Everyone likes it neat, nobody likes it cluttered. That’s exactly what KonMari method ensures your house is. The Japanese Marie Kondo promises that with her method you will never sink into chaos again.
In today’s Chlorine post, we will explore what KonMari method of cleaning actually is. How it works and what things require proper attention.
What is the KonMari Method?
Konmari method is a cleaning and decluttering method developed by the Japanese Tidying expert Marie Kondo. In essence, the method emphasizes on cleaning up in one go, in a short time and perfectly – and never again afterward. In this method of cleaning, all items are put into 4 categories and then each item is checked to verify if you still love using it or not.
The Four Categories of KonMari Method
According to Marie Kondo, the best way to start decluttering is to do it in a specific order. Things are classified into four categories:
- Clothes, bags, and shoes,
- Books & Documents.
- Household appliances
- Memorabilia.
The order is important, Marie says, as you work your way from clothing to memorabilia that you associate with important experiences, you take a tour back in time.
Step 1: All in one place
To begin with, you pull the things out and start filling the categories. In the case of clothing, for instance, you pull all the clothing and apparel and pile them up.
The goal of piling is that you get an overview of your possessions. This also gives you an idea of how much of the stuff is accumulated over the years.
Step 2: Keep, Donate, Dispose
Once you pull everything out and placed it under the 4 categories, now it’s time to start filtering things out. As with the classification process, Marie recommends you start with clothing and work through memorabilia in this step too.
Now pick an item and ask yourself, do you still enjoy using it or not? Any object that does not get a clear yes goes either to the donation or the trash box.
Step 3: Fold, Organize, Store
All items that you keep are assigned a permanent place in your home. In this way, you can be sure that your apartment always stays tidy.
A special tip for clothing: Fold T-shirts and trousers and stack them vertically in their drawers. On the one hand, you can see at a glance which items of clothing you own. Second, you avoid creating clutter in your closets when looking for a specific piece.
Now, these were the basic 3 steps of the KonMari Method. For a complete step-by-step organization and declutter, please navigate to this detailed article.
How the Konmari Method has long-term success
As a diet, the Konmari Method only works if you stick to it over the long term and change your habits. After you’ve cleaned your home of unnecessary things, you should only have the things around you that you actually use.
Who is Marie Kondo?
The Japanese Marie Kondo is a tidying and decluttering expert who gives seminars on the subject and has written four books about the method she developed.
Since January 1, 2019, her series “Cleaning up with Marie Kondo” has been broadcast on Netflix. In it, she accompanies American families in clearing out their houses and apartments.