If you’re reading this, you most likely know about the KonMari Method and are interested in learning how it can help you move. For those of you who have no idea what KonMari means, here’s a brief description of this “life-changing” system.
Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant, wrote a book about decluttering that has swept the globe titled, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” In this book, readers learn how to systematically organize their home, ridding themselves of clutter forever. You read that right. Forever.
Kondo states in her book, “Never again will you revert to clutter.” In fact, she boasts that she has zero repeat clients, which is pretty impressive. The “KonMari Method,” a mashup of her first and last name, takes you through the process of decluttering every area of your home, leaving you with only the items that serve a purpose or bring you joy.
“Although not large, the space I live in is graced only with those things that speak to my heart,” Kondo advocates. “My lifestyle brings me joy. Wouldn’t you want to live this way, too?”
Is this a trick question? Of course! Who wouldn’t?
The KonMari Method differs from many organizational systems that advise decluttering room by room. With KonMari, you declutter by category in the following order.
- Clothing
- Books
- Papers
- Komono (miscellany)
- Sentimental items
The order is important because it helps you hone your ability to recognize which items bring you joy and which don’t. By the time you get to sentimental items (the hardest things to part with), you’ll be a pro at saying “goodbye” to your dusty trinkets.
Packing with the KonMari Method
If you haven’t already organized your home using the KonMari Method prior to your move, now is a perfect time. Instead of pulling everything off the shelf or out of the closet and returning your remaining items in the proper way, you’ll be decluttering while you pack.
As you fill boxes, follow the order of categories above and only keep the items which bring you joy. Since you may need to use some items during your move, like several sets of clothes or important papers, keep those items in a separate area away from your moving boxes. For example, pack the clothes and paperwork you’ll need during your move in a suitcase. That way, you won’t mistakenly box them up.
KonMari truck and trailer loading
Many of the KonMari home organization principles are present in the loading process of a move. For example, the KonMari Method recommends organizing items based on size. When moving, you’ll want to stack boxes in your moving truck by size to keep heavier boxes from crushing smaller ones. The same applies when loading a trailer. You’ll want larger, heavier items near the back (tongue end) of the trailer.
These helpful posts will walk you through loading a moving truck and trailer.
Unpacking the KonMari way
The KonMari Method not only describes how to declutter but also how to organize and re-home the items that bring you joy.
“Do not even think of putting your things away until you have finished the process of discarding,” Kondo advises in her book.
If you declutter the KonMari way while packing, when you arrive in your new home, you’ll have a clean slate to follow the storage guidelines laid out in Kondo’s book.
Have you organized your home using the KonMari Method? Share your thoughts, tips or tricks in the comments below.
