Does it spark joy? Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the KonMari Consultant Certification Course. I am currently a KonMari Consultant in-training. Once I have completed the remainder of the certification requirements I will officially hold the title of a certified KonMari Consultant! There is so much I learned throughout this certification course and I want to discuss some of the key takeaways!
The most important being: What is a Tidying Festival?
In the words of Marie Kondo herself, “The criterion for deciding what to keep and what to discard is whether or not something sparks joy,”-Marie Kondo. A Tidying Festival follows the six guiding principles of The KonMari MethodⓇ starting with clothing, and then books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and finally, sentimental items. This method focuses on categories of items, rather than location. Tidying is an individual choice and a very personal journey. It must be a consensual agreement with oneself and the consultant who aims to help you along your journey. It must never feel forced. The choice to tidy revolves solely around one individual and their belongings–even if you do live with other people, it does not pertain to their belongings. The act of tidying by category, rather than location, allows you to move through each category of items from easiest to joycheck to hardest to joycheck. This is why we begin with clothing and end with sentimental items.
As you start with the clothing category, you are training yourself in the act of joychecking. This means, keeping only the items which spark joy in your heart. The items that no longer spark joy, you discard or donate them with gratitude–thanking them for their service to you. An important thing to remember during a tidying festival is that you are not deciding what to get rid of, but rather, what to keep. In the end, you will only be surrounded by items that spark joy in your heart. It can be extremely effective if done properly and with the right intentions in mind. You will get out of this process what you put into it.
My role is to support you throughout your tidying festival or marathon, whether that be emotionally, physically or both. We can set intentions and goals for aligning your space to the person you aim to be, not the person you once were.
The simple act of tidying up your space and belongings can be life changing. The benefits of tidying can extend well beyond just your physical space. It offers benefits in your mental, emotional, personal and work space, relationships, and life in general. I am so excited to continue my knowledge on this subject and I look forward to helping you on your tidying journey in the future!
“It is not our memories but the person we have become because of those past experiences that we should treasure. This is the lesson these keepsakes teach us when we sort them. The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”-Marie Kondo (https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/17-marie-kondo-quotes-that-will-help-you-organize-get-control-of-your-life-work.html)
“The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own, identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude, and bidding them farewell, is really about examining your inner self, a rite of passage to a new life.”
-Helen, KonMari Consultant in Training
