The clutter in my residence seems to multiply at an alarming rate. (I attribute this to my partner and children.) In an attempt to manage the growing chaos, I turned to Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.
Her “transformative” method promises to elevate tidying to an entirely new level and deliver remarkable results. Best of all, if you adhere to her bestselling guidelines, you’ll never have to organize again. I was sold! I ordered the book online, along with a Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Slicer, convinced I was on the right path.
I diligently read all 204 pages looking for her secrets, but despite the title, there are no magical Japanese fairies to do the work for you. The onus is entirely on you. Kondo’s KonMari Method guides you to declutter your home category by category and then to apply specialized storage techniques for the lucky items that remain.
The Grand Purge
Kondo suggests tackling your entire home in one sweeping effort, eliminating all unnecessary items in a tidying marathon. I suspect she might not have kids—and the chaos that accompanies them—along with a surplus of free time. Nevertheless, she made it sound so delightful and straightforward that I blocked off an entire weekend and encouraged my husband, Jake, to join me.
“Our lives will truly begin once we organize our home. It states so right here!” I fervently pitched, gesturing emphatically at the book.
“The whole house? Can’t we just focus on one room each weekend?” he implored, likely hoping I’d lose interest after the first weekend.
“Nope. That’s not how it works,” I replied. “The KonMari Method explicitly states we must purge all at once and by category—not by room. First, we’ll tackle clothing, then books, then papers, then komono, then…”
“What on earth is komono?” he interrupted.
“I don’t recall. I think it’s Japanese for ‘the rest of your stuff.’ Anyway, we’ll purge komono and then sentimental items. Those are the toughest.”
Reluctantly, Jake agreed. Probably because I promised him intimacy in our freshly organized space.
Does It Spark Joy?
The criterion for deciding whether to keep a possession is whether it sparks joy. Yes, you read that right. You hold an item, look deep within yourself, and make a decision based on the joy it inspires. By that measure, I’d retain only my wine, my personal massager, and my family (and on certain days, by “family,” I really mean “the family pet”).
Sorting Through His Wardrobe
On a Saturday morning, Jake and I dove into the first category of our KonMari project: his clothing.
“Let’s get started. First, place all of your clothing on the floor,” I directed.
“On the floor? That sounds like a terrible idea. We won’t be able to navigate to grab drinks or use the restroom,” he countered.
I had to concede that he was correct (something I’m not quick to admit), so we ignored Kondo’s suggestion and piled everything from his dresser and closet onto the bed.
“Don’t forget your coats! Collect all your clothing from the entire house!” I insisted. I’m not entirely sure, but I think I heard him mutter something about grabbing “this!” as he headed down the hall for his outerwear.
“Does it spark joy? Does it?” I asked repeatedly while dodging the items he tossed across the room.
I have to give Jake credit; he was quick and efficient in deciding what sparked joy for him. Unfortunately, several items I had purchased for him did not make the cut and were added to the discard pile. I tried to keep quiet… until I could no longer hold back.
“You’re putting all of your sweaters in the KonMari pile of junk?” I finally exclaimed.
“When do I wear those, except when you dress me? Which, by the way, does not spark joy. Now, if you were to undress me…” he winked.
I dismissed him: “Keep dreaming, buddy.”
Organizing the Survivors
Once Jake had eliminated all of his joy-sapping clothing, we began organizing what remained.
“Can’t we just return them to the dresser and closet as they were?” he pleaded. “There’s so much room now.”
“Absolutely not,” I replied. “We need to lovingly fold and store the clothes into neat little rectangles and hang up the items that would prefer to be hung. Clothes have feelings, you know, especially these remaining ones. They probably feel survivor’s guilt.”
“Are you kidding me?” he asked, incredulously.
“Nope. Do it properly, or I’ll KonMari you,” I insisted.
It became evident that while Jake was a pro at purging, folding was not his strong suit.
“You’re not folding those correctly,” I chastised. I then made him watch KonMari instructional videos on YouTube as we refolded his T-shirts. “And we need to redo all of your socks. They deserve care and respect. Never ball them up, as that stretches out the fabric. Properly folded socks experience more joy,” I advised.
“You’re sounding ridiculous,” he grumbled.
“Hey, don’t blame me. This is the KonMari Method. We’re even supposed to thank our socks daily for their hard work. We need to become Clothes Whisperers.”
“Are we still going to be married at the end of this?” he wondered aloud.
My Turn to Purge
My own purging process was notably slower. I discovered that I struggle to determine what brings me joy beyond a few select items. I kept asking Jake, “Does this outfit spark joy for you?” He wisely chose to withhold his opinions.
I also realized that a significant portion of my clothes doesn’t fit anymore. Sure, they don’t spark joy now, but they will when I shed those extra pounds. Thus, I unceremoniously tossed them into a box in the garage, likely violating several rules.
By the end of the first day, however, we had successfully parted with ten garbage bags of clothing and accessories, and we organized our remaining clothes and shoes in our closets and dressers. While the process was painful, our closets now look fantastic. Though they may not change my life, they do bring me a sense of satisfaction.
Moving Beyond Clothing
“Are you prepared to tackle the rest?” I asked Jake eagerly.
“What!? The clothes took all day. There’s no way we can finish the rest of the house this weekend,” he protested.
“Of course we can! Let’s power through it. We can stay up all night!” I enthused.
To which Jake replied, “You no longer spark joy for me. Get in the garbage bag.”
In an effort to preserve my marriage, I revised my plan and focused on KonMari-ing the rest of our bedroom, ensuring at least our master suite would be transformed. I moved all the books, papers, and komono to the office for sorting on a future weekend.
What Did I Learn?
If my bedroom is any indication, utilizing the KonMari Method should yield extraordinary results throughout the rest of my home. Despite the squabbles with Jake, I believe that decluttering by category and eliminating items that you don’t love is indeed effective. Will it transform my life? That remains uncertain.
The KonMari Method also provides excellent folding tips, but I’m realistic. Completing the laundry each week is already a challenge; there’s no way I will fold all of the clothes using her techniques. The clean laundry will have to find happiness in the basket.
Also, I’m not engaging in conversations with my socks. I don’t care what Kondo claims.
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Summary
In summary, while the KonMari Method may not revolutionize your life, it can significantly enhance your living environment through effective decluttering and organization. The process may be fraught with challenges, especially when involving family, but the rewards of a tidy space and the joy of retaining only meaningful items can be well worth the effort.
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