The Konmari method®

What is the KonMari Method®?

Marie Kondo, founder of the KonMari Method®, created a system to help simplify and organize your home. The approach is to keep items that spark joy while discarding everything that doesn’t.

Basic Rules

1. Commit yourself to tidying up

   Decluttering your home is a process that takes time, effort, and energy. Marie Kondo recommends to do the tidy festival in one go instead of an extended period of time. This is because we want to avoid accumulating more items within that time frame. With the KonMari Method® you only have to complete the process once, and never have to do it again. Taking this time is an investment that will pay off in the long run. 

2. Imagine your ideal lifestyle 

   Have you ever been to someone’s home and felt a great energy? Do you sometimes look through house magazines and think that your home could never look like this? Think big with no restrictions. How would a perfect day in your life look? What would you like to achieve? What would your life look like without any obstacles? Get creative, and write it in a journal or take notes. 

3. Finish discarding first

   When we start organizing, it can be fun to think of different storage ideas and to get lost in the process. It is crucial to complete discarding first. Only when you know the amount of belongings that need to be stored, can you plan where to put your items. Any storage solutions during the tidy festival are temporary. This keeps you on track to move onto the next category. 

4. Tidy by category, not by location

   I have always liked to organize and was quite creative in storing items. At this time, little did I know that moving items from one place to another - even though it was neat and organized for a short time - would end up in clutter again. It is impossible to know what you own when different categories are spread out through your home. Focus on one category at a time and collect everything that fits into this group. This is essential in seeing exactly how much you have. 

5. Follow the right order

   The KonMari Method® recommends the following order:

   (1) Clothes

   (2) Books

   (3) Papers

   (4) Komono 

   (5) Sentimental items

   As mentioned before, it is important to be aware of the amount you have in one category. Seeing it in one spot is quite eye opening. It is important to stay focused during the process and not get side tracked by other categories. While you sort your clothes, you don’t want to end up looking at pictures and getting lost in memories. The process of going from the easiest category of “clothing” to the more difficult one “sentimental items” prepares you to determine what sparks joy vs. what doesn’t. This also makes you more confident with the decision making. 

6. Ask yourself if it “sparks joy”

   Your focus is on deciding what sparks joy rather than on the objects to be discarded. It is an emotional approach that involves holding each item and asking yourself if it sparks joy. Your instinct will give you the answer whether it brings you joy or not. If you are not sure about how it should feel, grab an item that you absolutely love and observe your emotions. This is how you want to feel. For items that are more practical rather than emotional, appreciate them for their purpose and for what they do for you. You can still find appreciation in practical things. Don’t forget to give gratitude to the belongings you let go of.