If you’re someone who regularly likes to clean or just wants a fresh start to the season and year, here is why you should consider utilizing the KonMari method!

What is it?

The KonMari method was named after and created by Marie Kondo, a tidying enthusiast and expert. I had heard of Marie Kondo from social media and then watched some episodes of her show on Netflix. It was only till I started reading her book, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” that I really decided to implement her teachings to my own life.

As someone who prides myself on finding new ways to organize and keep my space clean, I was more than happy to start getting rid of the old and make room for the new. That’s what I saw it as, discarding your old life, the old version of you, and making space for new opportunities, new possibilities, and a new you.

I knew this would be a week long event. So I decided to mark it on my whiteboard according to stages of the KonMari method.

• Day 1: Clothing
• Day 2: Books
• Day 3: Sorting Papers
• Day 4: Komono (Bathroom, Misc, etc.)
• Day 5: Sentimental Items

I took out drawers full of clothing, including those from a drawer in the living room (I don’t have a closet) and made a huge pile on my bed. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, I felt excited, knowing that the mess I was making would be cleaned up soon enough.

Looking at different articles of clothing I could already see ones I hardly wore, ones that didn’t fit, and ones that held memories I was okay with letting go of. They simply didn’t spark joy.

Marie Kondo urges her clients to hold up items and ask, “Does this spark joy?” That is the basis on whether an item is worth keeping or not. Asking this question myself I found it easier to let go of things I had no particular affinity to.

The discard/donate pile grew and my wardrobe grew smaller. Afterwards I bought some extra drawer organizers, folding my clothes vertically as taught by Kondo. It began to make the space more serene and clean.

Finding your identity through cleaning

The next day was books, which was the day I dreaded. As an avid reader and book buyer, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to give up any. They were books. It was like asking a sports fan to part with their team’s memorabilia, or telling Tonya Harding to give up skating, it was something that made me worry.

However, as soon as I began going through my books, I realized the same thing as I did when I went through the clothes. Some simply didn’t spark joy anymore. I found myself touching dusty books, some only being read once (clearly not something I’d read again) and was relieved to see them go.

The book pile ended up being bigger than the clothes. It made me reflect on how much I had grown. My likes and dislikes were forever changing, and I was now in a different stage of life. Papers became much easier then. By using a filing system I already had in place I was able to get rid of chunks of folders, expired warranties, old receipts, etc.

At this stage in my cleaning there was no stopping me, I would have happily tackled the kitchen and the garage, but because I live with family that wasn’t entirely possible. Unless it would be a group effort, those would have to stay untouched unfortunately.

Do what you can, with what you have

All that’s left was the bathroom really. Which was even easier to clean. I bought some sturdy organizers for the drawers and utilized the shelving above the toilet for everything else. The result was having little on the counters, and everything having its own designated space.

I wound up finding doubles. For example, finding extra floss, when I had just been thinking about buying some. I had more than enough of everything but because everything wasn’t as stored properly it was hard to tell. Now I knew where everything was and finding what I need became easier.

I know what some of you may be thinking. What about the last category? Sentimental items? What’s funny was throughout my cleaning process, I would find small tokens. A pin from work, a card from a random classmate in high school, so many little things.

Some I decided to keep a little longer, and others I was more than happy to get rid of (old love letters). It was fine to look back to reflect on happy memories, but as someone who likes to look forward, I found all my sentimental items were able to be collected in a singular box.

Why the KonMari method should be your go-to cleaning practice

What I learned was that cleaning in “one fell swoop” as Kondo says, typically takes about a week. However, in that week, you will find yourself reevaluting what matters to you. What you find important. What you decide gets to stay and go.

Cleaning doesn’t have to be one big headache, it can be almost spiritual in a way. A chance to be reborn, or as the kids say, rebranded. You’re never the same person your whole life, it’s okay to move through these changes with grace and with peace.

Thank you for visiting the blog, if you’d like to read more about organizing, productivity, writing, and more, don’t be afraid to peruse and comment your thoughts on this method. Also, share the methods that have worked for you! ☺️