It’s all around the Internet and there is even a Netflix show about it – the KonMari method by the lovely Marie Kondo. Although the show is called “The magic art of tidying up”, it is more about decluttering your home strategically and finally organising the stuff you have left.
I am super passionate about this approach and I am happy to see a more minimalist lifestyle becoming more and more popular. I have always considered myself a tidy and well-organized person and thought that I was happy with how my apartment is organized.
After educating myself about the KonMari method,however, I realised that I just have way too much stuff and I knew that it was time to change and give this method a try when I heard a quote in a Ted Talk that I could relate to: “Own your stuff or it will end up owning you.”
I just knew deep down that my posessions didn’t make me a happier person and that they would sometimes even stress me out – especially when I wanted to find something but couldn’t remember where I put it.
6 Ways The KonMari Method Has Changed My Life For The Better
1. Express gratitude for the things you have
We all know that it is important to implement a daily dose of gratitude into our lives. In the research of positive psychology, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. So why not be grateful for the things we own?For instance, every day when I get dressed, I try to feel gratitude for the clothes I own and one amazing thing I learned from Marie Kondo is to thank the item you declutter that it served you so well J It’s just an amazing practice and will make your experience of decluttering more fun
2. Being mindful of the things you own – do they spark joy in you?
Now this is definitely something that makes decluttering a whole lot easier. We tend to own so much stuff that we are not mindful anymore of the things we own. Therefore, we often don’t know whether we really like our possessions and “they spark joy” in us as Marie Kondo says or whether we just have them because we like the idea of having stuff. So while decluttering and also when you buy a new item, really ask yourself whether it sparks joy in you.In the past, I sometimes bought things without even fully liking them and since having become more mindful, I can say that my life has changed for the better.
3. Simplicity is sexy
This point plays into minimalism and at least for me it is true – having less stuff makes me happier. Having to make so many decisions can feel very draining. So, when I leave the house and have two jackets to choose from instead of five, it just feels liberating and I have space in my mind for more important things. In terms of physical space, it is also very practical. Personally, I live in a 30sm student apartment and I have to be careful not to have too much stuff– especially in my closet. In the past, I sometimes did not even know anymore which clothes I own and it is such a nice feeling to be able to visualise every single item in my closet.
4. Folding techniques DO matter
Now this is a game changer! While I leave some of my clothes on hangers in the closet, I also use drawers for storage. However, it can be really hard to find a clothing item when it is stored in a drawer. I personally think that Marie’s folding technique is genius and makes life so much easier because you immediately see what you have and when pulling out one thing, everything else still looks neat.
5. Keep current reads away from the bookshelf
I love reading but since I am an English literature student, I have both, books that I have to read for university and the ones that I read for leisure (at the moment mostly non-fiction). This sometimes leads to me losing sight over which books I should currently read. So I place my “high priority books” (currently three) on the top of my drawer which has two benefits. Firstly, I see the books and I am more likely to pick them up compared to when they are stored in my book shelf and secondly, it also serves as a nice decoration and your books deserve this special kind of treatment 🙂
6. Give your items a home
While this might seem common sense, it changed a lot for me. My drawers used to be fairly neat but I haven’t divided them into sections. This especially applies to my stationery items. So this means that in one drawer could be printing paper, a calculator, some crayons, cables and envelopes. Following the KonMari method, I use boxes for storage which makes my drawers look so much nicer and now everything is organised in different sections: one for cables, one for crayons, one for printer supplies and so on. I’m so grateful that I no longer have to search for specific items and know that everything has a specific home.
Final Note
I hope this article inspired you to think differently about the stuff you own and how you can use minimalism and the KonMari method for productivity and more peace of mind.
I’m sending you much love and have a beautiful day,
Jennifer
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