Simplify your life with the Marie Kondo method: practical tips to organize yourself.

The Marie Kondo Method is an organization and cleaning system developed by Marie Kondo, an organization consultant and author of several best-selling books on the subject. The method is based on the idea that a neat and organized home can lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.

The Kondo method consists of five main steps:

1. Commit to Organizing: Marie Kondo suggests that one must commit to completing the entire organizing process in order to be successful.
2. Discard Before Organizing: Kondo's method suggests that one should begin by discarding everything one doesn't need or want before organizing what is left.
3. Organize by categories: Kondo proposes to organize objects by categories (for example, clothes, books, kitchen utensils) instead of by rooms to address the entire home.
4. Keep Only What Brings You Joy: Kondo encourages users to ask themselves if each object brings them joy and if not, they should consider discarding it.
5. Assign a specific place for each object: Kondo suggests that each object have a specific place in the house and that it be returned to its place after use.

Some additional tips

In addition to the main steps, the Marie Kondo method also includes some additional tips for effective organization:

1. Fold clothes instead of hanging them: Kondo advocates that most clothes can be folded instead of hung, which saves space and makes it easier to display clothes.
2. Using boxes and bins to store items: Kondo suggests using boxes and bins to keep items organized and prevent them from being scattered all over the house.
3. Sort books upright – Kondo recommends arranging books upright rather than stacked horizontally, to save space and to easily see all the titles.
4. Thank Items Before Discarding: Kondo encourages people to thank items before discarding them, as a way of honoring their past usefulness and letting go of what is no longer needed.

Marie Kondo: a lifestyle icon

Marie Kondo has also become a lifestyle icon, inspiring many to seek happiness and fulfillment through simplicity and mindfulness.

His philosophy is based on the idea that organization can be a means to achieve a fuller life, and that we should surround ourselves only with things that truly bring us joy and satisfaction. Some of the key ideas of his philosophy include:

1. Appreciate What You Have: Kondo advocates the importance of acknowledging and appreciating what you already have, rather than constantly looking for more.
2. Focus on Happiness: Kondo encourages people to seek happiness rather than perfection, and to follow only those practices that bring them joy and fulfillment.
3. Letting Go of Guilt: Kondo suggests that people should let go of the guilt associated with clutter and hoarding, and instead focus on positive, sustainable solutions.

Marie Kondo and children

Marie Kondo has also been recognized for her focus on organizing and cleaning in homes with children . Although it may seem difficult to maintain a tidy home with children, Kondo believes that organization is essential to the emotional and mental well-being of the entire family.

In her book "Kiki & Jax: The Life-Changing Magic of Friendship," Kondo presents a children's story about two friends who learn to tidy up together. The book focuses on the idea that organization can be a fun and rewarding activity for children and teaches them the importance of valuing their possessions and keeping their space tidy.

In her focus on children, Kondo also encourages parents to involve their children in the organizing process, involving them in deciding which items to keep and which to throw away, as well as creating custom storage solutions for their belongings. .

2023: the year of all changes

However, Marie Kondo, now a mother of 3 children, recognizes that it is difficult to have an organized home with 3 children. In an interview with the Washington Post in January 2023, the Japanese Marie Kondo explains: "My house is messy, but the way I spend my time is the right one for me at this stage of my life." Since becoming the mother of three children, her lifestyle has changed and her focus has shifted from being organized to finding simple ways to bring some happiness into the routine.

A change that has given rise to her latest book, "Marie Kondo Kurashi at home: how to organize your space and achieve your ideal life". A title that echoes his change of mentality and the realization that sometimes life is chaos.

"Ordering means managing all the 'things' in your life," he says according to The Guardian, thus including children who do not always allow themselves to have a tidy house and emptied of the "superfluous". "Until now I was a professional organizer, so I did my best to keep my house tidy at all times. Now I realize that what is important to me is spending time with my children at home."

Marie Kondo recognizes the importance of organization in homes with children and has developed resources and strategies to help families maintain an orderly and harmonious home together. Her approach encourages parents to involve their children in the organizing process, making it a fun and enriching activity for the whole family, while keeping in mind that kids are still kids and it's important to spend time with them.

Who is Marie Kondo?

Marie Kondo is a Japanese organization expert and author, known for her method of organizing and cleaning, popularly known as "the KonMari method." He was born on October 9, 1984 in Tokyo, Japan.

Kondo began to be interested in organization and cleaning at a very young age, and during his teenage years he began to research and develop his own method of organization. After graduating from college, she began working as an organization and cleaning consultant, eventually founding her own consulting business, KonMari Media, Inc.

In 2011, Kondo published his first book, "The magic of order: tools to order your house... and your life!" ("The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" in English), which became a bestseller in Japan and around the world. Since then, he has published several more books on organization and cleaning, including "Happiness after order" and "The joy of order."

In addition to her books, Kondo has appeared on television shows in Japan and around the world, including her own Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo!, in which she helps people organize and simplify their homes and their lives.