There’s a Japanese way of tidying up that boils down to finding a specific place “for leftover stuff” once you’ve completed all other household cleaning methods. This is a tried and tested method according to Japanese cleaning professional, Marie Kondo. It is named after her and is called the KonMari Method.
The KonMari method of decluttering homes is one of the simplest, yet unique ways to declutter and organize a person’s life by decluttering their home. There are so many areas that can be cleared, be it a bedroom, the bathroom, or even the kitchen. In fact, there are plenty of other places, like the closet and garage, where you can follow these steps to declutter and declutter. It doesn’t matter if you have an apartment or a house, you can follow these steps quite easily with a little patience and time. Yes, even you can pick them up quickly once you get the hang of it.
get rid of objects
The philosophy focuses on detaching ourselves from specific possessions to which we mentally attach ourselves. There are certain ways a person might want to clean their house or apartment, but it’s when we “stumble upon” such things that we find it hard to throw them away, even if we don’t use or need them! Maybe it’s because it becomes a laborious task and that prevents us from wanting to clean up after having accumulated so much. The step to take is to detach ourselves from these mental attachments that we seem to have with various things. This, in fact, can be very difficult, mainly because we have convinced ourselves that we need to have these things. Also, the best approach to decluttering your home is to start with one room at a time.
The main rule applies to everything.
KonMari has a rule that applies to everything. Some of the easier rules can also help you with tedious chores around the house. When you collect all your things, or order each room, you will have a lot of extra things that you did not know you had, such as: papers, pencils, books, plates, glasses, clothes,…etc. .
These things seem to multiply in quantity, so KonMari came up with a simple way to “order” any place, regardless of which room in the house it’s in. You can also do it with a “yes or no” answer to this question, “Does it make me happy?” This simple rule can be applied to everything!
The answer to the KonMari question
KonMari’s simple rule applies to anything you keep or get rid of. In fact, if you answer “yes” to each of the items as you order, you will be able to order everything more easily.
On the other hand, if you answer “no”, you throw it away. Gone are those days of wondering, “Have I used this in a year?”
This is the KonMari way as a step-by-step implementation of cleaning, while you tidy up.
You should immediately start cleaning or tidying up your house or apartment.
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Just focus on the “discard phase,” which KonMari calls the “ordered marathon.” You can make it a special event with background music, takeout and refreshments to make it an enjoyable experience while you complete your “ordered marathon”.
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The miscellaneous items can be done first, as these are the most tedious. These include: books, papers, clips, sundries, knick-knacks, and anything else you have on your shelves, in your drawers, and on your counters.
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The next step is called the “feeling” step, which applies to those things that, for one reason or another, you can’t let go of. These can be stuffed animals, roses, or gifts from ex, specific clothes… etc.
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Do not keep these items at the house of your friends, partner or parents. Why carry them around when you can just throw them away or keep them if you’re going to need or use them?
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Empty your closet. Take everything out, including hangers and all miscellaneous stuff (ie caps, scarves, belts and hanging accessories,…)
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Throw ALL of this stuff (clothes, knick-knacks, and trash that you’ve accumulated over the years) in the center of the floor or on top of your bed.
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For shelving ideas you can add 2-3 art deco pieces such as vases, framed photos, a lamp, a plant, but that’s about it! No need to clutter your shelves with things that will eventually collect dust.
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The containers in the kitchen can contain the basics, such as: flour, sugar and blended coffee. You can simply place this set of basic items near the counter after you’ve wiped the counter space clean with a rag. If you place this simple set of canisters near your kitchen sink, you’ll benefit from having them close at hand. This goes back to the KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) technique.
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Simplify your life by keeping each category of stuff in the same place instead of scattering it all over the place. For example, you can keep all your cleaning supplies in the same place in the kitchen and the same goes for all your shoes, which are best kept in the same place in your closet.
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Use a cheat sheet and detail the categories. As you go through the pile of things, check off which category you’ve worked on so that it gets removed from your list.
Check the extra stuff and throw it away.
These steps instruct you to “check all the items” that you have. When you go through everything, you may have some things that you just can’t answer yes or no to. Just put those items in their own box labeled with a question mark, and then when you’re done sorting everything, you can go back to this box and try again. This box of stuff is representative of the “extra stuff” you’ve accumulated over the years. Somehow, you have to mentally detach yourself from these elements. When in doubt, throw it away!
Finally, just try to truthfully answer the main question that the KonMari method suggests. “Does it bring me joy or does it bring me joy?” Decide if you feel any kind of “spark” or excitement when you hold it in your hands. This is the KonMari method at its finest. The core of his method for cleaning and ordering is precisely this. You will see, over time, that your house will look much more tidy.
Also, when you feel like you need to clean up your home, you can also tidy up by adding shelves if you don’t have any. Shelves work wonders for homeowners and those who live in small apartments. You can use the KonMari method with shelving and declutter your living space at the same time. Sorting everything out initially is the first step in the KonMari method.
For most of us, clutter builds up over time, and with these methods or steps, as KonMari suggests, you’ll be better organized. Time and patience are two of the main things people need to have when starting this type of project. After successfully completing this project, you will find that you can do much better and faster next time. Every time you work on it, you will find your place much more organized and tidy.
