KONMARI METHOD®
What is the KonMari Method®?
The Japanese Professional Organizer Marie Kondo developed the KonMari Method®. It’s a word combination made from her name (Mari-e Kon-do) in reverse order (Kon Mari).
In 2011, she became famous with her bestselling book ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, which since then has sold 14 million copies and was translated into 40+ languages. She now works as an author and speaker, and also has two Netflix shows.
Besides starting a global movement centered on intentional living and joy, she also created a professional training program for certified KonMari® Consultants. I am one of 800+ certified KonMari® Consultants in over 50 countries.
Marie Kondo © Photo credit KonMari Media, Inc.
What makes the KonMari Method® different?
Many people first encounter the KonMari Method® through the question “Does it spark joy?”, which shifts the focus from discarding out of obligation to choosing what supports one’s ideal lifestyle. Rather than aiming for a perfectly tidy or Instagram-worthy home, the method centers on intentional choice and alignment — using the home as a way to support how you actually want to live.
“Tidying is just a tool, not the final destination. The true goal should be to establish the lifestyle you want most once your house has been put in order.”
How Tidying Works
Tidying in the KonMari Method® follows a clear and intentional sequence. First, belongings are decluttered, and only after that are they organized. This order matters — it’s what allows lasting change, even though it often means things feel more visible (and messier) before they feel better.
Decluttering
Decluttering means holding each item in your hands, one by one, and asking the question “Does it spark joy?” This is an embodied process that brings both practical and emotional awareness into decision-making.
Joy doesn’t have to mean excitement or beauty. It can also show up as relief, usefulness, or a sense of ease — when something genuinely supports daily life.
Over time, the question deepens. What begins as “Does it spark joy?” becomes “Does this item support the life I want to live?” This is why the KonMari Method® begins with clarifying your vision — it helps guide decisions when things feel challenging or unclear.
Organizing
Only once a category has been fully decluttered does organizing begin. The focus is on visibility, ease of use, and systems that feel natural to maintain within the realities of daily life.
One well-known example is the KonMari folding method, which allows clothing to be stored upright so everything can be seen at a glance. For many people, this increases clarity and reduces friction — but it’s not a requirement. Organizing in the KonMari Method® is always adapted to the individual, their habits, and what feels sustainable over time.
The goal isn’t visual perfection, but simple systems that support how you actually live — so your space continues to work for you long after the tidying process is complete.
Instead of organizing room by room, the KonMari Method® works by category. This means gathering all items of the same kind — even when they’re stored in different parts of the home — so decisions can be made once, with the full picture in view.
The five main categories are:
Clothes
Books
Paper
Komono (miscellaneous items)
Sentimental items
In its complete form, working through all five categories in sequence is often referred to as a Tidying Festival. This describes the full theoretical arc of the method — not a requirement or expectation for every person or season of life.
The categories are approached in a specific order, beginning with items that are often easier to decide on and gradually moving toward those with more emotional weight. This structure isn’t about speed or completion — it helps build the decision-making “muscle,” so choices become clearer and more confident with practice.
Tidying by Category
The 6 Basic Rules of Tidying
These six basic rules help keep the process focused and oriented toward your goal. They are not meant to be rigid or prescriptive, but to offer structure when the work starts to feel scattered or unclear. The rules help bring decisions back to clarity and direction, so the process can keep moving forward with more ease.
Commit yourself to tidying
Imagine your ideal lifestyle
Finish discarding before you start organizing
Tidy by category and not by location
Follow the right order of the categories
Ask yourself if it sparks joy
Working with a Certified KonMari® Consultant
Certification means being trained in the foundations and nuances of the KonMari Method® as it was intended to be practiced. Certified consultants don’t simply learn from the books — they work with real clients, submit detailed reports, receive feedback and critique, complete examinations and interviews, and continue their training over time.
This shared foundation creates a clear compass for the work. Each year, certified consultants gather to re-center the practice and hear Marie Kondo speak directly about the heart and philosophy of the method. This ongoing connection helps keep the focus on joy, ideal lifestyle, and intentional choice — rather than efficiency, aesthetics, or external standards — and supports applying the method with integrity and care.
KonMari® Certification Levels
Certified KonMari® Consultants progress through multiple certification levels, from Green to Master. Each level reflects verified client hours, continued training, and demonstrated experience working through the full KonMari Method® with real households.
This structure makes experience visible — not as a hierarchy of “better,” but as a way for clients to understand how much hands-on practice a consultant has accumulated over time.
Certified Green
30+ tidying hours
Certified Bronze
150+ tidying hours
Certified Silver
300+ tidying hours
Certified Gold
600+ tidying hours
Certified Platinum
900+ tidying hours
Certified Master
1,500+ tidying hours
Experience & Certification
Kati Carrapa brings long-term, lived experience alongside advanced KonMari® training to her work. She has been decluttering and organizing spaces since 2010 and began working professionally as a professional organizer in 2017.
After building substantial hands-on client experience, she chose to begin the KonMari® certification process in late 2019, once she knew the work was truly aligned, and was certified in early 2020. In 2024, Kati reached the Master Level — a distinction held by the most experienced KonMari® Consultants worldwide.
The photo here shows Kati with Marie Kondo, sharing a light, joyful moment that reflects the spirit and values at the heart of the KonMari Method®.
Decluttering and organizing practice since 2010
Professional organizing work since 2017
Certified KonMari® Consultant (2020)
Master Level KonMari® Consultant (2024)
1,800+ hours of one-on-one KonMari® tidying experience
“Certified Masters are our most experienced Consultants. They have seen it all and honed their personal technique to perfection. ”
The Netflix Series
Many people first encounter the KonMari Method® through the Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and Sparking Joy. The shows offer a broad introduction to the philosophy of the method.
In real-life work, the process often looks different. In smaller apartments — especially in cities like New York — sessions are designed so spaces can be restored at the end of each day. Rather than creating large, open-ended “everything-out” piles, the work is paced and contained, with care taken to support real nervous systems, real space constraints, and real lives.
Working with a certified consultant allows the method to be adapted thoughtfully and responsibly, so progress feels supportive rather than overwhelming.
