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Declutter – the Marie Kondo Way

Organization contributes greatly to the home’s interiors. It gives the house the minimalistic and aesthetic look that enhances the overall façade. Marie Kondo’s name is synonymous with ‘organizing’ worldwide; Known for her hit Netflix show ‘Tidying Up with Marie Kondo’ and her bestseller book ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up’.

Credit – Tinseltown

The tidying expert is a household name because of her revolutionary technique in which she recommends organizing category-by-category, instead of room-by-room. She has significantly helped people transform their homes from a cluttered state to spaces that bring peace and inspiration.

Who is Marie Kondo?

Marie Kondo is a leading Japanese cleaning consultant. She began tidying up her friends’ homes to make extra cash in Japan. Slowly, her unique approach and efficient methods made her a successful professional in the art of organizing, with a waiting list up to six months for her services. She founded KonMari Media, Inc. She has been featured in several leading publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue and more. She was also named in the Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.

The Tidying Process:

One of her tidying mantras is to get rid of items that have minimal or no significance. The KonMari Method, which Marie Kondo calls her process, follows a few basic guidelines:

●  Imagine your desired result

●  Commit to the process

●  Thank each item for serving its purpose before discarding them.

●  Tidy by category and not according to room or location

●  Follow an order

●  Ask if the object ‘Sparks Joy’

The Folding Method:

Marie Kondo follows a simple yet intricate folding method that will help keep your wardrobe tidy, and help in sorting through items when you are looking for something in particular. She says that rather than letting clothes lie flat in the drawer, it should stand upright.

How to do it:

Marie Condo categorises everything in the house by discarding items of less value and sorting suitably. Unlike traditional organising methods, KonMari method gives you the control to only own items that add a certain emotional and practical value.

According to the KonMari Method, it is always ideal to start with Clothes, Accessories, then Books, Papers, Komono or Miscellaneous items, and end with sentimental items.

Even within these categories you can sort it according to subcategories, for example, for clothing, divide it into Tops (shirts, sweaters etc), Bottoms (pants, skirts etc), Overalls (Jackets, coats etc), Socks, Undergarments and other miscellaneous clothing items.

Once you remove all the items, make it into a big pile. Go item-by-item and ask yourself if it ‘sparks joy’. It is important to touch each item and appreciate their time in your space. This will help in discarding and learning for yourself if the item inspires you. While discarding the items, be mindful and forward-looking, thank them for their service and let them go.

This may sound superficial to many, however Marie Kondo believes that the process will eventually make you value everything in the house.

Once the items have been discarded, sort the chosen items according to their subcategory and store them together. Marie Kondo brings up a Japanese term “Ikki ni”, which means ‘in one go.” She believes that rather than doing little at a time, doing it in one go will help the process significantly.

So if you think your house needs to be decluttered, Marie Kondo’s simple and effective method can help you make drastic improvements to your humble abode.

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