As you embark on your tidying adventure using the KonMari Method™, remember to focus on what you want to keep. Cherish the items that bring you joy, and let go of the rest with gratitude.
Discarding is not the point of the KonMari Method™, but it is an important part of the process because it provides an opportunity to learn from your past experiences. If you let go of a belonging you never used, it taught that you have no purpose for something like it in your life. Thinking deeply about each item you discard will affect how you live and acquire new things moving forward.
On a practical level, discarding first also allows you to have an accurate grasp of how much actually needs to be stored. Only after you’ve discarded can you turn your full energy and attention to that which brings you joy.
In the example above, Marie lets go of sentimental items – photos – with a proper send off, using salt (a Japanese purification ritual) and expressing gratitude for what they’ve taught her.
Ready to move to the next rule? Proceed to Tidy by Category, Not by Location in the 6 Rules of Tidying.
