondo, Method
The KonMari Method is Marie Kondo’s minimalism-inspired approach to tackling tidying a home, or space, category-by-category rather than room-by-room.
There are six basic rules to get started:
- Commit to tidying up.
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
- Finish discarding first. Before getting rid of items, sincerely thank each item for serving its purpose.
- Tidy by category, not location.
- Follow the right order.
- Ask yourself if it sparks joy.
The five categories for tidying up are:
- Clothes
- Books
- Papers
- Komono (a.k.a. Miscellaneous Items)
- Sentimental Items
While many people associate her method with tidying, it’s really about discarding items that lack value. You start by removing all the clothes out of your wardrobe and drawers (category one) and sorting them out, all the books off your shelves (category two) and sorting them out, all the paperwork out of your desk, again sorting it out, then items and objects, and finally, sentimental items. Once you have a big pile in each category, you’re to go item-by-item and consider if it sparks joy.
It is important to follow the tidying up method one category at a time, and never tidy up other people’s possessions. You have no idea what objects spark joy in another person.
The Skippy household is busy, with 6 people living there and everyone having their own interests. One additional piece of guidance we follow, that isn’t part of the Marie Kondo tidying method, is to remove items that haven’t been used for over a year. If you haven’t used it, you therefore don’t need it. And if you find you do, it is always easier to find another one.
Once you’ve discarded items in every category, either by throwing them away, selling them, or donating to charity, you should have a much smaller set of remaining items that you can return to various places around the home.
Because you’re actively choosing items that spark joy, and discarding what doesn’t, the intention of the KonMari method is to end up with a clutter-free home that is better able to bring more joy and prosperity to your life. While tidying, you are encouraged to visualize the life you want to live — to be less stressed, for example — and what you need to get there. Anything that won’t help on that journey isn’t deserving of your space.
How you Fold and Store Clothes is Important too
Leaving clothes in a stacked pile, no matter how neat, makes them hard to reach and even harder to see. Instead, stand clothes upright to help you stay true to Kondo’s idea of appreciating items through touch and use.
You can even sort them by colours – darker clothes on the left transitioning into lighter clothes on the right. This gives a satisfying look to any draw or wardrobe.
And as for the folding technique – if you embrace it your clothes will look even better! Rather then explain the details of the greatest folding technique in the world, check out this link to see how Marie Kondo does it herself.
And then you can Clean
Take your time and concentrate when tidying up. If it is the first time you have followed the Method, it can be quite daunting and may take a few days to finish tidying each category. Don’t lose motivation and keep at it. You will get there, I promise. And once its over you will feel a whole weight release from your shoulders knowing you now live in a place surrounded by items you love.
Once you have tidied up, it becomes much easier to clean rooms and areas. This is made even better knowing you are presenting and owning items in your home that mean something to you. Check out our cleaning section of the website for some handy guides and techniques to keeping your home nice and clean.