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Week 11 [03-09.06.2019] Marie Kondo and KonMari method of cleaning up your space

Have you ever had a mess of a size that you did not know where to start?
Or maybe you have just cleaned up your apartment, and the very next day everything was swallowed by chaos? I do not know what you say to this, but for me, it was every day. I am a student, who happens to be working, so my time is very limited and the result of this was inevitable a mess. Big mess.

It was like this until I have heard about Marie Kondo and her method of tidying up, called KonMari. Marie suggested an approach, where you categorize things and then sort one category at a time. Throughout this method, you should end up with clean space. In the beginning, you should start tidying up with categories and not rooms (As I once was doing). First, you sort out the clothes. You have to fold them in a special way, that they stand on themselves up. That helps you find your clothes later when they are in a drawer or closet. Then books and papers like bills or important letters. After that, you should get to work with kitchen and bathroom accessories. The last ones are things that have emotional value to you. It may be a photo of your family or just something important to you. What is more, you should also split your category in half. The things that you like and the things that you do not like. It is easy to find out if you like a thing. Try holding it in your hands. If it sparks joy to you, then you like it. If you feel nothing, then probably you do not like it. After choosing things that you do not like, you should throw them away. Thanks to this, you will end up with things that you like and you will feel happy. KonMari method focuses not only on cleaning itself but on deriving joy form having things that you like.

Your home should become more friendly and personal to you. Also, the quality of living inside your home should improve and it could have an impact on your whole life.

The whole process was described in her book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing". We can find inside a book, for example, a step-by-step guide on how to fold your clothes. Recently, Marie Kondo with Netflix help created a tv-show where she is trying to help people declutter their apartments.



1. Do you like having a tidy space?
2. Have you heard about KonMari method?
3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?
4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?

Comments

1. Do you like having a tidy space?
I'm not a perfectionist when it comes to maintainig neatness in my room, but I like having tidy space and I always try to keep it.
2. Have you heard about KonMari method?
I watched a few episodes of the Marie Kondo's series on the Netflix, so I'm familiar with her methods.
3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?
When I have to clean I like to throw everything on the floor and sort it. I love sorting things, so Marie Kondo's methods are really helpful for me.
4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?
I can help you in your everyday life - not having problems when you are searching for something, not being stressed about the mess.
1. Do you like having a tidy space?
Yes, the most! I would even say more - sometimes I exaggerate too much in this topic. Luckily, my girl reminds me about it every now and then :)

2. Have you heard about KonMari method?
I have heard several times, but I have never tried to use this method in practice. Maybe it's time to change it? Do you stall this method? What will you say about her?

3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?
Yes, I could not live without cleaning, so for many years I have developed a lot of habits that I use, and which help clean and maintain cleanliness. Among other things: most things have their place, organize items, systematic control and, if everything is in place.

4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?
Of course. If someone has a problem with cleanliness, then cleaning will definitely be a very good lesson, from which he will be able to take out not only the ability to clean up, but also a different approach to life. Such people will see how pleasant and easy life becomes in such an environment.
1. Yes, I like it, but I don’t mind a little mess in my room. I am a person of very limited free time as well, so I don’t clean up every day, but on some weekends. Things scattered around my desk don’t bother me, I am taking them away only if I need the space they occupy. Generally, I don’t feel the need of cleaning unless the “layer of dirt” becomes clearly visible.

2. No, but I like it. It sounds like more rational way of cleaning, because usually things are scattered all around the house and should be moved between rooms to keep it tidy. It’s a great example of how changing the way of thinking can make ordinary, everyday tasks more effective.

3. Well, I don’t have any own methods to use every day, but generally I try to limit the number of things which are present in my room as much as I can. It includes everything which is not essential, like ornaments, old books, needless documents and all sort of bits and bobs which occupy the space and nothing more. Because of that my room looks quite raw and modest, but I still feel the desire to throw away even more.

4. Maybe yes, because mess can limit one’s freedom. I can recommend just getting rid of things. I came up with this idea while we were relocating to other apartment and we had so many things that it was overwhelming. Things and especially attachment to them makes us weak, so we can get stronger and more free by disposing them.
1. Do you like having a tidy space?
Yes, i'm a fan of having a tidy space. I'm a perfectionist and i can't imagine when people like to have rubbish in their working places or in the rooms.
2. Have you heard about KonMari method?
Unfortunately not, but it is really good case that she is presented in the video.
3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?
Yes, i always do the hardest thing first and then i'm open to more easy things, at least i will not be so tired for easy things in the end.
4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?
Of course yes! According to kickmetricks stats, people with the "like to clean" minds are much more successful than other people.
Peter Clemenza said…
1. Do you like having a tidy space?
I like to have simple, clean, space. In my space you wont find anything, simplicity and minimalism is a key
to clean less often, if you dont like cleaning at all

2. Have you heard about KonMari method?
No, but have you heard about my method?

3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?
Dont clean for week, and at the and throw everything to trash in 10 seconds, the best method

4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?
Its more how you keep everything around you, cleaning is just a way, a habit to do so
Maciej Sadoś said…
1. Do you like having a tidy space?
I love to have a tidy space but as I'm also a person of a very limited time so it varies with my space's cleanliness. All in all unfortunately I'm a pedant and perfectionist (combo) so I always want all to be ideally done, cleaned, arranged. Fortunately my pedantry and perfectionism have reduced it's strength over the last years so life is easier now :-)

2. Have you heard about KonMari method?
No, I haven't heard about this method before but it could possibly be helpful if someone has a big mess to clean. I am also a minimalist so I don't have much things around me so I don't have to clean and manage them.

3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?
I don't have any specific method. When I'm going to clean my space I just do it randomly. Everything has it's own place so I just put it there and that's it. I clean everything from dust and everything is ready.

4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?
If you are so paranoic about keeping everything clear as I was, then it definitely could be life-changing, but it's change to worse.
But keeping your life rationally organized and keeping your surrounding clean could be a way of life.
I am sitill using her method. I suggest you try this method out. There are plany of tutorials how to do it. Online you can find many folding methods used in KonMari. Marie Kondo has...hmmm... some strange behaviours/habbits like welcoming home by sitting on the floor. I would not recommend them, but if you want to know something more i suggest you to watch her Netflix series or simpler to buy her book.
If only i was as systematically as you with cleaning maybe i would not have that problem. For me, it was pilling up thing that need to be sorted and once-twice a month I cleaned everything. KonMari helped me to sort things once and never get back to state where i do not know, where everything is.
I never thought of cleaning as a thing that can change your life to be worse. But i think you are right. If you can stand a mess, living in a cluttered space can be a nightmare.
Very interesting article. Of course, I like a clean spase, but I have some problem with it ... My clean spase turns into chaos over time. I have not heard of this method before, but I am going to try it soon. Usually, once in two days I allocate time for cleaning, this is the only method that helps me maintain order. There is a very good proverb: Clean on the table, clean in the head.
I love my personal space clean and tidy, actually i start to feel unwell if my living place is messy, i can't concentrate and just start lazying around instead of doing something. I never heard of this method, mayube because i never had problem with keeping my place mostly clean. My own method is to try and reorganize everything once in a while. For people who live in chaos and cannot even imagine what they could do to start making some changes in their life cleaning is an obvious and perhaps most effective solution.
I like to keep my apartment tidy, even though I don't like cleaning. I've never heard of her method. My technique is very simple and most people probably use it, I just try to clean the whole apartment every Saturday. If you can keep your place in order, you can keep your life in order.
Zygmunt Z said…
1. Do you like having a tidy space?

I do, but sometimes, after a tough day or whole week, I don’t really have the desire to clean up everything around me. But when I have to work in the office or in my flat and I have everything “turned around” around me, then I have to deal with it at first because it can really distract me while working.

2. Have you heard about KonMari method?

No I haven’t but it’s really interesting and I will try to apply it next time

3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?

No, I just tidy and set everything the way it satisfy me and I can move on to other things that I have or want to do.

4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?

Not really, it just helps me better sometimes surrounded by my belongings
1. Do you like having a tidy space?

Yes, I like to have a tidy space. I don’t know a person that wouldn’t like it ;) I find tidy spaces to be more relaxing, because I don’t have to think about cleaning them later.

2. Have you heard about KonMari method?

No, I have never heard about KonMari method, but I’ll definitely try it. Who knows I might even like it.

3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?

If I could call “postponing cleaning as long as it’s possible, and then cleaning it as fast as possible with the least amount of work as possible” then yes, I do have a method ;)

4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?
Noooo, I don’t think that cleaning can be in any way life changing.
1. I always like, but sometimes I'm so lazy that I do not clean my space.

2. I have never heard about her method. I think it is very interesting. Maybe even try it in your life

3. So I have one effect - do not make much mess. And so seriously I try to keep up to date, then there is little to get away.

4. It does not seem to me, but it will certainly be better for our surroundings. But certainly cleaning will not change my life :)
1. Yes, I would love to have tidy flat. However, same as you I'm studying and working
simultaneously. Chaotic live results in chaotic mess at home.
2. No, I didn’t.
3. I have just only one rule in my cleaning. Make it as fast as I can. It’s not about joy, it’s about
duty.
4. Housework brings to my life only exhaust. Cleaning is rather something that I would outsource
and hire someone specialized in it. There are many things I can do instead of it to get “lifechanging”
experience.
Tidy space has an impact on my mood so I like having it. In my opinion mess makes mind chaotic. It’s easier to focus on job in clean space. You’re not wasting your time on finding things that can irritate you. Moreover it’s about health because dusty space is like a hell for allergic. I haven’t heard about KonMari method but I will check that out for sure to improve my cleaning skills. I don’t think that the way I do cleaning includes my ‘own ‘ methods, it’s more like everybody does. Even though I like tidy space I hate doing it so I won’t consider it as a life-changing experience for me ever. Maybe it would be for someone who lives in a big mess and for that person that would be a huge novelty in life.
1. Do you like having a tidy space?
I am a terrible slut, but I think anyone loves cleanliness. So I struggle with myself and try to clean up my space at least sometimes.

2. Have you heard about KonMari method?
Unfortunately, no. But thanks to this video, I had a second wind. I feel the need to experience the KonMari method in my room.

3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?
No, I do not have my own methods. I endure the cluttered space for a long time. But then I go crazy and clean everything up. I think this is wrong, if follow the order all the time, then I will not need such grandiose cleanings.

4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?
Well, not in a global sense. But cleanliness around can definitely cause spiritual harmony.
1. Yes, of course. Mess really bothers me and I can't focus on other things unless the space around me and neat and clean because it mess somehow draws my attention.

2. No, I've never heard about this method.

3. One of the things that helps me the most is to take steps to prevent any mess. For me personally, once only a few things are out of place, it’s way easier to create a much larger mess. I make sure everything has a place! If I have to tidy my room, it's nice not to have to think about where I should put those scissors, documents etc. In my opinion when everything has a place, it's easier to bring them back to that place because there is no thinking involved :)

4. 'Life-changing' is such a string word. Definitely not adequate to describe cleaning. It's just a part of your everyday life routine.
Adam Sukiennik said…
1. Do you like having a tidy space?

Yea sure i am tiding my Flat every week at friday and it is point that must be done :D

2. Have you heard about KonMari method?

Not really but i watched wideo and i must say that it is really interesting.

3. Do you have any of your ‘own' cleaning methods?

Firstly trashes, i get a plastic bag and everything what is a rubbish lands inside a bag, then clothes, and then little species which i use vaccumcleaner to clean

4. Do you think that cleaning can be a life-changing experience?

i think Cleaning is first point of good person and cleaning making life easier and more colorful, it is more comfortable to work in clean place than working in dirty place full of rubbish ;/
I have heard that proverb. As to me, it applied out the way. Once i started using this method, it is easier for me to focus on any task i have to do. I strongly recommend you this method.
I totally agree with your comment. For me, tidy space had huge impact. I suggest you to dive into this method because it is not only good for getting rid of mess, but it is about solving problem where to put things and what to store. Since I started using this method, I am able to cleang things pretty quickly, because i know what i have and where it belongs.

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