Do you feel like you spend your time picking up? The Japanese Marie Kondo, an expert in storage and organization, suggests that you end things once and for all thanks to the KonMari method.
Since the publication in 2015 of his book The Amazing Power of Tidying Up. Decluttering her home to lighten her life, Marie Kondo has gained international fame. Indeed, this cult book in which she reveals her infallible method to organize your living space permanently has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 40 languages.
But what is this infallible method called the KonMari method? Here is a summary of its basic concepts and how to put it into practice.
A Serious Commitment
The amazing power of tidying up is a book that is halfway between a practical resource guide and a personal growth book. “The KonMari method will not only transform your physical space: once your house is tidy, you will find that your whole life is changing”, can we read on the back cover. It sets the tone.
Saysay goodbye to the many storage advice given in magazines and on websites – like: put away one room a day, throw away one object a day for 100 days, etc. – and engage with Marie Kondo. Because yes, the storage guru requires real commitment. The KonMari method is not just a way of getting organized, it's downright a way of life. So the first step is to visualize your ideal lifestyle, your dream space. This visualization should be documented and imaged as accurately as possible. “As you continue to explore the motivations behind your ideal lifestyle, you will become aware of a very simple concept. Throwing away and keeping things has only one purpose: to make you happy,” reads page 44.
Sparks of Joy
When it comes to sorting, throwing away and organizing your living space, the common thread of the KonMari method is: does this object bring you joy? According to Marie Kondo, we should only be surrounded by objects that make us really happy, that ignite a little spark of joy in our hearts. Look around you. Does the sweater you're wearing make you feel really good? Does that frame on the kitchen wall give you joy? If the answer is yes, you keep it. If the answer is no, you throw it away (environmentally conscious, we still suggest that you donate to charity rather than litter).
Categories
The KonMari method offers storage by categories rather than by rooms in the house. So, we start with the clothes. Next come books, papers, komonos (miscellaneous objects) and then objects with sentimental value. For each of these categories, Marie Kondo suggests grouping everything in one place and eliminating according to the leitmotif: “Does this object give me joy? »
When all that's left is the objects that bring joy or have regular use (so we're not talking here about the Power Juicer 2000 that you keep in your cupboard just in case), comes storage.
Marie Kondo offers really efficient storage methods. For example, most clothes are recommended to be folded rather than hung on hangers. “Folding a garment is an act that goes beyond making it more compact for storage. It’s caring for it, expressing your love for it, and appreciating its place in your life,” she explains on page 82.
Yes, it's a bit esoteric, but this Japanese girl's folding techniques make a lot of sense. The author of these lines admits having adopted Marie Kondo's folding technique for more than a year and that she has no intention of going back.
Two books to discover
We piqued your curiosity? We invite you to read Marie Kondo's two books and embark on the adventure!
The amazing power of storage. Declutter herhouse to lighten his lifeby Marie Kondo, Éditions de l’Homme, 2015, 226 pages
Ranger inspires joyby Marie Kondo, at Flammarion Québec, 2017, 336 pages.
