What Do You Think of Marie Kondo and the KonMari method?

Over the last few weeks I’ve heard little snippets here and there about a cleaning consultant named Marie Kondo, whose show recently launched on Netflix. It didn’t occur to me to watch the show–nothing against it, but I just didn’t have a reason to watch someone teach someone else how to tidy up.

However, I do subscribe to the Jimmy Kimmel show on YouTube, so when this video appeared in my feed, I decided to watch it.

I have to say, I was instantly won over by Marie Kondo. She’s Japanese, and it’s clear that she has a desire to communicate with pinpoint accuracy, because she uses translators to communicate. I admire that approach, especially given that all Japanese people have years of education in English and can understand quite a bit, but they typically can’t speak English all that well (the exams they study for are written, not oral).

It’s more than just a desire for clear communication, though. It’s also that paired with how disarming she is, which I think is a calculated but genuine way to help people welcome her into their offices and homes. If you haven’t seen her in action, watch the video below–I think you’ll see what I mean.

As for the KonMari method itself, my understanding is that it’s about being grateful for what you have, having a physical connection to your possessions, and asking yourself if your possessions bring you joy. I think that’s brilliant.

While I currently don’t have time to walk around my condo picking up every object, it’s something I’ll keep in mind the next time I’m stumped about keeping something. I’ll pick it up or touch and and ask myself if it brings me joy.

I already do something like this with my game collection once a year. I look at each of my games, and if I haven’t played the game in the last year, I give it to someone who wants to play it.

Have you tried this method? Would you welcome Marie Kondo into your home, and if so, what is it about her that would make you comfortable?

6 thoughts on “What Do You Think of Marie Kondo and the KonMari method?”

  1. Jamey,

    I had never heard of her either until a few weeks ago, and now she’s become quite ubiquitous on the internet, especially my FB feed. While I’ve done an okay job purging my own things over the years, having the mantra of only keeping that which brings you joy is brilliant. Now, I probably won’t thank my socks, I’ll be far less reticent to remove things from my life (and house) than I have been in the past.

    Cheers,
    Joe

    Reply
  2. I wouldn’t want her in my home particularly… I wouldn’t necessarily be averse to it though. Christy and I are using the method in small batches (Christmas decorations and DVDs for her, Video Ganes and Cookbooks for me). I need to get down into the basement soon and do a HUGE cull of gaming stuff, and then start taking hard looks at books, clothes, and the kitchen.

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  3. I’ve watched two episodes of her show on Netflix, which is enough to get a pretty good understanding of how she operates. In the past, when evaluating my things (of which I still have too many), I’ve always thought, “Do I have a reason to get rid of this?” While I don’t necessarily hold each item to discern whether I’m feeling a sense of joy, watching Marie Kondo work has helped me augment the questions I’m asking myself when considering the value an item is bringing to my life. I’ve also picked up tips about organizing, particularly how to fold and display clothing, which I already consider invaluable because they’ve helped me use the same amount of space to see all of my clothing, instead of having some things folded/displayed traditionally and then placed beneath other things in a drawer (where they’d never be front of mind). Also, as a person with children, hearing Marie’s philosophies about how and why to involve them in the process makes a lot of sense to me. For instance, if a 10-year-old is responsible for folding and putting away his/her own shirts, there’ll never be frantic morning fights about with kids mad at parents because he/she can’t find a certain shirt. The kid has ownership of where that item is.

    I’ve heard some criticism from people who haven’t had good experiences following Marie Kondo’s tips to the letter, but I believe the fundamental thought process is valuable to consider if you believe your home could use more organization and/or decluttering.

    Reply
    • That’s really interesting about how the turn of phrase has had a positive impact on you. Years ago I stopped using dressers, as I found that I really need to see all of my clothing or I will forget it exists. So my closet has an open shelf in it (more like a bookshelf), along with sweaters on racks and shirts/pants on hangers.

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  4. I read her book a couple years ago and I like her philosophies a lot! My friend put it another way, whether you’re debating buying something, keeping something, etc – “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no.”

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