The Netflix original series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” has everyone decluttering, reorganizing, and rethinking their belongings. The KonMari method can be boiled down into a simple thought “Do the items you have spark joy?”
Marie’s method includes how-to’s for tidying and organizing every area of your home. But can you use the KonMari method on your money?
Those in personal finance circles have taken notice of the KonMari method and are abuzz about how the same approach and principles can be applied to managing one’s money in a much more fruitful, streamlined, and fulfilling way.
And it makes perfect sense. Because if you can declutter your house, can’t you similarly declutter your spending?
- How can I Apply the KonMari Method in my Finance?
- Does the KonMari Method Work?
- How do you use the KonMari method?
- How do you Declutter Paper KonMari Method?
- How long does the KonMari Method take?
- How much do KonMari Consultants make?
- How much it costs to become a certified KonMari consultant
- How do I become a Certified KonMari Consultant?
How can I Apply the KonMari Method in my Finance?
1. Be aware of where your money is going
Perhaps the first step toward applying KonMari to your finances is to take stock of how your money is currently being spent, in the same way you might look around your house and review what’s already cluttering your space.
Read Also: Here’s how a Money Buddy can Help you Reach your Financial Goals
“Most of us don’t even know how we end our money,” says Henderson. “By recognizing where you spend money, then you’re able to decide, ‘Do I value this?’ You may not be spending your money on things you actually value.”
Henderson suggests sitting down and reviewing at least two to three months of your spending in order to get a truly accurate picture of where all of your money goes. One month’s worth of bank statements may not be sufficient for this effort.
2. Now check your values around spending
Are you spending money on things that truly matter to you? Does the way you spend and save your money align with your personal principles and life goals? What are your values and long-term goals? All of these questions are part of the process.
“Figure out what you want most, not what you want right now,” suggests Matt Dworetsky, president of New Jersey-based Dworetsky Financial. “If you want that international vacation, it won’t be hard to give up your daily coffee from Starbucks.
But, if that $5 cup of coffee is really $5 worth of indulgence and enjoyment, you don’t have to give it up – there will just be a trade-off in other areas of your life.”
The key here is to identify your core values, and determine whether the way you spend money is supporting those values.
For example, if spending quality time with your family is important to you, investments you make toward that end — like taking a job with more flexible hours or planning a family outing — are likely to bring you more joy than, say, buying a new watch for yourself.
Other examples of core values might include treasured experiences with your family members or friends, supporting charities, living in an environmentally friendly manner, retiring early, or seeing the world.
“Life is not just about acquiring stuff, it’s about spending money and time on things that you value,” explained Henderson.
If a greater portion of your spending is shifted toward supporting these values and big picture goals, then ideally your money will bring you more joy. But that doesn’t simply mean donating more of your money to charity. It means being more thoughtful about your day to day spending as well.
Daniella Flores, the creator of iliketodabble.com, a site about creative money tips and side hustles, recently went through this exercise for herself and her wife, writing down everything in their daily financial life that sparks joy and supports their personal passions, while also identifying those things that do not.
“The things that come to mind that spark joy are our investments; our side hustles, like my blog; our savings; the cash-back apps that we use, because that becomes extra money to utilize; our travel credit cards and points to use for free travel,” said Flores.
“Things that do not spark joy for us are the remaining student loan debt that I have. I’m only a couple thousand away from paying that back though, so I’m happy to say that will soon spark joy for me. Bills being past due doesn’t spark joy, which is why we have all our bills on auto pay.”
3. Clean up and de-clutter
A core part of this process involves actually getting rid of those bills, subscriptions, or expenses that don’t bring you joy or support your values. (Think of this as the “Finish Discarding First” portion of the KonMari method.)
In other words, more than simply realizing what makes you happy and what does not, you must take action to adjust your financial picture and spending to align with your new roadmap.
“We can look at subscriptions we don’t use and cancel them,” said Agnes Kowalski, a wealth therapist. “We can look at services we’re paying for that we don’t enjoy. For example, if you resent having to pay so much for cable every month, cancel and just use Netflix.”
You can also stop buying things you can’t afford, adds Flores. The looming bills will just clutter your mind with stress. And while you’re at it, prioritize paying off debt.
“Start with the highest-interest debt first so it doesn’t continue to accumulate, thus cluttering your financial life even more,” says Flores.
Once you’ve got the ball rolling, keep it going, finding even more ways to declutter your finances and to reduce spending in areas that don’t make you happy.
“Don’t waste time on frustrating, expensive services like cell phone provider contracts and outrageous car insurance companies,” continues Flores. “Always research before signing up for anything. For instance, you don’t need to have Verizon or AT&T for good cell service. Try cheaper service providers like Republic Wireless or Mint Mobile.
4. Tidy up by spending category
In the same way Kondo suggests tidying up your home by category (clothes, books, papers, komono/miscellaneous, and sentimental items) you may also want to view your spending by categories going forward.
Those categories can be up to you, but ideally they’ll align with your values.
“Set up some sort of system that makes it easy to manage your money according to your values,” says Henderson. Track your expenses, and each time you spend money, assign it to a specific category.
While Henderson suggests categories such as housing, transportation, food, and entertainment, your own list could be tailored to include whatever is meaningful to you.
If that sounds a bit like a budget, well, you’re not far off; after all, a budget is simply meant to help you prioritize your spending — to make sure you have enough money for essential needs, but also the “wants” that are most important to you.
5. Access joy
Ultimately, the goal of taking the KonMari method into the realm of personal finances is to make money more joyful and less stressful, because for so many of us, money is a significant source of stress and worry.
To further emphasize joy around your money, consider naming your bank accounts with descriptions tied to happier or more meaningful goals: “Savings for an awesome pool account or saving for that trip to Greece account,” suggests Kowalski.
But ultimately, sparking joy with your personal finances comes down to a fundamental shift in mindset, which is tied to a change in the way you use money in your life and the power it has in your world.
“Asking how your finances spark joy is all about shifting your mindset from ‘What can I afford?” to ‘What do I value?’” says Ahna Holloran, a personal finance coach for Fika Finance, who works to help people improve their lives and eliminate stress by taking control of their money.
“When you do this, it becomes less about having to stick to a rigid budget, depriving yourself and feeling miserable, to being content with what you have the financial decisions you’re making.”
All of a sudden, says Holloran, you’re evaluating your purchase decisions based on what will really bring you joy over the long term, rather than simply living for the short-term rush.
Does the KonMari Method Work?
Decluttering with the KonMari method boils down to only keeping objects in your home that “spark joy.” This makes sense. After all, who wouldn’t want to live in a home surrounded only by things that are meaningful to them?
Objects that don’t spark joy are “thanked for their service” before being thrown out or given away.
Every item of clothing is then folded using a specific method. Alike objects are stored together.
But is KonMari really the best method of home organization? While the book and most certainly the television show have influenced a large number of people to tidy up their spaces, there are a million ways to skin a cat.
For example, if the founders of the Neat Method had their own series, would everyone’s shoe closets end up looking like Kate Hudson’s?
Still, many people insist that KonMari isn’t just a passing fad, but a way of life.
The Traveler
Denise Chaykun is the president of Magical Mystery Tours. She spends approximately 20% of her time on the road and does multiple week trips with a baby in tow. So staying neat and organized is essential for her.
In the past, Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project was influential in helping Chaykun get a handle on clutter. But in 2015, she started to use Kondo’s method.
“Mari Kondo has impacted the way I organize books, clothes, kitchen supplies, baby supplies… If something’s in my house, I’m going to end up cleaning it up, so it has to earn its keep!” she says.
Before purchasing their current home, Chaykun and her husband were on the road full-time. “We were constantly evaluating which items were worth bringing with us since we had all our belonging every month as we switched cities.
Though we probably asked ourselves: ‘Is this item critical to our existence rather than does this item spark joy?’”
Today, KonMari helps the entrepreneur and mother maintain her sanity. “If my house is a mess or I can’t find something because I have junk everywhere, it drives me crazy.
Not having very many things and keeping what we do have organized buys us time and freedom to do things more interesting than cleaning our house.”
Another bonus Chaykun shared is that KonMari helps her save money, “I also shop less because I don’t want to have much stuff around.”
The Interior Designer
Mari Kondo’s book had an even bigger impact on interior designer Lisa Gilmore than she could have ever anticipated. In 2015, she went on an editing spree of her home. “I latched on to that book and starting turning my house upside down trying to find more joy. I emptied all my closets, lined my drawers with pretty papers and little organization methods. Tossed everything that didn’t make something ignite happiness inside of me. I started folding all my clothes as suggested.”
The experience caused Gilmore to emotionally edit her life as well. It tuned out the most significant thing that wasn’t sparking joy was her marriage. More than three years later, she is happily divorced. “I honestly think the book was an eye-opener for me about surrounding yourself with things and people that make you happy.”
She continues to organize her home the same way. “I still edit my clothes regularly and try to do a big edit once every six months. I fold my clothes super neat because it’s so much easier to find things.” Like Chaykun, Gilmore is also more aware of her purchases when she goes shopping.
The Computer Programmer
Daniel Jacobs posted an essay to Reddit and made a short film about his experience with KonMari. Before tidying up, his apartment was a mess. “I had a cardboard box sitting in the middle of my living room floor. I had socks and papers piled everywhere and sometimes on top of each other. I had 15 dental flosses from various trips to the dentist. At the time, I don’t think I saw any of this as an issue that needed fixing.”
One year later, he says his home and mind, while not perfect, are a lot more clear. “I still have the processes and strategies that I learned for keeping tidy. I don’t necessarily always practice them. But it’s comforting to know that I have a strategy for dealing with that clutter, and I know what the results of decluttering can be.”
Jacobs also revealed that other methods of organizing might have been equally helpful, but he just happened to come across the book at the right time in the airport. “If the book hadn’t existed, and been popular enough to enter into my radar, I probably never would have started tidying in the first place.
The first couple chapters of the book, where she talks about how to get motivated to tidy, were memorable. There are probably other tidying techniques that would work as well, but I can’t say for sure because I haven’t tried any of them.”
The Suburban Mother Of Three
Writer and publicist Shira Weiss was, in some sense, hilariously unsuccessful using the KonMari method. In an attempt to get rid of things, she realized how much of her clothing actually sparked joy.
“I tried to do it, but ended up discovering some nice dresses I didn’t remember that I had,” she explained. “So, I started thinking that I need to wear my nice clothing more. Instead of decluttering, I realized I have some great things I should be wearing.”
However, these efforts weren’t entirely futile because Kondo’s method made Weiss feel more grateful for what she already had.
The Super Organizer
James Lott, JR is a professional organizer who appreciates how Tidying Up has drawn attention to his profession. But he doesn’t think Kondo’s approach is for right everyone. “I feel some of the Kondo method scares people off,” he says.
Lott has his own unique way of decluttering that he tailors to every person he works with. “I have a very personal and professional approach with my clients. I listen to them and work with them to declutter. I am flexible and supportive treat them as the unique individuals they are. I have tools in my toolbox to work with the psychology of their issues and offer many options in getting organized.”
KonMari isn’t the most flexible method and it can be emotionally triggering for some people. Lott’s boisterous personality and lively approach, he says, is more positive. “My goals are always that the client feels good about themselves as they are getting organized.”
So what does all these personal experiences show?
KonMari clearly works to help people declutter on a number of levels. The fact that Marie Kondo has a Netflix series also makes learning the process more digestible than sitting down to read a book.
The impact of removing objects that don’t make us happy, gratitude, and how this influences our lives beyond material things are the best results of using KonMari.
But the idea of thanking a chipped coffee mug for its service may potentially feel ridiculous to some people. So, if KonMari doesn’t work, find another decluttering method that sparks joys instead.
How do you use the KonMari method?
The KonMari Method is Marie Kondo’s minimalism-inspired approach to tackling your stuff category-by-category rather than room-by-room. There are six basic rules to get started:
- Commit yourself to tidying up.
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
- Finish discarding first. Before getting rid of items, sincerely thank each item for serving its purpose.
- Tidy by category, not location.
- Follow the right order.
- Ask yourself it it sparks joy.
And five categories to tackle:
- Clothes
- Books
- Papers
- Komono (a.k.a. Miscellaneous Items)
- Sentimental Items
While many people associate her method with tidying, it’s really about discarding items that lack value. To determine what makes the cut, Kondo has you start by removing everything out of your closets and drawers (category one), all the books off your shelves (category two), all the paperwork out of your desk and bins (you get the idea).
Once you have a big pile, you’re to go item-by-item and consider if it sparks joy. While Kondo admits that this can feel awkward or unnatural at first, she assures readers and viewers that you’ll get better at recognizing what sparks joy as you go.
Once you’ve tossed items in every category, you should have a much smaller set of remaining items that you can return to various closets, drawers, shelves, and boxes. Note that you’re to finish one category before moving onto the next one.
Because you’re actively choosing items that spark joy, and discarding what doesn’t, the intention of the KonMari method is to end up with a clutter-free home that is better able to bring more joy and prosperity to your life.
While tidying, she encourages you to visualize the life you want to live — to be less stressed, for example — and what you need to get there. Anything that won’t help on that journey isn’t deserving of your space or you, she says.
How do you Declutter Paper KonMari Method?
1. Gather all the paper on a flat surface
If you don’t have many papers, you could use a table. You might find it easier to place everything on the floor. Basically, just lay it all out there at once. Have your bins ready for discarding set near you.
2. Start sorting
Begin to sort through the papers. In accordance with the KonMari method, hold each piece of paper in your hand and ask yourself, “Does this spark joy?”.
If not, that item should be discarded. As you go, place the papers that need to be discarded into the appropriate bins at your side. Sensitive documents will be placed in the Shred + Recycle box.
Documents that don’t contain sensitive information can simply be placed into the Recycle bin.
3. Continue sorting
Like Dory just keeps swimming, you are going to just keep sorting. You are going to sort, and sort, and sort, until you feel like you can sort no further.
Once you get through all of the papers, then it is time to discard. It’s okay to take a few moments and reminisce over papers.
4. Shed and Recycle
Try and recycle the non-sensitive papers right after you finish sorting. After that, you will only be left with the bin full of sensitive documents to shred.
The beautiful thing about using bins is that if you run out of time for shredding, you can save that for another day by simply closing up the bins and stowing them away.
This is helpful if you are decluttering while your children are taking a nap, at school, etc.
That little trick was honestly a real time saver for me. Because of the sheer volume of paper, it pretty much took me all day to sort through it and I wasn’t left with enough time to shred.
If you do need to set it to the side, make sure you take care of your shredding as soon as possible the following day or after! Don’t wait too long, or you risk that bin of paper becoming just another pile of clutter left unaddressed!
You can see that my paper shredder reduces the paper into very small pieces, almost like snow! The shredded paper can then be bagged up and taken out for recycling.
5. Replace the papers you need
You should be left with a few select paper items that you need to keep.
You can either sort the paper you want to keep by using the KonMari categories (Needs Attention, Need Short-Term, Need Indefinitely) or you could sort them in so that they are arranged in similar categories.
After we finished, we had about 5 filing folders divided by topic: medical documents, identifying documents, etc.
How long does the KonMari Method take?
You don’t have to buy the book to figure out the steps Marie Kondo uses – though it’s certainly helpful if you’re planning to truly adhere to the KonMari method in your life.
In it, you’ll find specific tips for organizing every area of your home and instructions for specific tasks, like how to properly fold your shirts.
But even if you haven’t purchased the book, there’s still hope for getting an “A” in the school of Kondo. The KonMari method is wonderfully simple in approach.
First, you must evaluate all the items you own. This process could take three hours or it could take six months – your personal journey just depends on how many things you own.
The important thing is that you will keep any items that “spark joy,” get rid of any items that don’t (after thanking them for serving you), and then find a place for those things you keep.
How much do KonMari Consultants make?
If you’re interested in trying the KonMari method but you need a little help, you can hire a consultant. KonMari consultants set their own rates, so prices will vary depending on your location and how much organization your home needs.
One platinum-level KonMari consultant charges $100 per hour for a minimum of five hours plus $50 for travel time outside New York City.
How much it costs to become a certified KonMari consultant
If you want to become a certified KonMari consultant, it will set you back roughly $2,200 (in addition to a $500 annual membership fee). There are six possible levels of certification.
You can become a certified master, certified platinum, certified silver, certified bronze, certified gold, or certified green consultant. Those on the master level have the most experience, with 500 tidying sessions and 50 clients.
How do I become a Certified KonMari Consultant?
To be certified as a KonMari Consultant, you must attend a Consultant Certification Course, practice tidying with two clients, and then take a written exam. There are seven steps involved:
1. Read the books: Read Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and “Spark Joy.”
2. Tidy your home: Certified KonMari Consultants must practice what they teach. Submit after photos of your tidied home for verification.
3. Attend a Consultant Certification Course: Registering for and attending a Consultant Certification Course are the first big steps toward certification. You will only be recognized as a KonMari Consultant-in-training once you have successfully completed a Consultant Certification Course.
In the Consultant Certification Course, they expand on the KonMari Method™ and why it’s essential to adhere to its principles and categories. Marie has decades of tidying experience, and upholding her work is critical to the program’s success.
They also teach candidates what it’s like working with clients. There’s a big difference between applying the KonMari Method™ in your own home and applying it in someone else’s.
Read Also: How to Get Better with Money
This is where “soft skills” come in. They coach Consultants-in-training on how to listen better. You need to be supportive of your clients in every way, so they teach Consultants-in-training how to remove judgement and guide constructively.
There Consultant Certification Courses include a mix of lectures, group discussions and Q&A sessions, ensuring that attendees feel adequately prepared for the next step of the certification process.
Upon completion, you will then be able to advance to steps 4-7.
Please note: Attending a Consultant Certification Course does not guarantee becoming a Consultant. Steps 1 and 2 are prerequisites to attending a Consultant Certification Course. You will be asked to submit after photos of your tidied home after you register for a Consultant Certification Course.
4. Join the community: You will be invited to join the growing community of certified KonMari Consultants and KonMari Consultants-in-training via the official Consultant Certification Course attendee Facebook groups, where you can exchange information and ideas with others who are also working toward certification.
Please note: You will only be granted access to the Facebook groups after you have successfully completed a Consultant Certification Course.
5. Submit tidying reports: Conduct at least 10 practice sessions (approximately 30 hours) in at least two clients’ homes and submit reports in the KonMari Method™ order.
6. Complete the exam: The online assessment exam covers concepts and potential scenarios you will face as a certified KonMari Consultant.
7. Apply for certification: Once all of the above steps have been successfully fulfilled and your application is approved, you will be required to sign the KonMari Consultant contract and pay your annual membership fee of $500 to activate your certification.
Conclusion
A lot has been said in this article about the KonMari method and how you can apply it to both your finances and other aspects of life. We have also seen how much you can hope to earn if you pursue a career as a KonMari Consultant.
