This is probably one of the shortestâbut most usefulâposts you’ll find on the KonMari Method.
It’s taken straight from the source, and you can also read a summary of Marie Kondo’s book here: 9 Top Themes from âThe Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Upâ by Marie Kondo (Book Summary)
This post is meant to be a quick reference guide or cheat sheet that you can bookmark and come back to without having to get lost in the details in other posts.
Happy tidying!
What is Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method?
Here’s how Marie Kondo describes the KonMari Method in her own words:
- “Let me share with you the secret of success. Start by discarding. Then organize your space, thoroughly, completely, in one go. If you adopt this approachâthe KonMari Methodâ youâll never revert to clutter again.”
- “Remember: the KonMari Method I describe in this book is not a mere set of rules on how to sort, organize, and put things away. It is a guide to acquiring the right mindset for creating order and becoming a tidy person.”
Let’s get right into it…
KonMari Method Checklist: 5-Step Decluttering Cheat Sheet
KonMari Method Step #1: Discarding by category comes first.
- Categories (in order): Clothes first, then books, papers, komono (miscellany), and lastly, mementos.
KonMari Method Step #2:Â Break a category into subcategories as necessary.
- For instance, put all your clothing in piles on the floor in subcategories:
- Tops (shirts, sweaters, etc)
- Bottoms (pants, skirts, etc)
- Clothes that should be hung (jackets, coats, suits, etc)
- Socks
- Underwear
- Bags (handbags, messenger bags, etc)
- Accessories (scarves, belts, hats, etc)
- Clothes for specific events (swimsuits, uniforms, etc)
- Shoes
KonMari Method Step #3:Â Keep only those things that spark joy.
- If “spark joy” doesn’t do it for you, Marie Kondo also uses these words to describe what you should keep:Â âinspire joy,â âthrill of pleasure,â âspeak to your heart,â âmoves you,â and âlove.â
- Pick things up one by one and decide if it stays. âJapanese word for healing is te-ate, which literally means âto apply hands.’â
KonMari Method Step #4:Â After you’ve finished discarding, organize your space thoroughly and completely.
- In this step, you are just deciding where to put something or where to store it.
- âI have only two rules: store all items of the same type in the same place and donât scatter storage space.â
KonMari Method Step #5:Â Do it all in one go.Â
- âIn Japanese, the term is ikki ni, or âin one go.’â
- âUltimate secret of success is this: If you tidy up in one shot, rather than little by little, you can dramatically change your mindset.â
Here’s a good video where Marie Kondo herself outlines the steps:
That’s it! Sounds easy enough on paper, right? Have you tried Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method? Please share your experience in the comments.
If you’re ready to tackle physical clutter, you can see various decluttering methods and approaches here:
And, if you want to focus on digital clutter, check these out:
- Thoughts on Cal Newport’s Digital Declutter Experiment
- Digital Minimalism Defined & 10 Digital Declutter Tips
- Slow Hack 010: How to Digital Declutter Your Phone Home Screen
Slow Living Resources:
Slow Living 101 | Slow Living Challenges | Slow Living Online Forums & Communities | Slow Living Quotes | Slow Living Videos
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The last part is not from the same book I’m reading…
The biggest part of this method is NOT just doing it all at once
Hi Jenny, this post as well as The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up book summary are directly from Marie Kondo’s book.
In the book, Kondo says:
Thank you for this post! I did my clothing… it took me 6 hours to do those. It also inspired my husband to go through his. Feels great to have only stuff that fits and have some empty space.
Congratulations. Keep going!
Congrats, Catherine! It’s a great feeling to build some momentum, isn’t it? I slowly inspired my wife to do the same!
I also did a Buy Nothing Year for clothing which helped stop the flow of new stuff coming into the house: My Buy Nothing Year: How I Bought NO Clothing for a Year & 5 Things I Learned
I have organized over and over. I stopped buying for over a year. I went from a large home to a 2 br apartment. I had a garage storage I rented. I went through that and donated and fold things and it took me 5 years. Im really ready to do Maries way. I need to buy more shelf bins and plastic shoeboxes for under the sink, etc. I need to stay organized and be more aggressive daily. I need motivation guys! Thx. Deb
It sounds like you are on the right track, Deb! Many people are paralyzed to even take the first step, but you’ve done a no-buy year, downsized, donated, and more. You’ve likely built some good momentum from all of that hard work. I think the compelling thing about Marie Kondo is that she claims she has no repeat business with her clients. One declutter and done!
Do you go through all the steps with clothing, then onto books? Or discard from all categories before moving to step 2 with clothing? Does that make sense?
If you follow Marieâs steps, youâre applying the KonMari method. Otherwise, itâs decluttering any olâ way. Only her method claims to have no repeat customers because there is no reverting to cluttering up the house again.
You got it, Max!
I have been going through the KonMari method and have managed to do my clothes and books (it is great to find clothes that make me happy every day), but I am stuck on paper. I have so much, mine, stuff I inherited from my Dad, Mum’s things too. I am losing momentum. Any advice?
Hi Sofie! Paper is a tough one for us too. In fact, we are taking another pass through paper now. I’m shredding as much as possible since most paperwork is available digitally these days. For others, you can scan it or take a picture of it, organize it digitally, and then discard the physical paperwork. For sentimental paperwork, there are quite a few recommendations online for decluttering sentimental items that should help.
The key to momentum is to not let it completely disappear. Even small progress is progress. Keep it going!
I have read her book 4 times now and it was the best book I have read on decluttering.Marie says that it may take up to 6 Months to complete your decluttering . After that she claims you won’t have to declutter ever again.
It is a nice feeling knowing where everything is in your home and exactly what you have.
It certainly has helped me with not buying stuff I don’t actually need .
Trying to lead a simple life but it’s not easy in this day and age,
Eve
I agree, Eve! It’s a wonderful book. Inspiring and actionable. You’re absolutely right that a simple life may be simple but not always easy.
I have taken a couple of sweeps through with the Konmari Method, and then I’ve moved a couple more times. Now it’s time for me to do it again with a combined household. Feeling a little overwhelmed and emotional and I’m not sure how I forgot that I have done some of this before. I never actually went through everything. My biggest stress is about the mementos. I’m struggling a bit. Any tips to get back on track and feel good about this again?
I’m in the same boat. We’ve been through most of the house a few times, usually before a move, and the results have been amazing but not complete because I’ve never gotten to it all. This time I’m determined to do the once and for all tidying as we are anticipating another move. I have one additional tip which I believe Marie would agree with. I noticed that it is helpful to take a step back once I have tidied and organized an area and to do a broader “joy check” of the space I just organized to see if the drawer, box, or cupboard can spark joy in a more wholistic way. That helps me to see if I really let go of all the things I wanted to in that category. For instance I know now that all my kitchen cupboards and drawers spark joy just when I open them and look inside. Originally there were a few cupboards and boxes that I had thought I had tidied but still didn’t feel quite right when I would open them up. That caused me to take another look at the contents and to discover a few items I hadn’t been brave enough to let go of yet. Be brave! And happy tidying!
Great additional tip, Mary!
“I noticed that it is helpful to take a step back once I have tidied and organized an area and to do a broader ‘joy check’ of the space I just organized to see if the drawer, box, or cupboard can spark joy in a more wholistic way.”
Hi Gretchen – Check out The Minimalists or Becoming Minimalist for dealing with mementos. I recall that they had some good tips. To get back on track, there are at least two options: start small (decluttering in phases) or go big (KonMari method).
But what about items like socks, for example, they don’t spark joy but I need them for hiking? Or work books? I absolutely hate them but I may need to use them for work at some point, which sounds bad, even as I write it.
Even the smallest or most mundane things (like socks) can still spark joy. Maybe you like the pattern on them (form) and/or how they feel (function).