Last updated on July 13th, 2022
The KonMari method is a revolutionary way of decluttering and organizing, invented by Marie Kondo and inspired by minimalism. This method gained tremendous popularity after she released her book and came out with a Netflix show on the life-changing magic of tidying up.
The KonMari method of decluttering has influences from Japanese minimalism principles and encourages the user to only hold on to those items that ‘spark joy’ to them. It is more of an intuitive process of decluttering that leaves you with a clean and tidy home filled only with the things you love.
A mindset shift
Even though this method seems like it’s centered around organizing and sorting things out, it is, in fact, based on the idea of discarding. According to Marie Kondo, the process of discarding begins with holding each item in front of you and asking yourself if it sparks joy in you. If your answer is a firm yes, then the item is worth keeping. Otherwise, put it in your discard pile and move on to the next! This method of intentional decision-making is a mindset shift that sets the KonMari method apart from other decluttering methods.
Tackling your entire space at once
Many times, we tend to take our decluttering process slow and steady. For example, we might tackle one room at a time and finish our decluttering process in several months. While this pace may work well for some people, it has its disadvantages. By the time you finish decluttering the last space, the first room you tackled requires another refresh. This might make the process seem never-ending! Instead, Kondo suggests that we tackle the entire space in one go, thus creating a completely decluttered and organized living space for us. Look at this process as a ‘special event’ for your home instead of just another chore on your list!
Tidy by category, not by location
One category of an item can be found in multiple locations around the house. For example, clothes can be found in the dresser, inside closets, in boxes, etc. Toiletries and makeup can be found in all the bathrooms in your house. Instead of tackling your house by location, Kondi suggests taking a category-based approach. This means decluttering all your clothes in one go. After those are done, you can move on to toiletries and makeup. This method lets you take stock of all the items you own in that category, and you can make better decisions.
Discard, then organize
As mentioned earlier, step one is to discard all items. Organizing all these items should only be done after all the unnecessary items have been discarded. Focusing only on the first step lets you remove all the clutter from that category. Once you’re left with the ‘keep’ pile, you can move on to finding the perfect organizing solution for it. Repeat this process for all categories, and you’ll soon be left with an immaculate space!
Follow the prescribed order
The KonMari method of decluttering prescribes a specific order that one should follow while carrying out this decluttering process. Kondo suggests starting with clothes as it’s where you can do your most decluttering. It is also the least sentimental category. Even within this category, the broad framework you can follow it starting with tops, then bottoms, followed by jackets, socks, etc. After finishing up with clothes, you can move on to more personal categories such as books, papers, miscellaneous items, and memorabilia.
Learn to fold your clothes properly
The KonMari method includes a unique way of folding and stacking clothes. This way allows you to fold them in a way that they take up minimal space. They can then be stacked in a manner that lets you see your entire collection at the same time. This unique folding method makes your clothes easily accessible.
Conclusion
While you might have heard of some of these tips individually earlier, the KonMari method of decluttering ties them all together into this revolutionary, life-changing process that leaves you satisfied with your possessions. Did you find the KonMari method to your liking? Find out about several more organizational techniques in the ‘organization and arrangement’ section on the Homebliss blog.
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