KonMari® Method: The 6 Basic Rules of Tidying

The SIX most important steps in the KonMari® Method. If you hold down these 6 steps, your house will definitely be neat and tidy. "I want to read this and start living my ideal life!" If you think that, please pick up a book and actually start tidying up.

KonMari® Method: 6 Basic Rules of Tidying.

Rule 1: Commit Yourself to Tidying Up

The KonMari Method™ is not a quick fix for a messy room or a once-in-a-while approach to tidying. It’s a chance to reset your entire life – but only if you commit to following its principles.

Rule 2: Imagine Your Ideal Lifestyle

Marie’s tidying process is not about decluttering your house or making it look neat on the spur of the moment for visitors. It’s about tidying up in a way that will spark joy in your life and change it forever.

Rule 3: Finish Discarding First

As you embark on your tidying adventure using the KonMari Method™, remember to focus on what you want to keep. Cherish the items that bring you joy, and let go of the rest with gratitude.

Rule 4: Tidy by Category, Not by Location

It might seem logical to tackle one shelf, closet or room at a time. But tidying this way will doom you to a life of clutter. In order to tidy up completely – and change your life forever – you must tidy by category, not by location.

Rule 5: Follow the Right Order

The order in which you tidy is crucial. Take it from Marie – she landed on this vital step of the KonMari Method™ after conducting hours of tidying lessons with clients. Tidying your belongings in this order – clothes, books, papers, komono and sentimental items – has proven to be the most efficient and effective.

Rule 6: Ask Yourself If It Sparks Joy

Only you can know what kind of environment makes you happy – this is the underlying principle of the KonMari Method™. It’s also what sets it apart from other tidying techniques that rely on strict guidelines instead of personal criteria. You’ve probably heard “Discard anything you haven’t used in two years,” or “Every time you buy something new, get rid of something old.” But Marie’s method is different.