Who is Marie Kondo you ask? Most know her as Japan’s queen of tidiness, a title that came after the success of her Netflix show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and her bestselling book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  Saving millions of people from their clutter nightmare, her “KonMari” method is simply a system of organizing your home by getting rid of items that don’t bring you happiness. When tidying up your house, KonMari teaches you to ask one simple question, “Does it spark joy?”. If the item doesn’t, get rid of it.

Here are the 5 tips you need to know from the tidying expert: 

1. Be grateful and let it go. 

Do you have an old favorite T-shirt that you know has been living in the back of your closet for years now? In your head, you know it has no purpose in your life, yet, in your heart, you can’t seem to get rid of it because of the memories it holds. Yes, it can be a bit weird to say “Thank you” to your inanimate objects but it is another way to say “good-bye”. This part is very important in the first step of letting go. Kondo emphasizes the importance of cherishing the items that do spark joy and letting go of the rest with gratitude. So, detach, say thank you and just trust the process.

2. Does it spark joy?

This question has been repeated again and again throughout Kondo’s lessons. Does it bring you joy? Just like the meaningful people in our lives we choose to keep because they bring the best out of us, every item we own should bring the same meaning and joy when we pick it up. Kondo recommends holding the object in your hands and verbally asking yourself, “Does this spark joy?”, “Will I use this?”. If not, we recommend getting rid of it. 

3. Tackle categories, not location

When it comes to cleaning, we can all agree that most of us tackle our clutters by locations—from bedroom to the kitchen and to our living rooms. However, Kondo’s approach is a bit different. Instead, she encourages decluttering according to categories, not location. This just means picking a category (clothing, books, papers, etc.) and starting from there. The reason for this is that similar items are usually scattered around your home, not just in one area. 

4. Fold Fold Fold! 

We know that Kondo is a major advocate for folding clothes as they are always “happier” inside your dresser. From T-shirts to pants to socks, Kondo has a way of folding any article of clothing so you can make the best of your space. In her book, she suggests a folding technique called the vertical fold, a fold that allows all your clothing pieces to be seen and unbothered when digging for the shirt you want to wear. 

5. Storage boxes

Kondo believes in simplicity. By simplifying your storage, you can alleviate the stress of moving. However, you should try avoiding plastic, as it is bad for the environment. Since Kondo is so passionate for organization, she created her own line of Hikidashi storage boxes, a sturdier version than your average shoebox. Plus, it’s plastic free! 

Article submitted by Thuy Tran.