Tidying can be a powerful reset – not just for your space, but your entire life. If you want to tidy but don’t know where to start – or you got stuck along the way – we’ve got you. Our eight-week challenge makes tidying manageable and fun – seriously!
Broken into bite-size tasks, each day’s assignment will help you to eliminate clutter and hone your sensitivity to joy. Over the course of the challenge, your relationship to your physical space and your emotional state will deepen – you’ll emerge feeling lighter and clearer. This is the life-changing magic of tidying.
Tidying is better together, so encourage your friends and family to tidy alongside you. And be sure to tag your photos with #mykonmari! Let’s get started. This week’s tasks are below. Ready, set…tidy!
Day 1: Review the Basics
Created by Marie Kondo, the KonMari Method™ advocates tidying up completely, in one fell swoop. Most methods suggest tidying room-by-room or little-by-little, an approach that will doom you to pick away at piles of stuff forever.
Today, familiarize yourself with the six rules of tidying and Marie’s unique philosophy. If you haven’t read “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and “Spark Joy,” now is the perfect time – we recommend keeping Marie’s books nearby throughout the challenge.
Day 2: Imagine Your Ideal Living Space
The first step of the KonMari Method™ is to imagine your ideal lifestyle. Get specific! Goals like, “I want to live clutter-free,” or “I want a beautiful home,” are too broad – you’ll have to dive deeper.
For today’s task, you’ll need a journal and a few moments to reflect on your own. Focus on the physical aspect of your dream home. Ask yourself:
- What does my ideal living space look like?
- Is there a theme?
- What are the predominant colors, shapes and textures?
- How does it smell?
- What is the light like?
Settle into a comfortable seat and jot down whatever comes to mind – this is the time to let your mind wander.
Day 3: Imagine Your Ideal Emotional State
Use these questions as a springboard:
- How do I want to feel after this challenge?
- What motivated me to tidy in the first place?
- What do I hope to gain?
Write down the answers in your journal. If you’re having trouble tapping into your intuition, connect to your inner self with a self-care practice; Marie uses a tuning fork to center herself.
Day 4: Clarify Your Goals
Take out your journal and read all the ideas you’ve recorded over the past two days. For each of your visions, write down why you aspire to that lifestyle. Return to these notes throughout your tidying festival to stay motivated – seeing your goals on paper will increase the likelihood of achieving them.
Day 5: Make a Vision Board
Take out your art supplies – it’s time to get crafty! Using your journal entries as a guide, create a board that visually represents your ideal lifestyle. Cut out images and words from magazines to make a compelling collage of your desires – or draw them if you’re feeling inspired (a Pinterest board works, too). Refer back to this visual any time you get stuck – this is the life you’re tidying toward.
Days 6 & 7: Take “Before” Photos of Your Space
For the next two days, document your living space in its current state. Resist the urge to neaten up – these “before” pictures will serve as a reminder of how far you’ve come on your journey. Organize them in a special folder so you can see them at a glance.
Congratulations! You’ve made it through the first week. Next week we’ll tackle clothes…
See what’s next in our 8-Week Tidy Challenge.
