KonMari Method: Genius Decluttering Method That Will Change Your Life

The KonMari Method: The Genius Decluttering Method That Will Change Your Life

Living in a house full of clutter? Here in the U.S., having “stuff,” is often considered somewhat of a symbol of price, but in reality, all of those things are probably taking joy out of your life, even if you aren’t aware of it.

One of the reasons is that when happiness comes from purchasing things, it’s never lasting, meaning you’ll never truly feel satisfied. You’ll just want more, more and more. The brain gets a nice quick boost of joyfulness from that new item you bought, but then it fades quickly, often leading to a life of buying, and more buying just to get another jolt, like an addiction to a drug.

While it may not seem like it’s harming anyone, it can negatively impact your health as it increases stress levels. In fact, a study by UCLA’s Center of Everyday Lives and Families, discovered a connection between a high level of cortisol, a stress hormone, and those who own homes full of lots of household objects. That added stress can actually make you eat more, as cortisol triggers the appetite, so you might gain weight. You’re also likely to feel fatigued and drained more often, simply as a result of spending mental energy on the stress that results from a messy environment.

The KonMari Method

That’s where the KonMari method comes in. KonMari, also known as the “art of decluttering,” is a methodology pioneered by Japanese organizing guru Marie Kondo in her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Kondo says that in her native country, tidiness is a way of everyday living. She applies feng shui principles to the tenets of her tidying and throws out long-held organizational beliefs, like cleaning little by little every day, storing items according to the seasons and discarding one item for every new object brought into the home. She says that these principles, while they’re meant to help, are the very reasons why we often seem to never be able to maintain our mess.

She advocates instead for one epic cleaning sweep, advising to keep only what “sparks joy,” and getting rid of everything else. Everything that is left is assigned a specific spot in the home. She claims that this can be done, but that it can take anywhere between a few hours to six months.

This life changing, no-excuses method of elimination is becoming increasing popular with legions of fans known as “Konverts,” who devote significant amounts of time to re-organizing their lives from top to bottom. While the initial purging session can be tough, the euphoria that comes with tossing out unneeded clutter makes it easier and easier as you move along.

Before we get into the ins and outs of how it’s done, consider the benefits that come with transforming your life through the KonMari method.