Tidying up transforms not only your living space but your entire life.
My tidying method encourages cherishing the things that spark joy in your life and letting go of everything else with gratitude. People around the world have been drawn to this philosophy not only due to its effectiveness, but also because it places great importance on being mindful, introspective and optimistic.
It’s been an honor to witness the life-changing magic my clients experience after tidying up. Millions of people have read my book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, and I am deeply moved by stories of how the KonMari Method has improved their lives.
However, I have also heard people say that even though they’ve read my book, they haven’t gotten around to actually tidying – that they’re planning to do it someday, but just don’t have the time right now. The true potential of my method lies in finishing tidying thoroughly and completely – not when there are piles of clothes lying on the floor, waiting to be assigned a home. So I asked myself: What more could I do to inspire people to tidy? After much deliberation, I decided that I should offer something useful that would move people to tidy up now, rather than later – and it’s why I created the Hikidashi Box.
![Marie Kondo's Hikidashi boxes](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mariek_boxes2.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
Let me explain. I’ve tidied hundreds of homes over the years, often using simple shoe boxes to help my clients organize their joy-sparking items. Boxes are the ultimate tidying solution – versatile, streamlined, attractive and easy to use. I have over 50 of them in my home! However, keeping and reusing boxes is not a universal custom. Through my work, I’ve discovered that Americans typically don’t save packaging boxes – from shoes, candy, clothing, etc. I was constantly left searching for boxes to bring order to my clients’ homes. So I set out to create something simple that would motivate people to complete their tidying and spark joy in their lives. Hikidashi means “drawer” in Japanese, and the boxes are designed for organizing clothes, specifically, because that’s the first category in the KonMari Method. They’re also made of 100% recycled content or are FSC-certified, meaning they come from responsibly managed forests.
The moment you start tidying, you’ll realize your dream of living in a place that sparks joy. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most magical.
Marie Kondo is the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy and is a 2015 TIME 100 honoree. She is the founder of KonMari.
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