Using the Principles of Marie Kondo in Your Home

Do you want to declutter your space but don’t know how to start? You might want to take a look at Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method. Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizer by trade and is now the author of the global bestseller titled The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

The KonMari Method is a minimalism-inspired technique for organizing items category by category instead of by room. Here are some valuable decluttering tips you could use from her techniques:

#1 Envision Your Ideal Life Before You Start

Before decluttering, think carefully about how you might want your home (and life) to look once you complete the process.

• What is your primary objective for decluttering?
• Do you want your home to be more spacious, more comfortable, or more appealing to guests?

Marie Kondo’s approach places more value on being mindful, reflective, and progressive. Like with XOSlot games, thinking about your goals before starting a project will help you stay focused during the decluttering process.

#2 Declutter by Category, Not Location

When you declutter by category, you enjoy a more accurate visual representation of your possessions. It’s advisable to follow the list of categories below (in order) because the easier stuff comes first, with the more challenging items at the end:

• Clothing
• Books
• Paper
• Miscellaneous items
• Sentimental items

Clothing is often the easiest to give away because people tend to make clothes-related decisions every day. Most of us have a harder time decluttering sentimental belongings because of the emotional connections involved.

#3 Only Keep Items That Spark Joy

Do not focus on what you wish to eliminate, but what brings positive feelings. According to Marie Kondo, you should hold an item and ask, “Does this spark joy?” Get rid of it if the answer is no.

#4 Eliminate Items That Have Served their Purpose

While many people have difficulty letting go of items in good condition, Kondo advises that not everything should stay in your life until it is completely worn out. It is okay to sell or give away items that you no longer need in your home, regardless of the condition of these things. According to the organization guru, people must eliminate the items that have outlived their usefulness in order to truly appreciate the important things in life.

#5 First Declutter, Then Organize

The first step is eliminating all the items you don’t need in your home anymore. Once you complete that work, you will only need to organize the items you intend to keep.

#6 Fold, Don’t Hang

Once you set aside the items you want to discard, decide where to keep the remaining items in the home. Space-saving hacks are important here. For example, instead of folding clothing in a cubby or hanging them in a closet, Marie Kondo thinks people are better off folding these items into a dresser.

A Fresh Perspective

Decluttering has many benefits; it increases space, reduces stress and anxiety, and makes cleaning easier. Marie Kondo’s principles make decluttering easier, and sometimes, that’s all we need for a fresh start.