Why Everyone Is Freaking Out Over This Easy Life Hack
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We don’t know what’s crazier; the fact that the world’s currently obsessing over a cleaning hack or that our weekend plans read: Marie Kondo your life… And we couldn’t be more hyped. If you haven’t already heard of the best-selling author, Marie Kondo and her seriously addictive Netflix show – Tidy Up With Marie Kondo – her method is simple; if it doesn’t spark joy, throw it away. We realize it sounds kinda extreme, but it forces you to rethink your belongings and what their value is – hoarders beware! The end result? You’re surrounded purely by things that bring you happiness. Here’s everything you need to know about the wellness-cleaning trend that’s taking over:
The KonMari Method
This method of tidying and decluttering your life is so simple: If it doesn’t make you feel happy, then it doesn’t belong in your home. The thing is, most of us have so much “stuff” – we don’t love it, we rarely use it, and we can’t really remember when we bought it. These are the types of belongings that Marie doesn’t have many (if any) of in her home. The technique is minimalistic, but it’s holistic too, forcing you to take a more mindful outlook when it comes to your “stuff”. In an interview with The Guardian, Marie explained, “A lot of people hit a roadblock because they feel they have to throw something away, but that’s not the point. It’s about understanding what needs to go versus what’s important to you.”
The Essential Rules Of The KonMari Method
Rule 1: Commit yourself to tidying up
Don’t get us wrong, this technique is hella-rewarding but it takes time and a willingness to let go. So make sure you set some time aside to tidy and prepare yourself emotionally as some belongings take a little more gut to get rid of. That said, Marie breaks it up into types of areas to organize, so you could do a different area each week or weekend.
Rule 2: Imagine your ideal lifestyle
To ‘KonMari’ your life, it’s not just about decluttering your home, it’s a complete change in lifestyle and it’ll hopefully alter your outlook. Marie says it’s important to think about what kind of home you want to live in and how you want to live it. When you imagine your ideal lifestyle, you’re envisioning your best life; you want to only be surrounded by things that bring you joy. So think about why you want to tidy using this method and view it as a turning point.
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Rule 3: Finish disregarding first
This cleansing ritual has a definite order, and you have to do the tough part first; start by going through all of your possessions and get rid of (donate/sell/gift) what makes you feel, well, ‘meh’ before you start reorganizing. After you’ve discarded (inevitably a lot) of unwanted items, designate a specific place in your home for the belongings you do want to keep. Clear storage boxes are always advisable so that you can see your belongings clearly. The idea is; once you put it away, it should be as easy to locate afterward.
Rule 4: Tidy by category not by location
The KonMari method doesn’t believe you should organize your home from room to room. Instead, tidy by category. First, begin with all of the clothes in your house, then move on to books, papers, kimono (miscellaneous items) and finally, sentimental – eek!
Clothes: Start by piling all your clothes on your bed – this demonstrates how much (unnecessary) stuff you have, which makes the process of sorting through it more encouraging. Then pick up each item of clothing and ask yourself “does it spark joy?” Our example: We had so many cute items that still fit and looked good, but they just didn’t spark joy, which meant we hadn’t worn them for years, but simply held onto them for the sake of it.
Books and papers: Marie suggests that you should get rid of almost all papers and documents and only keep a small collection of photographs – brutal we know. Those pics from your holiday 10 years ago at the beach? Get rid of the almost identical secondary pic, or the one you’re blinking in.
Sentimental: The sentimental category is always the most difficult but often it’s the most necessary. It’s important to let go of the past if it doesn’t instantly ignite joy.
Rule 5: Follow the right order
Within the location bracket, break down the categories further into tops, trousers, skirts, shoes – you get the idea. This will prevent the chaotic confusion that comes with decluttering; it’s often harder to let go of things when you see everything jumbled together.
Rule 6: Ask yourself if it sparks joy
Hold an item to your chest and ask yourself does it bring you joy? Try not to think about how much it cost you or it’s sentimental value; if it doesn’t fill you with happiness, it doesn’t belong in your house.
Don’t forget the folding technique…
As part of the holistic approach, Marie has developed a folding technique where you show your clothes some love, communicating your affection and gratitude for each item. The folding technique will also allow you to reorganize your clothes so that you can always see every item in your drawers. This way you don’t have to go through piles and piles of clothes when you’re trying to get ready.
Our verdict: Honestly, after ‘KonMari-ing’ our closet, it is so refreshing looking at a closet where everything isn’t piled in, and getting dressed takes half the time (you don’t have to sift through all the things you don’t want to wear)! The ritual itself was very rewarding, but it did take a full five hours to sort and reorganize our clothes (with a couple of cookie breaks included). It also allows you to gain a new perspective on what you really need. Plus, we were then able to donate a whole bunch of clothes to charity. With some of the more difficult items; it was helpful to ask ourselves, do I really need this or could it go to a home where someone really needs it.
Have you guys tried it, or do you plan to? Let us know what you think of the KonMari method in the comments below.
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