You've probably already heard of Marie Kondo. Her best-selling book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up," has been the catalyst for millions of readers to get active in decluttering their lives and minds. Kondo just released her second book, "Spark Joy," to similar acclaim.
Her tips are unlike any other clutter guru's. She doesn't coddle you and tell you that cleaning a little bit at a time will do the trick. Get to know the KonMari method and you'll be inspired to tidy like crazy and watch your whole life feel lighter and improved. Learn all about Marie Kondo here, and then check out some of her most-discussed tips:
1. Treat your possessions like people.
Have an open "dialogue" with all the inanimate things that take up space in your home. This doesn't mean talking to objects, it means taking excellent care of the things you do have, and checking in every once in awhile and seeing if they're still being stored in the right way or if you still need them at all, explained Psychologies U.K..
2. Reduce, reduce, reduce.
You don't need as many clothes as are currently laying in your closet, guaranteed, explained PopSugar. That skirt you bought eight years ago that you've worn twice doesn't deserve space in your drawer. You'll feel great when your closet is free of excess and the decent discards are now in the hands of those who need it more, said One Kings Lane.
3. Do a huge tidy, all at once.
Fifteen minutes at a time won't change your life. If you tackle your mess as a huge overhaul, you'll be amazed at how much you'll find yourself ready to let go of, and how good it feels to get rid of so much clutter, said Kondo, according to Psychologies U.K. You'll wonder how you lived with it before and when you make a huge change, you're way less likely to revert to your cluttered ways.
4. Keep only the items that "Spark Joy".
This is the main idea behind Kondo's second book, and just that idea alone can help you discard all the useless, joyless mess you've kept in your home.
5. Work by category, not room, and start simple.
Start with things that are easy to throw away, like clothes and kitchen tools. Then move onto movies, games, and books, and then onto the tough stuff like letters and photos. Once you've discarded all the easy stuff, you'll find so much room to properly store the important things you want to keep, explained One Kings Lane.
Read more about the KonMari method in Kondo's amazing books. They're total page-turners and you'll be inspired to get started as soon as possible.
