Few home-organizing ideas hold the same prestige as Ms.Kondo’s famed KonMari method, so when she sat down with H&G, we were inevitably quick to take note of her teachings. And while Marie has already addressed some of our biggest questions (including Marie kondo’s top five tips and tidying mistakes to avoid), we couldn’t help but ask, what is her secret to organizing a home quickly? Whether you’re organizing small spaces or you’re tackling your entire home, Marie’s teaching is simple but rewarding. Here’s how the master begins every tidy.
How Marie Kondo starts every ’tidying journey’ – and what it means for your home
Kurashi at Home primarily teaches us how to transform our spaces into places that are ‘calm and tranquil’, but how can we bring this teaching into our lives? Marie explains that the first step is found in an internal dialogue with yourself. ‘There are many steps to tidying your home properly when using the KonMari Method. That said, the first two steps of the process include committing yourself to tidy up and imagining your ideal lifestyle,’ says Marie. ‘I discuss this further in Kurashi at Home,’ but having this initial dialogue with yourself and dedicating time to the first couple of steps will help you hone in and understand what you are looking to get out of the process. While all steps of the KonMari Method are important to follow, these two will help you kick off your tidying journey on the right foot.’ As the guru explains, an organized home begins your mindset. Though, there is a physical way to promote ‘kurashi’ – and make your space feel calmer instantly. ‘If you are looking for a quick and easy way to enhance your space and the calmness it offers without embarking on a full tidying journey, I recommend opening windows or doors to let fresh air in,’ says Marie. Beyond these window treatment ideas, Marie also recommends striking a tuning fork ’to help awaken the spirit of your space or lighting a stick of palo santo.’ ‘By removing stale air from your home, you can make your space feel calmer and therefore feel more prepared to have a motivating day,’ Marie Kondo adds. Marie’s new book expands on the Japanese concept of kurashi, or ‘way of life,’ that she references above. Her teaching invites you to visualize your best life from the moment you wake up until the end of each day, and we’re adding it to our basket right now.
