The KonMari method is more than a meme, but a way of life
The first sweatshirt was a well-known brand, the brightest color on the market and the highest price ever known to man. The second sweatshirt was one from her college days. Which one would she keep? Which one sparked joy within her?
The first sweatshirt was made of soft and heavy material. It was comfortable and durable, as expected from the hefty price tag. It insulated her from the cold moderately well and had deep pockets where she could store her phone. It felt luxurious underneath her fingertips. Her only complaint was that it smelled like factory plastic. “Surely,” she thought, “this is joy.” However, when she caressed the threads of her worn college sweatshirt, she remembered late night ice cream runs to the supermarket, spilled popcorn over theatre chairs, a girl’s night in, an all-nighter for a big exam and a particularly comfy cuddle session with her boyfriend.
22 | spring 2020
“This,” she decided, “sparks joy.” According to the official KonMari website, “the KonMari method “encourages tidying by category — not by location — beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. 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.” Carol Clark, a 36 year-old KonMari consultant, further elaborated on the method. “To me, the KonMari method is something anyone can apply to anything, whether that be in their homes, spaces, or as another philosophy.” “Some people use the terms Marie Kondo and KonMari method interchangeably,” Clark explained. “Like, ‘I Marie Kondo-ed my house.’” Clark became a KonMari practitioner and consultant after many years of fighting the “too much stuff, not enough space” battle many people, especially college students, struggle with.
design / Anusha Rao
M
arie Kondo’s client observed the two sweatshirts in her closet.
photography/ Elizabeth Player
This Sparks Joy
by Alexandria Giang
Before and after photos of a child’s bedroom tidied using the KonMari method taken by Elizabeth Player from Energetic Organizing.