The KonMari method
Marie Kondo, a renowned Japanese decluttering consultant, asserts that tidying up has the power to reset our lives and should be embraced as a regular practice. She has developed a method known as the KonMari method.
🏁 The goal of the KonMari Method is to clear away clutter so you can live the life you want – because the question of what you want to keep in your life is actually the question of how you want to live your life and with which people.
(KonMari Media, 2013)
The core benefits of tidying using the KonMari method
(Kondo, 2014)
How to tidy your home using the KonMari method
Before you begin…
- Commit yourself for tidying up and and resolve to put in the time and effort required.
- Then, you need to imagine “your ideal life”. If you’re serious about tidying in a way that will change your life forever, this is the most crucial step.
Tidy by Category
It might seem logical to tackle one shelf, closet or room at a time, but its better to tidy by category, not by location. People often store the same type of item in more than one place. When you tidy each place separately, you’re repeating the same work in many locations.
Follow the right order
The secret sauce of Marie's method lies in the order of tidying: clothes, books, papers, komono, and sentimental items. By beginning with clothes (easier) and concluding with sentimental items (more challenging), you enhance your decision-making abilities progressively, making the process of choosing what to keep simpler. Throughout this journey, you develop a deeper understanding of the method and yourself.
Focus on What to Keep by asking yourself if it sparks joy
Marie's tidying method revolves around the act of selecting what to keep rather than focusing on what to discard. Here, the foundation for decision-making lies in your emotions. As you engage in the tidying process, take each object in your hands and quietly ask yourself, "Does this spark joy?" By consciously choosing only the items that bring you joy, you can pinpoint what you truly love and genuinely need.
Discard With Gratitude
According to Marie, tidying should be regarded as a celebration, a unique farewell to the items that will be leaving your home. Reflecting deeply on each object you let go of influences your future lifestyle and acquiring habits. Additionally, these items might now bring joy to someone else, creating a win-win situation for all parties involved.
Give Everything a Home and build the habit to always put it back to ist place
Clutter arises when items are not returned to their designated places. The key to preventing a relapse into clutter after a tidying spree is to assign a specific location for each item—creating a home for every single possession you have.
(KonMari Media, 2013)
What the research says about the KonMari method.
- The effectiveness of the KonMari method has been examined in various studies.
- One qualitative study conducted in Norway explored the impact of the KonMari method on the consumption patterns of participants from the UK and Sweden, considering the current context of resisting throwaway culture and striving for a sufficiency-based circular economy.
- Consistent with Marie Kondo's claims, the findings of the study highlight a significant shift in participants' approach to consumption.
- Specifically, participants reported adopting a more reflective and restrained mindset when acquiring new possessions.
- The study demonstrates that particiapnts who utilize the KonMari method experience a transformation in their perception of material acquisition and possession, resulting in a slowdown of consumption by reducing the frequency of shopping.
61 % stated, that their attitude towards buying new things “changed a lot” after they started “KonMari”
(Chamberlin & Callmer, 2021)