KonMari vs Real Life: Why We Adapt Marie Kondo’s Method

The KonMari Method, created by Marie Kondo, is probably the most famous approach to decluttering. Her mantra of “does it spark joy?” has inspired millions of people to rethink the way they live with their belongings. A simplified summary of the six rules:

1. Commit yourself to tidying up. Real change happens when you dedicate yourself to reviewing every item you own, even if it takes weeks or months.

2. Imagine your ideal lifestyle. Before you start, visualise how you want your home and daily routines to feel. This vision guides decisions about what to keep.

3. Finish discarding first. Clear out what doesn’t serve you before you start organising. Tidying one drawer without letting go of excess generally leads to relapse.

4. Tidy by category, not by location. Instead of going room by room, gather all items from one category—clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous items (komono) and then sentimental objects—so you can see everything you own. Tidying by location scatters your efforts.

5. Follow the right order. Start with clothing, then books, papers, komono and finally sentimental items. Easier categories build confidence for the harder ones.

6. Ask if it sparks joy. As you handle each item, pay attention to how your body feels. Keep what delights you and let go of what doesn’t.

   
   

KonMari emphasises mindful decision‑making and gratitude. Finishing each category in one sitting helps you recognise duplicates and avoid storing the same type of thing in several places.

At Sorted NI, we love the values behind KonMari; sustainability, intentional living, and creating space for what truly matters and when I started my own decluttering journey, I followed her full method. But here’s the truth: following the method to the letter can feel rigid, time-consuming and overwhelming for many people.

That’s why we take a flexible approach. We keep the essence of KonMari - joy, respect for your belongings, and sustainability - but adapt it to fit real life schedules, energy levels, and family demands.

Decluttering shouldn’t feel like an exam. It should feel like making your life lighter and easier.

Our takeaway: we don’t ask you to pile every item of clothing on your bed at once. Instead, we break the process into manageable steps, keeping the joy but losing the overwhelm.