We're sure you've heard of Marie Kondo and her best-selling book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up". The KonMari method has completely transformed the way that we think about organizing and we're excited to share what we've learned and put into practice. We hope that you'll be inspired to incorporate these 6 basic principles into your lives as well!
1. Commit to change.
This is not an easy process. Going through all of your belongings one by one can be overwhelming and emotionally exhausting. However, once you've committed, it's life-changing and undoubtedly worth it. Make sure that you allow yourself the time that it requires (and be patient with yourself).
2. What is your ideal life?
The KonMari method encourages us to take the time to imagine our ideal life and how we wish to spend our time. Defining this will give you a new perspective on what's truly important and motivate you to take the necessary action to make it a reality. This vision of your ideal life will be the lens through which you examine your belongings and decide which items have a place in your life and which ones are holding you back.
3. Discard first, then worry about storage.
Have you ever gotten so caught up in the process of choosing boxes, bins, shelving, etc. only to get home to realize that they are either too big or too small for your belongings? This has happened to us!
That's why it's so important to discard what you no longer want and then choose the correct storage solutions based on what you have decided to keep.
When it's finally time to put everything away, don't forget to use the KonMari filing system! Folding and keeping everything upright is not only more aesthetically pleasing, but it also makes it much easier to find what you're looking for.
4. Tidy by category, not by location.
When we tried this for the first time it was a real "aha moment". By gathering all of your belongings by category, you're able to make better decisions about what to keep and what to let go because you can actually see it all!
For example, when you only organize the clothing in your closet, you may be forgetting about all of the clothing that's stored under the bed or in a second closet. When it's all laid out in the same place you may realize that you have multiples of certain items that aren't worth holding on to. It's eye-opening!
4. Tidy by category, not by location.
When we tried this for the first time it was a real "aha moment". By gathering all of your belongings by category, you're able to make better decisions about what to keep and what to let go because you can actually see it all!
For example, when you only organize the clothing in your closet, you may be forgetting about all of the clothing that's stored under the bed or in a second closet. When it's all laid out in the same place you may realize that you have multiples of certain items that aren't worth holding on to. It's eye-opening!
6. Does it spark joy?
This is such a simple question, yet so profound. It's not something we often ask ourselves, but once you do you'll notice that your body reacts to items in a way that indicates whether they're worth keeping or not.
Be very conscious during this process because many times we convince ourselves to keep items that we no longer need (and don't make us happy) because we feel guilty about getting rid of them. Remember that the goal of this process is to reevaluate our possessions based on the life that we want to create for ourselves. If the item doesn't spark joy or serve an important purpose, don't keep it. Holding on to such items will only distract you from achieving the life you desire!
In order to keep your home from becoming cluttered again, make sure to ask yourself these two questions before purchasing a new item:
Does it spark joy?
Will it serve its intended purpose?
