After Wilmington suffered a rainy fall and a chilly winter, we have finally reached spring. The first official day of spring was March 20th, 2019 and we “sprung forward” on March 10th, which means more daytime! Even though we technically lost an hour of sleep, we have more daylight to do much more than we could during the end of Daylight Savings Time. Since we have more opportunities to tackle responsibilities during the daytime, one chore that may seem daunting to some, but rewarding to others is spring cleaning.
Spring cleaning is the act of decluttering places that you use the most often; whether it be your house, car, office, or any other areas that need some tidying up. Tidying up doesn’t mean just cleaning your dirty bathroom or your smelly car. It could also be the act of putting away those heavy coats and other winter clothes and replacing those clothes with your spring wear! People who usually start spring cleaning, give up because there are too many areas to tackle or realize that there is always next year. However, one woman has made an impact on several lives that not only have organizational issues but can share with the world that tidying up may not be so daunting after all, Marie Kondo.
If you binged watch any Netflix series, then you’ve possibly come across the popular Netflix series, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.” In the hit series, Kondo is invited to step into the lives of people who suffer from organizational issues or have a difficult letting items go that give them “joy” even though the items may be a doorstop. Kondo explains her method to her clients and reassures to them that it’s more than just throwing out the things you no longer need; it’s about choosing joy.
So how exactly is the method broken down? The KonMari Method™ encourages that people should tidy by category, not location. Starting with clothes, then moving to books, papers, komono (known as miscellaneous items), and, lastly, sentimental items. To complete the KonMari Method™, Kondo explains her six basic rules of tidying:
Rule #1: Commit yourself to tidying up.
Rule #2: Image your ideal lifestyle.
Rule #3: Finish discarding first.
Rule #4: Tidy by category, not by location.
Rule #5: Follow the right order.
Rule #6: Ask yourself if it sparks joy.
If the item doesn’t “spark joy,” to the client, Kondo asks them to thank them for the joy that they did give them, and then let it go the item that they wish to discard.
Although the KonMari Method can’t organize certain aspects of your life, it can undoubtedly tackle those areas of your home that you’ve been procrastinating for the past year or so. Get started on your spring cleaning, Kondo style.
-Kristian Worthy
IMC Hawks Blog 
I loved this article because this show is one of my favorites, and plus I enjoy keeping my house clean! Spring cleaning is one of my favorite things to do, because I typically find old clothes that I no longer wear and donate them! Not only am I doing myself a favor by dusting off different pieces of furniture, but I am also doing myself a favor by letting go of items I loved but no longer need to people that can enjoy them as much as I did!
Great article!
I am definitely one of those who does a few things and then feels overwhelmed with how much I still need to do. I’ve never seen Marie Kondo’s show but I’ll have to check it out. Her method seems interesting and maybe I could learn something from it. Your house or place always feels better whenever it’s clean and not cluttered. Thanks for the article and a new show to watch!