Marie Kondo has started a global tidying movement with her unique yet straightforward approach to organizing. While her methods are popular among people who want to rid themselves of excess material possessions, some aspects of the KonMari technique can also help you better manage your finances.
Here are some useful tips and interesting money insights from the queen of organizing herself.
Kondo Your Finances
Before going into the actual tidying process, Kondo advises that you imagine your ideal lifestyle first. Envision the kind of life you want to lead once you finish tidying up your finances.
Think about how you want to spend your money and write down the expenses your resources are going to now. Then, determine if your spending lines up with your vision.
The Japanese organizing consultant also suggests that organize your finances by category to give a more comprehensive view of your future goals and current financial situation. Doing this would help you make informed decisions about money and have a realistic understanding of your finances.
Habits to Discard
The KonMari method emphasizes only keeping the things that ‘spark joy’ in you and discarding the rest with gratitude. Being able to employ this technique on your material possessions would also give you the ability to apply the same mantra in other areas of your life.
According to Kondo, she noticed how her clients also became more mindful of their own spending habits and stopped buying in excess after tidying up using her method. This eventually prevented them from sabotaging their financial goals as they make better use of their money.
Start small by doing away with unnecessary expenses, like eating out, that may not serve your financial goals in the long run.
Success and Money
Kondo also has an interesting view of money and success. For example, her definition of being financially successful is being able to live a joyful life whatever financial state a person may be in.
So, while she may be rich enough now to buy various luxuries in life, she still takes pleasure in buying small purchases like $50 garden secateurs as they bring joy into her life.
As for the worst money advice she ever got in her life, Kondo said that she was discouraged from buying real estate and investing when her book first became a bestseller. Now, she wishes that she looked into investing more proactively.
The 35-year-old tidying guru has since expanded her business from consulting and writing to producing a Netflix show and opening an online store that sells home organization products.