I tried the KonMari method – here’s what I learned

I recently watched Marie Kondo’s Netflix series “Tidying Up”.  The series features this pint sized Japanese woman Marie Kondo who is an organizational guru and believes in the KonMari method of tidying your home.  The first episode was about a young couple, their two toddlers and their household clutter and how it has impacted their lives.  Honestly, they were so relatable. When you have children, it’s easy to find yourself drowning in toys and baby gear.

Throughout the episode, Kondo went through their closets, their drawers, their garage, etc. and encouraged them to only keep the things that “spark joy”.  Messy closets and cabinets with haphazardly strewn tupperware were soon transformed in an orderly fashion and it made me swoon. The episode spoke to me and I was hooked. It was the kick in the rear I needed to set off and tidy up my own home.

I didn’t totally KonMari my whole house, but I did adopt little bits and pieces here and there.

Here’s what I learned:

• Instead of waiting for nap time to fold and put away the laundry, do it in front of the kids.  Children model our behaviors and what better way to get them in the habit of folding and putting away their clothes.  This was huge for me!
• If it doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it – I didn’t have alot of stuff to get rid of since we had just moved less than 6 months ago and I had downsized some stuff before then. But there was still some stuff that I purged and it felt so good. For instance, I don’t like top sheets on the bed. I despise the way you get tangled in them in your sleep and they seem useless to me. Yet I had a whole shelf of them in my linen closet. I didn’t toss all of them. I kept a few for our guest bed but chucked the rest.

• You can make more room by stacking – Our dresser drawers and my tupperware cabinet were the biggest culprits here. Kondo believes that by stacking things in an orderly fashion, not only can you fit more, but you can clearly see what you have. While I am not in love with Kondo’s method of folding clothes, I truly can fit more in my drawers.

• Going forward, be more mindful– After KonMari’ing my home, the cynical side in me came out. “Sure it’s all organized now, but give it to the end of the week and this house will soon be a mess again”.  But I refuse to let that happen.  It’s a work in progress, but I’m taking a few simple steps to make sure I don’t go back to my old ways. Instead of throwing my clothes on the floor when I get changed, I’m more mindful of either hanging them back up or putting them in the laundry basket. At the end of the day before going to bed, I pick everything up and make sure not to leave any dishes in the sink. And this may be the hardest, but before buying think “do I really need this?”.
• Having a tidy, organized home can spark joy – When I was home on maternity leave I learned alot about myself, but one of the biggest lessons I learned was that clutter causes an overwhelming sense of anxiety for me.  Our homes should be our havens, a place that brings us calm and where we can relax and unwind with family and friends. When everything is in it’s place it truly brings me happiness and makes my home a place I never want to leave. And for that, I thank you Marie Kondo.