Millions of Americans are turning to a 34-year-old Japanese “organizing consultant” to help de-clutter their homes, and for Marie Kondo, the tidying expert and eponymous star behind Netflix’s “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo,” there’s nothing that “sparks joy” more than seeing people take ownership of their belongings — and their lives.
Kondo, whose eight-episode series premiered on Netflix on New Year’s Day, touts the virtues of the “KonMari Method” of organizing, which aims to pare down the tidying experience. Rather than cleaning out room by room, the KonMari Method promotes sorting by category, and assigning a sentimentality to each item. As Kondo writes on her website, “Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service — then let them go.”
The Netflix series was based on Kondo’s best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.” First released in 2011, the book has since been published in more than 40 countries. The U.S. edition arrived in 2014 and has become a #1 New York Times best-seller.
According to Kondo, part of the reason why her book — and the show — has been so successful, is that it promotes an effective exercise that not only refreshes a space, but also helps to transform our ways of thinking. Her belief: If you can turn your home into a space of serenity and inspiration, your mind and overall well-being will follow.
We have been seeing friends all over social media sharing images of their tidy drawers and closets in the last week. Have you become obsessed with tidying up? Are you finding your joy? Share your pictures in the comments and on our Facebook page! What have your challenges been? We want to know!
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