Marie ‘KonMari’ Kondo Sparks Joy With Her ‘Kondoing’ Method Of De-Cluttering


Marie Kondo has begun a big movement with her “Kondoing” method of organizing. Kondo — who tells folks to call her “KonMari” — instructs people to get rid of any items that do not spark joy in their lives. Seen in the above photo in Tokyo, Japan, Kondo cleaned out one of her client’s homes. The KonMari Method is featured in Kondo’s best-selling book, titled The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

On Instagram, the #konmari hashtag enjoys nearly 41,000 posts — proving the popularity of the joyful movement that helps people organize everything from clothing to paperwork and beyond.

Besides sparking joy by helping people more readily find the things they own, the KonMari style of cleaning also helps people figure out how many things they actually already possess.

Apparently, the KonMari Method is all about organizing the things you love into categories, and also features what some might assume is a weird way of folding clothes. In her viral videos, Marie displays methods for folding jeans and T-shirts and tank tops so well that they can stand up on their own when you’re done folding them.

Kondo also speaks of communicating love to the objects you own by lovingly smoothing your hands across the items as you fold them. The KonMari Method involves thanking those items for how well they have serviced you.

Perhaps the most challenging part of Marie’s method for a segment of those who try to adopt her model of organizing is in truly tossing or donating those items that don’t spark joy. The urge to keep items that haven’t been worn in months or years, “just in case,” can be overcome by realizing how much time is gained from an organized life.

As Marie puts it, a tidy home equals a tidy mind.

The benefits of the KonMari Method of folding clothes also means that many people who use Kondo’s style can readily see the clothes in their drawers or closets, without having to rummage through a pile of clothing every day to figure out what to wear. The variety of clothing options can be opened up – because it is visually easier to put together an outfit when you see all of your clothing, instead of grabbing the same clothes on top of the drawer each time.

Even with its high level of popularity, the KonMari method still has its critics. Some people find it weird when Kondo suggests talking to your clothes, as if they are animated objects that can sense emotions and feelings.

As reported by Good Housekeeping, Kondo suggests de-cluttering your own things – moving from the easiest items to de-clutter, like clothing, to other items on your list. The KonMari method can be done in spurts – tackling a bedroom closet one day and perhaps a drawer the next day. Another day could feature straightening up the bathroom closet – all designed so that the person doing the de-cluttering doesn’t get overwhelmed.

The KonMari method also could be best done alone. If a woman decides it is time to clean out her closet, but her mother comes to visit – a mom who might be a packrat – the woman could find that the mom might hinder the process by causing her to doubt what to throw away and what to keep.

As her best-selling book’s description explains, the de-cluttering could be well worth the effort exerted.

“With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house ‘spark joy’ (and which don’t), this international bestseller featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.”

[Photo by Ten Speed Press via AP, File]

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