Home Interior Tips to Declutter any Space

“To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To throw away what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful.” -Marie Kondo

If you haven’t heard of Marie Kondo, she is the renowned organisational expert that has taken the world by storm. The Japanese decluttering guru has reached millions of homes across the globe through her Netflix series, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” and book “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up”.

What is the KonMari method?

Marie Kondo has sparked a movement of decluttering frenzy, and if you want to conquer the clutter, here is a guide to her method that will help you take back control. Known as the KonMari method, Marie’s minimalist approach to organisation encourages hanging on to items that ‘spark joy’, eliminating everything that doesn’t add value.

According to the KonMari method, you must sort through categories as opposed to places. There are five categories – clothes, books, papers, komono, and sentimental items– to follow when clearing your space, and you must follow the order in which they are listed. Each category must be fully completed before moving on to the next one.

It is important to follow this exact order when getting rid of the stuff that has accumulated over the years.

Clothes: Remove all your clothes and shoes to make a pile, asking yourself if each item sparks joy and consider if the item is worth the space it is taking up.
Books: Sort through all your books and magazines, letting go of items that no longer serve a purpose or spark value.
Papers: Get rid of all papers and letters that have accumulated. After you have discarded all that no longer sparks joy, you can start organising the documents you want to keep.
Miscellaneous items: Also known as ‘komono’, these miscellaneous items include kitchen items, beauty products, electronics and garage tools.
Sentimental items: The last piece of the KonMari organising puzzle, sentimental items like photos, awards, family heirlooms, etc.

Remember to adopt a mindful approach throughout decluttering and organising, and envision the end game before tidying up. As you progress through the above checklist, the process will become less overwhelming.

Now that you know what the KonMari method is, here are a few basic rules to keep in mind before embarking on your decluttering journey.

Commit to tidying up.
Envision the outcome and how it will impact your lifestyle.
Tackle clutter by category and follow the right order
Ask if the item sparks joy.
Thank the items for their service – then discard.
Discard items, and then organise what you want to keep per category.

The KonMari Folding Method

Marie Kondo also has a unique folding method, known as the KonMari folding technique, which advocates for storing clothes upright rather than piling them up. The infographic from Kondo’s book demonstrates a step-by-step guide on the KonMari Folding method.

Key Takeaways

If you want to simplify your home and your life, the KonMari method can help you tackle the clutter and bring more joy into your life. The method is by no means meant to be definitive; rather, it is a philosophy that encourages purging excessive clutter from your life and finding joy in the items you choose to keep. The goal is to develop a minimalistic approach so that you not only have a clutter-free home but a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle.

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Home Interior Tips to Declutter any Space– The KonMari Method

What is the KonMari method?

The KonMari Folding Method

Key Takeaways