The KonMari Method: the only self-improvement program you'll ever need!

I've come to the conclusion that the KonMari method is the only self-improvement program you'll ever need. How can I make such a claim? Well I've been helping people get tidy since 2005 and for me myself it's the only method I've found that actually forces you to face yourself and make life changes that completely shift the energy in not only your home but in your every day life which includes your habits and the way you think about yourself.

It's a simple method of tidying and is broken down into 5 categories: Clothes, Books, Paper, Komono (miscellaneous ) and Memorabilia. You must follow these 5 categories because it really is a method and if you scramble it then that's exactly how you'll feel. Scrambled. And you'll be prone to rebounding back to your old ways of untidiness.

My client "M" in the above photo was terrified of tidying clothes and even teared up in our consultation when we spoke about it but she knew she needed to do it. On the day of our first tidying lesson she was more than eager to take everything out and place it on her bed. She joyfully discarded items she no longer loved and made sure to try things on that were in the "maybe" pile. At the end of our lesson she was left with a closet that sparked joy! "I love opening my closet. I sit and stare at how beautiful it is and I love getting dressed in the morning," she reported to me.

Clients that I've helped in the past that didn't follow the KonMari Method almost always fell back into their old ways of a clutter-filled home. The reason for this? They were more focused on what they wanted to get rid of as opposed to what they wanted to keep. In my perspective, whatever side you focus on when you're tidying is the side that will manifest in your home. This is why Marie Kondo also wrote the book "Spark Joy". You must focus on what you want. As a result, you will manifest more of what Sparks Joy by doing just this very thing.
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For me personally, I had to tidy my entire home before applying to be a KonMari consultant and I will confidently say that it is life-changing magic. I was a very untidy teen and I didn't do well in school at all. I had no drive, no ambition and no idea how to remedy it. I was also very lost and somewhat depressed and just couldn't find my place in the world. I was an only child and I had way too much stuff but I never realized any of it was connected or that all my parts affected each other. I tried shopping for new clothes thinking that would help fix the problem but I always felt worse afterwards. Now, after tidying my own home, I am excited to put things away because I know everything I own has a place. I also have more mental clarity and my goals and dreams seem much more attainable. Just by tidying I've cleared so much mental clutter that my home will never go back to being untidy again because by being tidy I have the freedom to live my life the way I've always wanted.

I'm certainly not a doctor and if you're suffering from severe depression or any psychological disorder I'm not suggesting that this will be a cure for your situation. Tidying your home allows you to let go of the past and focus on the present so that you can start manifesting the future life that you want for yourself. And like Marie says, "try it for yourself and find out." New clients that want to get tidy but haven't heard of the KonMari Method, I let them know that this is the only method that I practice and 9 times out of 10 it inspires them to read the book and to hire me.

If you haven't read the book I strongly recommend that you do. Marie Kondo has turned tidying into a science and the equation is you plus your belongings equals the level of joy you experience in your life. You will face moments that make your stomach turn and you'll feel helpless and like quitting. It'll seem hopeless and too difficult. So just start with your clothes first and see what happens to your life afterwards. Most of my clients get the "tidying virus" as I like to call it and they can't stop once they've started. So please know that the KonMari journey won't be easy but it will be worth it.

The photos below are of M's closet and accessory drawer after we finished tidying.