One of the defining aspects of the KonMari Method™ is that it purports to tidy according to category and NOT by location. Many people are not used to this way of decluttering and organizing their belongings. In fact, I would say that most professional organizers take a location-based approach rather than a whole-home focused categorical approach (grab your KonMari Method checklist HERE!). So naturally, most of us think to organize by room.
Thus, I’d like to make a case for why tidying according to category makes sense. Here are three reasons why I prefer tidying according to categories:
It Provides You With A Structure
Decluttering and organizing according to simple categories gives you a very clear structure. If you have a clear structure and methodology to follow (the KonMari Method™ even tells you the order of categories you should follow), the entire task already seems more doable as it’s broken down into smaller steps. Sure, if you tidy by room, you also follow a certain structure, but I’d argue that things in a room might not necessarily belong to where they are right now and need relocation to another location. And perhaps that area was already organized and now you have to start anew as more things need to fit into the area. So overall, I think the categorical approach and structure is superior to the location-based approach. (grab your KonMari Method checklist HERE!)
You Get A Good Overview
You can only grasp WHAT you have and HOW MUCH of it if you gather all the items of one category in one spot. Only then you’re able to make informed decisions about whether to keep or let go of items. You might not even realize that you have multiples of one thing until you gather everything in one spot. Gathering everything by category might seem like a lot of work from the outset. But I promise you if you do it this way you’ll save time in the long run because you’re approaching the task from a holistic angle. Do it right – once and for all.
Organizing By Category Is Easier On The Brain
In the KonMari Method, you not only declutter by category but you also organize by category. Keeping like items with like is a lot easier on the brain than trying to remember where you stored something if you organize according to flow or frequency of use. Just think of it. Items of the same kind scattered around the house in various locations as opposed to storing items from the same category in one defined spot. It’s a no-brainer.
Did I convince you that tidying by category makes the most sense? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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