Introduction
I recently discovered that Netflix has a series on Marie Kondo’s book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying - The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. I guess I’m late to the party. No worry. From the book’s opening pages, Kondo writes, “A dramatic reorganization of the home causes correspondingly dramatic changes in lifestyle and perspective. It is life transforming.” This process is “life transforming” because it can, if taken seriously, drastically simplify your life, help you create your own “sacred space” and force you to identify what is truly important. I created a checklist to summarize the steps and outlined some lessons learned to share my personal experience however I’m going to assume whoever reads this post is aware of the KonMari method. If you are not, I strongly encourage you to read the book.
Why Bother with the KonMari Method?
I read the book and completed her KonMari method in the late summer of 2017, however I was so focused on the methodology and trying to film the process that I missed the bigger picture; why was I doing all this work to begin with?
First, cleaning, collecting and organizing objects that are neither necessary nor fulfilling, is a waste of human potential, a waste of limited resources - time, money, and attention. And second, thoroughly minimizing and thoughtfully organizing your space empowers you to pursue activities you find meaningful. Some personal examples include a well organized kitchen which reduces the friction it takes to cook and a decluttered desk that calls me to sit down and write.
For a variety of reasons, in December 2018 I was determined to complete the KonMari method once more. By purging belongings that didn’t “spark joy” I took a critical step towards the lifestyle I desired. With fewer distractions, less clutter and an empowering environment, more of my limited resources can be focused on activities I truly value. Activities such as cooking and improving my writing.
“Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves.” - Edwin Way Teale, Naturalist
Visualize, Purge and Tidy
Overview
The KonMari method is broken into three phases. I have labeled them Visualize, Purge and Tidy. The first step, Visualize, is for the reader to envision their ideal lifestyle and how their space and objects can support this new lifestyle. From page 38: “Before you start tidying, look at the lifestyle you aspire to and ask yourself, ‘Why do I want to tidy?’ when you find the answer you are ready to move on to the next step: examine what you own.” I think most of us have an idea of the lifestyle we want nonetheless invest some serious effort answering this question before diving into the more tactile phases.
Moving on, the main focus of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying is on how to both tactically purge belongings that don’t “spark joy” and how to tidy and organize what’s left. This is where the checklist with accompanying “Pro Tips” comes in handy.
The Checklist
Lessons Learned and Personal Notes
As someone who has completed the KonMari method twice, both times in under 5 days, I will say it felt amazing to get it over and done with so quickly. However on the flip side, it’s exhausting and not everyone has the luxury of 5 consecutive days off. If this timeline is too short or unmanageable, I would strongly encourage completing a category or subcategory in one go. For instance “Clothes” could be completed in a weekend or going through “Magazines” could be the goal for an evening after work. Whatever timeline you settle on, complete it in the order prescribed.
For me, the “Miscellaneous” section was the most time consuming (and at times frustrating) section. This is partly because many objects seemingly fit into multiple subcategories and partly because it made me realize how many random items cluttered my small apartment: a V for Vendetta mask, a toy axe, a real axe. A partial solution is to leverage “Hobby subcategories.” The V for Vendetta mask and toy axe might fit nicely into a “Costume Party” subcategory while the real ax might be lumped in with either “Household Tools” or “Hiking Equipment”. It is far more manageable to have several smaller subcategories than one giant subcategory.
I also found that there were a handful of objects that didn’t “spark joy” but would be silly for me to toss out; my can opener comes to mind. In these instances, perhaps make a note of the item and see if there are objects of this type available that do indeed “spark joy”. Perhaps I just haven’t found the right can opener yet.
Lastly, I did deviate from the KonMari method in a few respects. I tried her folding method for several weeks but I found rolling my t-shirts to be much easier and saved just as much space; another benefit being that they are easier to pack when traveling. As for spare change, I hate change (of the metal coin variety). If I have spare change I will it leave in my car for parking meters, or leave it in a jar out of sight. I don’t carry a coin purse and I hate loose coins in my pockets.
Conclusion
I can’t remember where I came across Marie Kondo’s book but I’m extremely glad I did. It not only provided me with a straightforward process for minimizing junk and clearing space in my apartment (and my head) but helped open my eyes to benefits of a simpler and more intentional life. To summarize, stop toiling away incessantly reorganizing and collecting crap, perform the KonMari method then shift your focus to pursuing more valuable and engaging endeavors.
postscript…
There is much more I wanted to say about this book and the idea of “minimalism” in general however I had to stop here. I did want to share an amazing quote (shared by Tim Ferriss):
“In order to change skins, evolve into new cycles, I feel one has to learn to discard. If one changes internally, one should not continue to live with the same objects. They reflect one’s mind and psyche of yesterday. I throw away what has no dynamic, living use.” - Anais Nin, American-Cuban-French essayist