Decorating & Design
May 4, 2015
How To Declutter Your Home With The #KonMari Method
“Does it spark joy?” — This is what Japanese cleaning professional Marie Kondo says you have to ask yourself about everything you own. Everything. Right down to your socks. And if the answer is “yes,” you keep it. (Answer “no” and out-the-door it goes.) Forget room-by-room decluttering methods or asking yourself “Have I used this item in a year?” Kondo’s method to home organization first seems a little unusual, but dive deep into her cleaning handbook The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and you’ll realize this simple rule can truly help pare back your belongings. (This blog post is sponsored by Just Junk.)
Why should you discard objects in your home? In Kondo’s experience, she finds we surround ourselves with lots of things that go unused or don’t suit the life we actually live. We’re stuck with gifts we don’t want, more clothes than we remember we own and kitchen utensils we never use. Paring back means an organized home, and in Kondo’s experience, affects your life as a whole, too. Plus, it’s perfect for small spaces and those who love the minimalist look.
So, how do you start? Here are some of Kondo’s top tips:
- Start immediately — there’s no need to wait for a new month, year or season.
- Before thinking about how to organize everything you own, focus on discarding.
- Commit to a tidying marathon. Instead of discarding a little bit every day, turn it into a special event. (Yes, if you’re busy you can try her method to tidying on weekends only.)
- Discard items one category at a time in this order: clothes, books and papers, miscellaneous items and then sentimental items.
- Don’t store your stuff at your parents’ home (or anywhere else), and don’t force your discarded items onto friends and family.
When discarding clothes, Kondo says it’s not as easy as flipping through items hanging in your closet and choosing what to lose. Take all clothes — from your front hall closet to your bedroom — and dump it into one spot. Then hold each item and ask the question, “Does it spark joy?” to determine whether you keep the item. When it comes to storing clothes, Kondo says you can fold most clothes so each item can be seen upright in a drawer (instead of in a pile). For clothes that have to be hung, hang items from longest to shortest, darkest to lightest, left to right.
For books, Kondo says to store them upright instead of in piles (sorry, I still love to style shelves!), keep them all in the same part of your home, and not to feel bad about letting go of unread books. Just be thankful for its purpose in your life and move on.
In the kitchen, the same rules apply whether you’re tackling dishes, your pantry or items in your fridge. Want open shelves in the kitchen but worried about storage? Maybe you’ll be able to get the look with the KonMari Method!
Think you’re finished discarding? Kondo says you’ll know when you’ve hit the point where you can discard no more. The result of this kind of home detox: Countless bags and boxes of items — from old dishes to dated technology to way-too-many free t-shirts — that need to be recyled, donated or thrown out. Professional junk removal companies like JUSTJUNK® can help you out. Just Junk’s team will come to your home and take away all your clutter, and recycle, donate and dispose everything from appliances to furniture. You simply pay based on how much you want to get rid of. Visit justjunk.com today to see how they can help you get a clean, organized home. Just Junk serves cities across Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Alberta.
Have you tried the #KonMari Method? Will you? Tell us what you think in the comments!
Photo credits:
1. Penguin Random House
2. House & Home March 2015 issue, photographer Janis Nicolay
3. House & Home March 2010 issue, photographer Donna Griffith
4. House & Home April 2012 issue, photographer Donna Griffith
5. House & Home June 2008 issue, photographer Andrew Grinton
6. House & Home September 2013 issue, photographer Virginia Macdonald