Who is Marie Kondo?

Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant, author, and Netflix TV show host. It was her first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, that made Marie Kondo a household name that's now synonymous with 'tidying up'.

Even as a young girl in Japan, Marie Kondo sought ideal methods of organization. At age 19, she established her first organizing business. She soon found her unique and personalized services to be in high demand.

Marie's first and bestselling book was followed by several others. Her popularity increased again in 2019 when Netflix ran its popular series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. A second Netflix series followed in 2021, Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo. 

Marie and her husband now live in Los Angeles, California. Together they run KonMari Media LLC. The couple has two daughters and a son.

Basics of the KonMari Method®

How to declutter in the KonMari Method: 
  1. ​Commit yourself to 'tidying up'
  2. Envision ideal spaces and routines that you want to bring into your life 
  3. Sort your belongings methodically by asking yourself whether each one sparks joy for you in your current and future life
  4. Progress through the five KonMari categories in order, from easiest to hardest:
    1. clothing
    2. books
    3. papers
    4. komono/miscellaneous
    5. sentimental
  5. Discard with gratitude the items that do not spark joy for you
  6. Organize your remaining 'joy-checked' items in appealing and accessible ways that support the lifestyle you envisioned when you started

What is a Tidying Festival?
​A Tidying Festival is a phrase, translated into English, that Marie Kondo uses to describe the one-time life event of sorting and decluttering all your personal belongings.

​Ideally, the Tidying Festival is completed within six months of starting it. The speedy completion of a Tidying Festival is one of the key components that makes it so effective. 

What you can expect from a KonMari experience.

The positive effects of completing a Tidying Festival are long-lasting. Typically the changes in your home and life are so dramatic that you never revert to the cluttered environment of yesterday.

However, you still must take an active role in decision-making to ensure that you do not let clutter return to your space.

Tidying Festivals work because you become so clear on what brings you joy and why. Understanding exactly what special qualities and conditions bring you joy gives you the courage, confidence and conviction to say no to new things in your life that do not meet your updated standard of joy. 

When you let go of unnecessary clutter and unfinished projects, your life's priorities become clearer. Even your spending patterns may shift because you will find yourself avoiding purchases that don't spark joy.

​A Tidying Festival led by a KonMari Consultant can be the perfect kickstart, or complement, to a life change that you are wanting or needing to make.