Myths from the Netflix TV show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”
On January 1, 2019, Japanese tidying expert, Marie Kondo, entered our homes with the release of her Netflix TV show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.”
She quickly became the most famous decluttering expert in the world, and we became obsessed with the concept of decluttering our homes and performing “joy checks.”
But Marie Kondo was already a world-renown tidying expert after her books, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and “Spark Joy,” became #1 New York Times bestsellers.
The television show brought Marie Kondo into our homes and lives and her KonMari Method, outlined in her books, came to life. We learned to declutter by category not room, to only keeping items that spark joy, and to store clothes vertically to maximize space, and improve accessibility and visibility.
But, as with any cultural phenomenon, and the world of reality TV, aspects of the KonMari Method were misunderstood and, perhaps, slightly misrepresented.
When I decided to become a professional home organizer, I knew I wanted to specifically learn the method (and secrets) from her directly so that I could align it with my own Scandinavian approach to living a clutter-free streamlined life.
In 2019, I got the chance to train with Marie Kondo and her expert Consultants in the KonMari Method in Los Angeles, California.
As the show had just launched, there was some discussion around some of the resulting misconceptions.
Here are some of the myths from the show debunked:
1. We will leave you with a giant pile of clothes on your bed.
We will only take out what we can manage in the time we have during our tidying session. The process of decluttering a home can be a lengthy one, so we have to tackle it a bit at a time.
2. We will go through the process as a family.
The KonMari Method is a one-on-one experience. If each member of the family would like to declutter their space, they would work with us separately on their room or area.
3. We will declutter your entire house in one week.
That was just TV magic. The families featured on the show went through the process over a four-month period. If you are choosing to do a complete tidying festival (your whole house and all five categories), how quickly you complete the process depends on how dedicated you are.
4. Marie Kondo is big on getting rid of stuff, and she suggests that you should toss anything that does not “spark joy.”
This is the most widely known facet of her ideology and also the most misunderstood. If you hold an item and it makes you happy and you need/use it, keep it. For example, if you are passionate about books, keep them. Just make sure every book you’re keeping is well-loved and needed in your home.