Decoration lessons to learn from Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo is a Japanese decor and lifestyle guru who has been teaching people around the world to maintain a more organized and harmonious home.

In her book, already considered a small Bible, Marie Kondo teaches and inspires her fans with decoration and tidying tips, arguing that mental well-being also stems from the environment where we live.

1. Organize the house – Marie argues that the organization should be according to categories of objects and not following the logic of the rooms in the house. The categories to keep in mind are: clothing, paper documents, books, sentimental objects and ‘Komono’ (miscellaneous).

2. Furniture – If you don’t know which rule to follow to get rid of old furniture or not, for Marie Kondo, it’s simple: choose only the pieces of furniture you really love and bring you happiness (“that spark joy”, as the guru says).

3. Fix the closet – Start by removing all the clothes in your closet and putting them in a pile (for example, on the bed). Then stop and look closely. Hold each piece and ask yourself this one still makes you happy. If the answer is no, it’s time to say goodbye!

4. Fold the clothes, instead of hanging it – For Marie Kondo it is preferable to fold the clothes in drawers or in a dresser. In this way, the specialist guarantees that your clothes will be ‘happier’.

5. Be grateful for everything you have (including trash) – Kondo believes he should be grateful for everything he has in his house, and that includes the garbage he produces. The guru believes that this philosophy is synonymous with happiness.