Chinese New Year is approaching. Nobody wants to start a new year with clutter and junk strung around their home. Before rolling up your sleeves for the annual house cleaning, why not take a look at the world-renowned KonMari method for some home organization tips?
The KonMari method, detailed in Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” is all about experiencing - you guessed it - the life-changing magic that comes from tidying. The method is primarily about disposing of items that do not spark joy and organizing the remaining ones. Eventually, you will find a clutter-free home, full of things that bring joy to your life.
Decluttering tips 1: by category, not by location
The KonMari method asks to have the following five categories of items to be tackled in this specific order: clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous items, and sentimental items. Every time you work on one category, gather the items from all sections of your home (e.g. books from the study and from the living room bookshelf, Chinese New Year decorations in the cabinets). Pick up each item and consider if it “sparks joy.” If the answer is yes, keep it. Otherwise, throw it away; then organize what’s remaining.
Decluttering tips 2: kitchen organization
When tidying the fridge and the freezer, apply the same principle: Empty, Clean, “Joy Check”, and Organize. Try to keep your fridge 30% empty so you can actually see what’s in it. Avoid putting things on the counters or near the sink or stovetop. Forget about saving the “nice plates” for guests -- do a “Joy Check” and start using the plates that you love every day!
The KonMari method should give you a glimpse into the joy of owning less and being organized. There are numerous downloadable checklists that can get you started. Give it a go and, who knows, maybe by this time next year, you won’t find house cleaning such a chore after all!
Sources:
© Cigna Healthcare 2023
Information provided in this article is intended for health and fitness purposes only and is not intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease (see Terms & Conditions for details). Any health-related information found in this article is available only for your interest and should not be treated as medical advice. Users should seek any medical advice from a physician, especially before self-diagnosing any ailment or embarking on any new lifestyle or exercise regime. Any information contained in this article may not be suitable, accurate, complete or reliable. Cigna Healthcare accepts no responsibility for the content or accuracy of information contained on external websites or resources, or for the security and safety of using them. "Cigna Healthcare" and the "Tree of Life" logo are registered trademarks of Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. in the United States and elsewhere, licensed for use. All products and services are provided by or through operating subsidiaries, and not by The Cigna Group.
