5 Ways to Bring Joy to the KonMari Method™

by Christine O’Brien

Simplifying is on everyone’s mind these days and no wonder- with the fast, busy pace of our lives plus the amount of stuff overflowing from our homes it’s too much! We constantly feel behind, it’s stressful and we are missing out on the joys of life. We are not able to be relaxed and present and are missing moments to connect with ourselves, our families, friends and community.

Marie Kondo the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy  and star of the new Netflix show, Tidy up With Marie Kondo, is showing the world how to let go with gratitude and live more calm and joyful lives with her organizing strategy known as the KonMari Method™.

The fundamental idea behind the KonMari Method™I s to approach each of your possessions one at a time, hold it, and sense whether or not it ‘sparks joy’.  If it well and truly does, then it is worth keeping.  If not, then it is time to thank it and let it go. The reason this is so important, and the reason it works, is because it allows you to approach each thing you own from an emotional level, rather than an intellectual one.  This emotional connection to our possessions has a two-fold effect.  It enables us to authentically determine whether or not we should keep something – we can always mentally justify holding onto stuff, but there is no fooling our heart.  The other effect, the true magic of the method, is that it forces us to get rid of some of our emotional junk, just as we get rid of some of our material junk.

This process of going through everything you own one by the prescribed category: Clothing, Books, Papers, Komono (miscellaneous) and Sentimental. Can be intimidating and overwhelming. Following are ways to deal with the overwhelm and actually enjoy the process of letting go and making space for a calmer, slower paced life.

1. Start with a Clear Vision

Letting go of your belongings can be challenging, it will help to you start with a clear intention of what you want your life to look and feel like and identify why you are going to commit to this process. You’ll start from a positive attitude which is more motivating then the usual tendency to attack the junk you want to get rid of out of frustration. Focus on what you want to keep and ask yourself what are you making space for?  It’s all about focusing on joy and this will keep you committed to creating your joyful life.

2. Thank Your Socks

An important element that is part of the K KonMari Method™ is to develop your attitude of gratitude. Often people think it’s strange to thank their belongings or they forget to do it. It’s helpful in the letting go process, because it makes it easier to let go of the items that we once cherished and that are no longer serving our lives. We tend to hang on to things that we know we are not using or don’t like out of guilt. Saying thank you and feeling that warm sense of gratitude can dissipate the guilt. This method encourages you to choose joy, permission granted my friends to do what you need to do to create your joyful life.

3. Celebrate Every Step
Remember to celebrate every step. Focus on what you have accomplished instead of what still needs to be completed.  This is very important to keep in mind; the more we focus on what we are doing well and the accomplishments we are making along the way, the more likely we will be able to complete the KonMari Method™ and we’ll be happier along the way. When people don’t have a positive focus, nothing is good enough. With that attitude there is no way that anything will ever be good enough. It’s all about physically and emotionally living in the present moment without regret for the past or fear for the future.

4. Decide your “Click Point”
This method is not necessarily minimalism. There is no set number of things you should keep or let go of. As you go through your things by category, ask yourself, “how much is enough?”  It’s true that editing ruthlessly will take a lot of the overwhelm of stuff out of your life, but you get to decide for yourself what is the right amount of things for you and your family. You have agency over your life and need to make decisions that are best for you. It will help to take the pressure off to let go of the worry of other people’s opinions and what you think they may think.

5. Be Self-Compassionate
You are doing your best and giving all that you can to your family. It’s probably not always how you thought it would be or how you wish it was, but it is your life. Give yourself space for making mistakes, being tired and drained and still having to take care of so much. You are loved. You are lovable. Imagine what you would say to a dear friend in your situation. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself grace. And keep letting go physically and emotionally. This is how you bring joy to the KonMari process and to life. This is how you find joy.

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Christine O’Brien’s mission is to help moms create peaceful homes and joyful lives. By synthesizing two powerful schools of thought – Simplicity Parenting and The KonMari Method™ – She helps overwhelmed women relax into an embodied, full presence with themselves and their families.

Your home can – and should be – a peaceful space where you can make decisions with confidence and ease. Christine has experienced the power of this way of living in her own family, and has spent years coaching other women to cultivate their own calm, both inside and outside the home.

Her wish for you is simple: to find peace in having less, doing less, and editing your lives and homes with simple intention. 

You can find Christine at Creating Calm Coach for more wisdom around creating calm in your own life. Christine invites you to a free online workshop to find out how to bring more calm to your home and life. Join the workshop here>>