Things I learned from Marie Kondo's Konmari Method of Tidying

I'm here today to not talk about the KonMari method, but what I learned from it.

Konmari Method is the new phenomenon in home improvement. The term and method was coined by Marie Kondo, a Japanese woman who became a best- selling book author almost overnight with her 'life- changing' tidying technique. I read somewhere that Marie Kondo is deeply inspired by the virtues of Shintoism so I believe that her tidying concepts have existed somewhere in time, but she 's had the only sense in the modern generation to bundle these into a method that's understandable and doable for us who are living busy lives.

Now the lady's earned a series in Netflix, fanning her famous flame even more. I have watched the show twice. I wouldn't say that I just got into the Konmari method because it's trendy right now, but because I have always been an organizing freak and a fan of spring cleaning, which I do at least twice every year; because I believe that a clean house is where positive vibes choose to reside so as much as possible, I clean and organize. KonMari and Marie Kondo has just validated that side of me, and I guess I'm just happy that everyone's starting to embrace organizing and cleaning now.

T-shirts spark joy in me; specifically basics!

I wouldn't blow this for you; go watch the series or read the book so you will know if the method will work for you or not; it worked for me and I read that others found it frustrating so I guess it's better for you to decide on your own if it's for you or not!

But let's get things started: KonMari method is basically a way of organizing your space. It is categorized into five sections: 

1. Clothing

2. Books

3. Paper

4. Komono (Bathroom, Kitchen, Bedroom, Living Room; basically the main sections of your living quarters)

5. Sentimental items.

There's no one way to organize these because it really depends on the layout of the home, but she has main organizing principles:

1. SPARK JOY- One way to declutter and organize effectively is to ask yourself every time you pick up an item: "Does this spark joy in me?" If yes, keep; if no, say 'Thank you' to the item for how it has served you then let go through donation.

2. BOXES- Boxes are a staple for her in every section because it just makes things more organized and easier to spot.

I Konmari-d my small closet and condo 1 week straight. Here's what I learned from the experience:

From housebeautiful.com

1. The concept of KonMari isn't just about organizing; it's about mindfulness and learning to let go in order to live lightly and freely.

2. KonMari taught me more than ever that I have a lot of stuff that I don't use! Crazy as it may sound, I heeded her advice and gathered all the stuff at the center of my unit and assessed whether an item "sparked joy" or not. I got rid of a lot of stuff because I got to be honest with myself and only stuck with the ones that not only continually spark joy in me (aka I really use), but are practical too.

3. Now that I got rid of a lot of stuff, the head of the entrepreneur in me was shaking all throughout and saying "LOOK AT ALL THAT WASTED CASH!" The money I spent on impulse buy items would have afforded me a 6-month lease in a small office space already! Wow, thanks for saving my future cash, Marie Kondo.

4. KonMari method has just injected a bit of strategy into how I manage my space: less clutter means more movement, less time and money to spend on cleaning, ergo more time for myself, optimize time spent preparing for work, and more time to do other things!

5. Marie Kondo has put my attachment to things into perspective: do I keep it because I really need it or do I just want it around for future use? I realized, I had a lot of that "for future use" items, but the problem was, 99% still haven't seen the future after all these years, which led me to the conclusion that there's really no future for these items unless I make it happen. And so I made a future for them and donated most to charity and relatives. Thinking about it, finally, the items have seen their much- awaited 'future use'!

6. KonMari method has improved my spending habits greatly; before, I would succumb to impulse buy (although my shopping habit is not that severe), but now, I think not only twice, but ten times before I buy an item; it really makes the purchase worthwhile and the money well- spent!

7. A lot of people have this misconception that the KonMari method simply wants you to throw out everything; that ain't true! When you watch the series or read the book, she's all about letting go in your personal terms; she wouldn't ask people to throw out a baseball card collection because it's clutter, but rather to only choose the ones that matter or if the person doesn't want anything given away, at least KEEP. THEM. NEAT. When you choose to follow the method, keep an open mind, but you have all the freedom to adapt it to your life.

8. Finally, I didn't realize that my condo is actually spacious now that things are folded neatly, properly, everything has their place in a box, and there are not a lot of stuff lying on the floor!

I hope you enjoyed this post! BRB, buying boxes for my tank tops!

Have you tried the KonMari method? What are your thoughts?