Your home is constantly a mess? Every room in your house is cluttered with objects you no longer use? You tend to keep everything and you refuse to throw out or give anything away? This is where the Marie Kondo technique comes into play!
Who is Marie Kondo?
An organizational consultant, lifestyle expert and author, Marie Kondo started her business at the age of 19, while being a university student in Tokyo.
Her goal? Help people to declutter their homes and transform their lives by bringing them joy. Her book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” is a bestseller in the United States, Japan, Germany, and Britain, with 8 million copies sold in more than 40 countries; a Japanese television channel has even turned it into a TV series!
The KonMari ™ method
KonMari ™ method’s main goal? Only surround yourself with objects that spark joy, and part with those you no longer use by thanking them for what they have offered you. By sorting out all of our possessions, we are able to transform our home and live a calmer, more fulfilling and happy life.
The importance of getting rid of the useless
Whether it is due to emotional attachment, fear of possibly needing it some day or simply laziness; throwing, giving or selling items that are no longer used can be difficult for many people. On the other hand, storing useless objects weighs on our daily lives and obstructs our space in the long run.
This is where you have to learn to ask yourself a simple question: does this object bring me joy? If the answer is no, it has no place in your house.
The 6 rules of the KonMari ™ technique
The process of minimalizing our possessions may seem dizzying, but by following the 6 rules proposed by Marie Kondo, you will get there, we promise!
Rule 1: Commit to Tidying Up
No more excuses! If you start this tedious project, you must do it with heart, with openness, patience and honesty!
Rule 2: Imagine your ideal lifestyle
Close your eyes and paint an image of your dream home. What do you see? How do you feel about it? Get inspired by this vision; it will be much easier to get rid of things that do not fit with it.
Rule 3: Cleansing comes first
No need to start organizing if you haven’t finished sorting through the objects you want to keep and those you want to get rid of!
Rule 4: Sort by category, not by room
Cleaning out your books? Empty every bookshelf in the house, not just the one in the respective room you are in. Gather all books in one place, then start sorting.
Rule 5: Follow the correct order
This rule is particularly important for clothing. Marie Kondo recommends hanging the clothes by length, from longest on the left to shortest on the right, forming a slope effect which creates a feeling of lightness. In addition, put the heavy and dark pieces (coats, jackets) on the left and make sure that it gradually moves towards softer and lighter pieces (blouses, dresses).
Rule 6: Ask yourself if each object sparks joy
This sixth rule applies to any object, from utensils to DVDs, underwear to decorations. The goal is not to get rid of everything, but rather to get rid of the useless; if your 12 white t-shirts bring you joy, keep them! There is no point in surrounding yourself with objects that don’t make you happy!
Storing Clothes: The Starting Point
The first step should always be the storage of clothes, and it starts with a perfectly executed folding. The technique used by Marie Kondo is called “Te-ate,” which means “the hand that heals” in Japanese.
According to Marie Kondo, to fold your clothes, “the goal is to fold each garment to obtain a rectangle. Begin by folding each side of the garment in the centre of the garment, lengthwise, then tuck the sleeves to a rectangular shape. The way you fold the sleeves does not matter. Then take one end of the rectangle and fold it towards the other end. Then fold again in two or three. The number of folds must be adapted so that once folded and placed upright on the edge, the garment has a shape adapted to the drawer. Each garment has its ideal central point. It’s up to you to find the right method. How satisfying it is to find an ideal central point! It’s like a sudden revelation; a special moment in which your mind and clothing come into connection.”
As mentioned above, the storage of our clothes is also a crucial step in the cleansing process. It is also recommended to keep all your clothes on hand, whether they are in-season or not; think about air conditioning in the summer, trips to the south in the winter… You’ll probably need your off-season clothes a few times!
The Benefits of the KonMari ™ Method
Once you have sorted your possessions and have gotten rid of everything you no longer use, imagine all of the space that will be available to you! It is the moment to personalize this space by disposing of the objects that you have kept and that make you happy: a family photo, a book on a coffee table, a perfume on the bedside table… In short, let’s change the energy of each room!
The results that Marie Kondo’s method will bring you? A Zen environment that gives you joy, a more organized life and an inner well-being in your everyday life. Who would have thought that storage could have so many benefits?
Sources :
https://konmari.com/
https://nospensees.fr/methode-marie-kondo-mettre-de-lordre-vie-rangeant-maison/
http://www.cosmopolitan.fr/ranger-trier-organiser-la-clef-du-bonheur,2011173.asp
