The Konmari Method: The Best Approach to Have a Tidy House

By Stephanie Ross

Living in a house full of clutter and unused items has adverse effects on your overall health. It does not only deteriorate your mental health but also prevents you from getting things done efficiently. As a result, you are probably having a hard time accomplishing your heavy workload during the work-from-home setup.

Marie Kondo, one of the most popular tidying experts nowadays can help you transform your cluttered home into spaces of serenity, productivity, and inspiration. She is also a bestselling author, founder of KonMari Media Inc., and star in the Netflix series entitled “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”. If you don’t have free time to watch her show and read her book, we have listed some of her tidying tips below. 

Let’s first define what the KonMari Method is!

One of the most common mistakes that homeowners do when cleaning their homes is that they use the room-by-room or little-by-little approach. It is inefficient and time-consuming so it is not best for people who have strict and busy schedules. One of the most popular Marie Kondo tips is to use the KonMari method instead, because it will allow you to simplify your home only once. She claims that you will no longer see the need to organize the place again if you utilize this technique. 

The KonMari method encourages you to clean not by location but by category. You can start by tidying up your clothes first then your books, papers, komono, and sentimental items. It teaches homeowners to become more mindful, reflective, and forward-looking.  Determine the things that can no longer spark joy to you, thank them for their service, and get rid of them. 

The principles of the KonMari Method

To help you have an idea of how the KonMari method works, Marie Kondo shared its five principles. Continue reading to know how they can help you achieve a tidy space. 

  • Take tidying up seriously

Some homeowners do not consider tidying up their houses as a serious matter. They tend to start organizing and cleaning the room without the plan of finishing them in one go. You should not practice the same thing because it consumes a lot of time and energy. 

You can only start utilizing the KonMari method once you convince yourself to put in the required time and effort to finish tidying the whole place in a day. This kind of commitment tells so much about your desire to live in a minimalist and clutter-free house. All of these efforts will not go in vain since they will allow you to live with objects you love and establish a healthy lifestyle.

  • Envision the type of house you want to live in

When you can envision the type of house you want to live in, you are also describing your ideal lifestyle. If you can better describe it through the use of words, you can try writing it in a journal. Another alternative is by drawing or sketching what is in your mind so that you can visually assess its potential. If you are neither a writer nor an artist, you may cut out photos from magazines and newspapers and put them together. After successfully imagining the house you want to live in, it will help you identify the reasons why you want to start your tidying adventure.

  • Let go of non-valuable things

The KonMari method emphasizes the need to let go of things you no longer use. Getting rid of invaluable items in the house can create more spaces for useful stuff. It is necessary to declutter first because it will allow you to determine how many items you can still store. Besides that, you also discover what things you should and should not buy moving forward. 

  • Follow the right order when tidying

When tidying your belongings, there is an order you have to follow. You first need to start with your clothes, followed by your books, papers, komono, and sentimental items.  As you move from one order to another, you might be physically tired but your energy and enthusiasm increase over time. Throughout the entire process, you will gain a deeper understanding of yourself.

  • Evaluate if the items still spark joy

You might be wondering how you can evaluate if the items in your house can still spark joy. Marie Kondo encourages you to use your intuition since the feeling of happiness is different from person to person. She recommends touching every object and sincerely asking yourself if it can make you happy. 

Marie Kondo tips you must know

You have to first throw away all the things you no longer need before you start organizing. It is one of Marie Kondo’s no-brainer tips. Once done, it can create an illusion that the place is more spacious and organized than it actually is. If you don’t have the heart to throw them away, you may opt to give them to your relatives whom you think need them. After decluttering, you can now proceed to organize your clothes. Make sure to fold them instead of hanging them since it can save more space. She also recommends the use of a dresser so that you can have a place for all of your folded clothes. 

To feel good about what you are doing, you have to track your progress. You can do it by taking photos before and after you organize the items in the place. If you fail to do it, you might think that you are not making significant progress which can demotivate you. For instance, when organizing your closet, don’t forget to take a photo of it no matter how messy it is before you start fixing it. You can search for inspirations on the web and decide which suits your needs. By taking photos and finding inspiration, you can efficiently transform the messy closet into a visually appealing one.

In a Nutshell

If you are about to start exerting effort and time to have a tidy place, make sure to use the KonMari method developed by Marie Kondo. It is also necessary to remember the tips listed above to avoid feeling lost during the tidying process. Visit storables.com for more tips and tricks in transforming your house into a beautiful home to live in!

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