For our last post in the Eastbrook Homes Tidy House series, we’re going to check out the final steps in Marie Kondo’s revolutionary KonMari method of home organization. Marie Kondo, who seems to have become a household name overnight, created her organization system when she was just 19 years old and still in school in Japan.
The KonMari method relies on simplicity to give those who wish to practice it an easy starting point, solid decision-making tools, and a framework that’s built on a strong central concept. When it’s time to decide whether to keep or discard an object, the first question should always be “Does this item spark joy?”
Last week, we covered the first three steps in the KonMari method – Commit, Imagine your Ideal Life, and Discard First. Now, let’s take a look at the last.
- Tidy by category
- Follow the order above
- Ask yourself “Does this item spark joy?”
While moving in to a new Eastbrook Home in one of our West Michigan or Greater Lansing area communities, the transition is made easier by discarding the items that you no longer want or need.
The next step is Tidy by Category.
While this step is more targeted toward storing stuff, it is still an important part of the Tidy House process.
When storing items based on their type instead of by expected location, it becomes easier to find stored items, and makes you less likely to drag everything out of a box looking for that one special thing.
Marie Kondo has her own categories for organizing items, although they can be ignored or modified to meet your own needs. Her categories are:
- Clothes
- Books
- Papers
- Misc. stuff
- Sentimental
The basic KonMari rule for storage is to put all of the same types of items in one place. In other words, don’t put some books in the master bedroom closet and store another box full of paperbacks in the garage.
The 5th step in the KonMari method is to Follow the Above Order.
The KonMari method is not only successful because it pushes people to organize, it also works because it also helps change their mindset. Don’t deviate from the steps; follow the path in the correct order or the process will not create the entire outcome desired.
The final idea in Marie Kondo’s KonMari organizational system is to ask yourself, “Does this item spark joy?”
Are you keeping an item you just because you always have, or because it once belonged to a distant relative, or are there more important reasons – like, you enjoy seeing that item on a shelf in your home? In other words, does that item spark joy when you look at it?
If something is not useful or it does not spark joy, then it should be donated, given away, or sold. For Marie Kondo herself, discarding an item means launching it on a new journey of its own.
The KonMari system is straightforward and easy to follow and can help simplify the packing process when moving from one home to another. Imagine unpacking boxes that hold only the items you truly love and using them to fill and personalize the shelves in your new Eastbrook Home.
If you are considering a new home in Michigan, please let us help you get started. We’d love to discuss our own unique approach to the home building process and show you around some of our beautiful Eastbrook Communities.
Contact our team today and see how Eastbrook Homes can give you more home for your money.
