This One Rule Makes Spring Cleaning SO EASY

When was the last time that you really looked at all of the stuff you own? I’m not talking about a shrug and a glance. I mean, when was the last time you picked up EVERY ITEM YOU OWN and asked yourself if it was necessary? Never, right? Well, if you want to declutter your entire existence, then this is going to be the first step. It’s called the Marie Kondo Theory, and it’s about to simplify your life in ways that you can’t even imagine.

What Is It?

The Marie Kondo Theory comes from a book,  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, based on the amazing work of organization guru Marie Kondo herself.  The idea behind this theory is to get to a point where you no longer have to clean up after yourself. So, you put everything in a place that works best for it and never move it again. Unfortunately, you have to reach the point where you can do this in the first place.

What Are the Steps?

Step 1: Walk around your apartment, flat, bungalow, sprawling mansion, etc. and place a hand on each item you own. Ask if it makes you happy. If the answer is a resounding, “no,” then it’s time to chuck it in the garbage (or give it someone less fortunate who can offer it a good home). This process may be hard, but it’s important to not treat your stuff like you are a client on an episode of Hoarders.

Step Two: Once you have cleared out things you no longer need, you will need to organize the rest. This is easier than it sounds. All you need to do is place each item you own in a place where you can see it, that you can get to easily, and where you can pick up and put back the item. Once you have done so, you have successfully completed the Marie Kondo Method.

Use This Method Next Time You Clean

If you follow through on these steps next time you clean, then your annual spring cleaning will become a one time thing. Once it’s done, you will not have nearly as much stuff to declutter later on down the line!