Today’s mass consumer society has people buying and consequently stacking unnecessary products and clothing items in drawers and on shelves in an attempt to keep up with current trends. This has caused people’s homes to become cluttered and disorganized. Thus, many college students struggle to fit all of their “necessities” into a cramped dorm room.

Instilling the urge to take back control and organize one’s stuff is something Marie Kondo excels at. Kondo is the celebrity of organization, and professional tidy consultant. She is also the author of New York Times Best Seller “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” and star of the Netflix show “Tidying up with Marie Kondo.”

The KonMari Method was developed by Kondo, centered around the idea of animism and that everything has a spiritual essence. Traditional organization techniques are used under the assumption that everything deserves to stay. One must convince themselves that it doesn’t deserve to take up space in your life but rather has to have merit.

On the other hand, the KonMari Method is centered around joy and the idea that the thing that is taking up space has to negotiate its right to belong there.

She recommends to start by collecting everything you own and separate it into categorical piles. By looking at the piles, you will start to see, and feel deep in your soul, the sheer amount of stuff you have and how a lot of it is unnecessary.

She then instructs to continue by going through each pile by picking up each item, one by one, and ask yourself “does this thing bring me joy?” Kondo says if it does, you will know deep in your heart and body that it deserves to stay, but if it does not you are able to part with the item by thanking it and kindly discarding it.

After the process of sorting into keep and discard piles, Kondo recommends putting all your “keep” things back in its rightful home, paying attention to the animosity of your house and the guidance it gives you to see what fits where.

Kondo suggests that certain organizational techniques bring more joy than others, and to pay particular attention to your instincts and how they tell you to put things back to ensure optimal control and joyfulness.

Kondo’s method can be specifically helpful to college students, or people living in situations with limited closet and storage space. Having too many things can cause clutter and sometimes bring unnecessary stress into your life. By cleansing your living spaces and purging all the things you do not need, you are able to live freely and joyfully.

College students often struggle with organizing and fitting all of their stuff into their dorm rooms. Moving from home where one typically has a larger closet space and multiple storage options, it can be hard to downsize.

Using the traditional organizational techniques of finding reasons for things to go can be difficult. It often turns into a “what if” game.

On the other side of the spectrum, the KonMari Method leaves little space for what ifs, and allows the organizer to take a step back and really take in and evaluate the worth and necessity of an item.

Decluttering your home, especially for college students, can significantly increase space and help one feel more comfortable in one’s room. Without all the looming items, stacked on shelves and inside drawers, students can feel more calm and less crowded in their own rooms.

Another motivational thought for implementing the KonMari Method into your life is how much easier it is to move and store all of your stuff. For college students especially, when you have to move every year from dorm to dorm, move things back and forth from home to school, or store your belongings over the summer, it can be quite stressful, time consuming, and expensive.

The less stuff you have, the easier it is to pack away and transport. By having only necessary items in your room while you’re living there, you feel lighter and happier.

Kondo calls tidying magic, and her KonMari Method promises that after tidying carefully and properly, your life will be free from anxieties brought by worry about the past and future. You will learn what you want from life, opening a new door of opportunities and allowing you to begin your real life.

The after effect of the KonMari Method is definitely up to interpretation, and can vary based on the person tidying. One thing is for sure though, tidying up, whether through the KonMari Method, or traditional techniques, can be a huge relief and help a house or living space seem more peaceful and organized.

Kaela may be reached at
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