12 Ways the #KonMari Method Will Transform the Way You Organize Your Home

Getting Started

1. Make Tidying a Once-in-a-Lifetime Event: The main takeaway from the KonMari method is that you should tidy in one shot, rather than a little bit at a time, over a long period of time. That way, you can avoid tidying once and for all.

2. Tidy by Category, not Location: KonMari confesses that she used to make the fatal mistake of organizing and tidying up by location, and it never worked. To properly assess what you have and get rid of things you don’t need, she encourages you to go through categories of your belongings, like clothes, books, papers and cups, rather than individual rooms in your home.

3. Tidy in Zen Mode: It’s always fun to listen to your favorite songs or check your phone while cleaning, but KonMari recommends that you stay in Zen mode. The noise makes it harder to concentrate on whether each object you own is a keeper or better off with someone else.

Discarding

4. Start with Discarding: Before you get to tidying, you need to do some discarding. You must discard all at once, intensely and completely, with no turning back.

5. “Tokimeku:” The word “tokimeku” means “spark joy” in Japanese. With the #KonMari method, you must put everything you own – yes, everything – on the floor, and then evaluate each item. Ask yourself, “Does this item spark joy? Is it worth keeping in the house?” With KonMari’s encouragement and support, this yardstick works like magic.

6. Struggling to Discard: When you have a hard time letting go of certain items, especially clothes you’ll someday get around to wearing, KonMari tells you to think carefully about why you have that specific item, and then reassess the role it plays in your life. Ask when and why you got it. If you realize it’s not worth keeping, you can say, “Thank you for teaching me what doesn’t suit me,” and let it go.

7. Efficient Tidying: According to KonMari, the most efficient tidying order starts with clothing, then books, papers and miscellaneous items, before finishing off with things that have high sentimental value, like photos and albums.

Storing

8. Keep It Simple: Forget fancy and complex storage systems, which KonMari says don’t actually help you to stay organized. Pursue simplicity by opting for basic square or rectangular dividers for your drawers. KonMari recommends using shoeboxes for organization inside of your drawers.

9. Vertical Storage Is Key: If you stack all your t-shirts in your dresser, it’s time to store them vertically. According to KonMari, if you store things horizontally, things can be stacked endlessly, making it harder to notice when you have more than you need. That means you’ll forget about the clothes on the bottom, keeping them from sparking joy.

10. Show Appreciation for Your Belongings: KonMari treats her possessions as if they were alive, like room plants or small pets. When you store your sweaters back in your closet, say things like, “Thank you for keeping me warm all day.” It can be a little weird at first, but KonMari promises that if we treat our belongings with respect, they will last longer.

Transformation In Your Life

11. Do What You Really Want to Do: Once you’ve gone through your collections of books, magazines, clothes and gadgets and see what’s left, you’ll rediscover what you are really interested in. When you’re finally surrounded by things that you decided to own, it’ll lead you to be confident and motivated to go after those goals you want to accomplish.

12: It’s All About Being Happy: There is no point in tidying up your whole house if your final goal isn’t to be happy. Just imagine being surrounded only by things that touch your heart. Your home can’t be much more homey than that, and that’s KonMari’s “magic of tidying.”

What did you think of the #KonMari method? Would you turn to her for more tidying-up solutions? Tell us in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up!