Do you KonMari?

FORT GAY, W.VA. — By now you’ve probably seen or heard about the decluttering craze that is sweeping the nation.  Thanks to the widely popular Netflix original series, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”, people everywhere are cleaning out their homes by finding what brings them joy.  I was first introduced to this method of decluttering about two years ago when Kondo’s book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” first hit the bookshelves in America. Around the same time, it became popular among home and lifestyle bloggers and Youtubers. 

The concept behind this decluttering craze is that you work through the categories defined by Marie Kondo.  You are to take everything that belongs in a specified category and put it all in one big pile.  Then, you must hold each item one by one and decide if that item brings you joy.  If so, you keep it!  If not, you thank the item for its service, and either donate or trash the item.  Kondo also has a specific way to fold or hang clothes and ways to organize all your belongings.

The recent popularity of the Netflix series has also had an effect in our area.  Several people around the area have also been trying their hand at the KonMari method. Instagram and Facebook newsfeeds have been blowing up with posts from those young and old about the decluttering method.  Most say that they really liked the Netflix series and found it interesting.

Cameron Fetherolf, a student at a local school, has been seen posting videos on Instagram showing herself using the Marie Kondo decluttering method.  She holds an article of clothing and asks herself, “Does this spark joy?”

Renee Ward, of Fort Gay, has made several posts on Facebook about her decluttering journey. She said that she really enjoyed watching the series.

“I’m more a visual learner to begin with so it was nice to actually see how she puts her method into practice,” she noted.  She was motivated by the decluttering process.   Renee explained, “…it let me see that I wasn’t the only one struggling with clutter.  Her method made me take a closer look at my belongings and why I’m keeping various things.”

She hopes to continue using Kondo’s method.  “It’s been the only decluttering system that’s actually worked for me.  I’m loving how I’m seeing less and less clutter and more of the things that actually bring me joy!”, Renee stated.

According to the local Goodwill store, they have seen a jump in the amount of donations coming in to the stores.  They attribute this to the number of people who have jumped on the Konmari bandwagon.  Now is a great time to hit up those local stores to get great deals on some treasures other people have discarded. 

However, there are a few nay-sayers out there who think that this is just a phase and will pass quickly.  They think the method is way too time consuming and that it’s ridiculous to try and fold your clothes by her standards. 

So, whether you Konmari or not, thanks to the popularity from the Netflix series, this trend of decluttering is here to stay for a while anyway.