How to “Marie Kondo” Your Life

By Olivia Manthey

Many of us have been trying to organize our lives while stuck at home. A lot of the time, we get overwhelmed or distracted when we go too deep into the black hole of our clutter! That is where the ultimate question comes in to play: “Does it spark joy?” This phrase is the key when purging your life, according to expert Marie Kondo. She is the queen of organization and the mastermind behind this glorious phrase. Her expertise has inspired many around the world to live more efficiently. Check out our tips on how to Marie Kondo your life!

#1 Tackle Categories, Not Rooms.

Tackling a whole room or your entire house can be intimidating! Starting with categories is much more doable. Clothes, artwork, decor items, photos… Once you have your categories in mind, collect the items that fall into each category and throw them in a pile. This may seem contradictory, but don’t worry, there’s a method to the chaos when you take it one category at a time and decide what to keep and what to toss or donate.

#2 The “Spark Joy” Test!

The second step for saying good-bye to your clutter is the famous phrase, “Does it Spark Joy?” This test is a great way to decipher what you should keep, what you can give away, and what you can toss!

#3 Nostalgia = Bad

Nostalgic pieces are always so difficult to get rid of. Somehow we always rationalize a way that we will use it in the future, but we all know deep inside that’s never going to happen. Although your items still need to “spark joy,” don’t let childhood memories cloud your judgment when it comes to something that will ultimately just be in the way or forgotten.

#4 Don’t dump your “Give Away” pile on your parents/friends.

Kondo says that when we can’t quite bear to part with things that don’t spark joy for us, we sometimes dump our stuff on our family and friends instead of correctly getting rid of them. She says that if you know someone that needs something that you’re getting rid of then that is fine, but you shouldn’t overwhelm them with all the stuff you feel too guilty to toss.

#5 Fold your clothes the KonMari way; don’t hang!

Yes, we have been folding our clothes wrong all this time. The KonMari method of folding clothes makes so much more sense. You can turn your jam-packed T-shirt drawer into a perfectly organized oasis!

#6 Don’t buy storage containers until you figure out what needs to be stored.

There is no sense of going out and buying a whole bunch of containers before you have tidied up! You may need a lot less storage than you initially thought.

#7 Purging Feels SO Good!

Purging excess items and clutter can definitely spark joy in all of us. You will feel lighter, more organized, and very accomplished! What’s better than that?

Let us know in the comments or on our social channels @VIEmagazine what your favorite Marie Kondo tips are!