It's time to 'Marie Kondo' all the other parts of your life

Just a few weeks into 2019 and all anyone can talk about is Marie Kondo.

Thanks to her best-selling book and new Netflix series, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, a whole bunch of people around the world have been doing some intense tidying up and getting their homes in tip top shape.

But while the show focuses on the best way to clear out the clutter in your house, her KonMari method might be just what you need to get other aspects of your life in order as well.

Obviously we aren’t official representatives of the tidying goddess, here’s how we think you can find ways to “spark joys” in other key parts of your life.

Your emails

From random newsletters (not including our amazing newsletter which you can subscribe to here) and shopping sales spam to a whole bunch of things you don’t even remember signing up for, our inboxes can get so unbelievable cluttered these days.

So grab on your computer, open up your inbox and start deleting and unsubscribing!

And as Marie suggests with physical paperwork, you need a simple filing system for the messages that actually have a place in your inbox.

“Unlike physical tidying, one of the advantages of digital tidying is definitely searchability,” she explains. “Especially with personal accounts, it is unnecessary to sort in detailed categories, creating sub-folders under folders.”

Marie suggests you just have two: “Unprocessed” and “Save”. Most people like to deal with emails as soon as it enters you inbox, but Marie suggest that you dedicate set times during the day to sit and go through your emails properly.

That way you will reply quicker, delete the unnecessary ones straightaway and get things sorted out more efficiently.

Your finances

Sorting out your finances is no mean feat. And it’s not quite as easy to only keep the things that “spark joy”. This is one that will definitely take some time but you can use some of Marie’s principles to help make it easier.

First, visualise you ideal financial situation and keep that goal in mind as you start to look through your finances. It’s best to group them into different categories (housing, loans, internet and phone bills, memberships, socialising, etc) so you can tackle each section thoroughly.

Obviously important costs and repayments can’t be changed too much, but when you look at your gym membership or your Netflix subscription – is that the price plan that works best for you?

When looking at the things you spend most money on to treat yourself, figure which ones actually spark the most joy. Those are the ones you should prioritise going forward rather than impulsive spending which eats away at your budget.

Also, don’t be scared to turn to an expert. Find your Marie Kondo of finances and use their method to create a game plan.

Plus, all the tidying you’ve been doing in your home and life should have presented some options that you can sell online to make an extra bit of cash. Sharing is caring!

Your social media

So many of us feel like we will be missing out on everything if we dared to step away from social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, but Marie doesn’t think this is an excuse to keep things the same.

“Don’t worry — you will always be connected with the people you have special relationships no matter what,” she says.

So sit yourself down and go through your following list. Is it someone you talk to/care about? Does following that account or fan page spark joy for you?

You don’t have to delete them, most apps have the option to “mute” or “hide” profiles that you don’t want to see as much.

Like she suggests with your emails, maybe it’s time to set a dedicated time per day to browse your social media. That way you’ll be free to do more important things that spark joy in your real life.

Your friendships

This is an awkward one but following on from social media, it’s hard not to stop and wonder if the people in your life are “sparking joy” for you.

Simply deciding to ghost some people isn’t exactly something you can always do but maybe it’s time to give them less focus in your life and spend more time with the people who do spark joy and help you to achieve your goals.

And that might even apply your relationship, too!

Your online storage

Like the sentimental items and paperwork you have at home, it is essential that you get rid of the clutter you are storing on the cloud as well.

You are probably paying for this space so surely it makes sense to only keep the things you actually need. You might find you could save yourself some cash by moving down a plan at the end of it all.

Or you’ll just be happy to know you have a whole heap of space to store all you future files.

Online storage makes it so much easier to keep duplicates and multiple versions of the same thing saved, when in reality we only need one. So just like she suggests with physical pictures, try and keep the version of videos and images that spark the most joy.

Delete all drafts and unnecessary items you have stored and try and keep things saved in easy to find folders.

It’s a long process but it will also be a fun trip down memory lane because let’s be honest – when was the last time you actually looked at your holiday pictures from six years ago?

Your office workspace

“What sparks joy for you personally may be different from what sparks joy for you at work,” Marie explains. “What that means is that your sense of value shifts for work.”

So you have to check if each items at your desk contributes to efficiency and makes your feel positive at work. Once you’ve ditched the unnecessary clutter, make sure your desk and drawers are arranged in a neat, practical way – like Marie suggests with your home.

“When your office space is organised, it will result in increased efficiency because your use of time becomes much more productive,” she says. “You’ll be much more comfortable in your office space and that contributes to your overall performance and your creativity — that’s some of the feedback I get from people that have implemented the KonMari method in their workspace.”

Instead of letting your desk become a dumping ground, make sure you chuck things away as soon as you no longer need them.

Your beauty collection

A tidy makeup and skincare collection doesn’t necessarily mean a small one. The key thing is to only keep the products that “spark joy” for you.

So get all your products together in a big pile and sift through it all. If you never used it, been storing it for month or have no idea why you even have it – dump it. Oh, and pay attention to the use-by date.

There’s nothing worse that keeping jars and tubs of products that went off months before!

Once you’ve ditched all the items you don’t need, then it’s time to figure out where to store it. Marie is a fan of trays and box in drawers (as seen in the show) and you should be too.

“Makeup is to make yourself beautiful so it’s very important to store it in a beautiful way,” she says.

And a key way to keep your makeup collection in check is to “shop your stash” and make you finish using all the ones you have at home before buying a replacement (even if there’s a good sale on).

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