‘Keep possessions that “spark joy” in your life‘ says the Japanese decluttering evangelist, Marie Kondo. I tuned into watching ‘Tidying Up With Marie Kondo’ on Netflix with hopes of emulating Kondo’s zeitgeist of organizing things in life (trust me, it worked). Marie Kondo describes the KonMari method which is a series of simple ways to reorganise your home to get rid of clutter and mess. According to the author, ensuing her ways and methods will not only lead to a cleaner, more arranged household but to also a more positive, stress-free and happy lifestyle overall.
KonMari method encourages tidying by category and not by location. She insists on beginning the cleaning journey with clothes then marching on to books, papers, miscellaneous items (like cleaning products, charging cords, pantry items) and finally, sentimental items. Here are 6 basic rules for tidying by the expert that will not only organize your surroundings but will be a mindful and introspective expedition!
Rule 1: Commit Yourself To Tidying Up
This might sound a bit daunting, but it does require your time and effort. But most importantly BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Once you have made up your mind, all you have to do is apply the right method.
Rule 2: Imagine Your Ideal Lifestyle
Think about what kind of house you want to live in and how you want to dwell in it. Once you visualize your quintessential lifestyle, you are clarifying why you want to tidy and identifying the kind of life you want to live in after you have finished.
Rule 3: Finish Discarding First
You can only plan where to store your things and what to store in them once you have decided what to keep and what to discard. The goal is not only keeping the home clean on the surface but also your storage area.
Rule 4: Tidy By Category, Not By Location
Tidying room to room actually results in shuffling things around from one location to the other. Doing it categorically will allow you to see objectively exactly how much you have and how much you need to discard.
Rule 5: Follow the Right Order
It’s crucial not only to tidy by category but also to follow the right order. That is:
Clothes → Books → Papers → Miscellaneous Items → Sentimental Items
Rule 6: Ask yourself if it sparks joy
Remember you are not choosing what to discard but actually what to keep. So, the criterion to decide what to keep and what to discard is to ask yourself if holding that item sparks joy to your life. And when you discard anything that doesn’t, don’t forget to thank it before bidding goodbye.
Living your organised life be like:
Does the KonMari method motivate you to spark joy in your life? Let me know in the comments below.
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