The ABCs of the Marie Kondo Philosophy
With all the attention she’s received in recent years, it’s almost impossible not to know who Marie Kondo is. The Japanese author and organization consultant has dedicated her life to putting messy homes back in order. She first found fame after writing her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Today, however, she doesn’t just give advice on how to lead a happier and more organized life.
Kondo now has her own line of storage products, and even her own reality TV show on Netflix. But if you’re one of the few that still hasn’t been won over by her charms, today we’ll show you the basics of her tidy home philosophy, so that you can fill every corner of your home with peace and harmony.
Marie Kondo and her legacy
While Marie Kondo has a legion of loyal fans who are addicted to her way of life, there are those that have dared to criticize some of her methods. The most controversial is her suggestion that no one should have more than 30 books in their house. For thousands of avid book-lovers, such extreme measures seemed absurd.
But if there’s one thing about Marie Kondo that everyone should commend, it’s her refusal to bow down to consumerism. This means our obsession with buying more and more things that we don’t have the time or the intention to organize or use.
Marie Kondo invites us to take a closer look at our lifestyle habits, starting with those items that are sitting around the house gathering dust, and cluttering up our physical and mental space. She follows some basic rules which everyone can use to bring order to their home. So, let’s get to it!
The Marie Kondo method – get your house in order
1. Visualize
Believe it or not, this is the first step to an organized home. Marie Kondo tells us how important it is to imagine the house of your dreams. She suggests that you think about the goals you want to achieve before you get started. This will help keep you focused and motivated.
2. The Marie Kondo method – commit
Don’t start something you’re not prepared to finish. If you’re determined to get your life in order, go for it, but don’t give up at the first sign of trouble. You need to be aware that this can be a very frustrating process at first. But the impact on your life can be incredible.
3. Categorize
The KonMari method encourages you to organize your belongings by category, rather than by room. For example, if you decide to start organizing your clothes, you need to gather everything you have in your closets, on coat hooks, and even the clothes you have in storage. You may find this a bit overwhelming at first, but it’s the best way to make sure you start and finish each task properly.
4. The Marie Kondo method – pile it up
Marie Kondo insists on the importance of taking out all your belongings and piling them up to create a mountain of stuff. You then need to go through each item piece by piece and decide what you really need, what makes you happy, and what you actually use. Sound difficult? We guarantee that once you start using this method, you’ll never buy for the sake of it ever again.
“Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service – then let them go.”
– Marie Kondo
5. The order of order
If you thought that you could just order your home any old how you can think again. Marie Kondo has a method for everything. As she tells us in her book, the correct order is clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous objects, and sentimental items. Sparking yet more controversy, Marie Kondo advises going through all your old photo albums and only keeping those you really like.
6. The Marie Kondo method – vertical folding
Probably one of Marie Kondo’s most famous and widespread teachings is her vertical folding method. It’s highly effective, helping clothes take up less space, and stay organized for longer. While she does have a range of storage products, Marie Kondo suggests that you shouldn’t buy anything at first, but instead use shoe boxes and things you already have in the house to help store your belongings.
With this brief overview, we’re sure you’ve already mastered the basics of the Konmari method, and are ready to bring order to the chaos in your home. Now all you have to do is get started.