Exclusive: Marie Kondo reveals the secrets of her success – and what the pandemic taught her

With four best-selling books and two Netflix series under her belt, Marie Kondo is the world’s most famous organizer. 

Her KonMari method is the most trusted tidying technique today – and has revolutionized kitchen, bedroom, and living room storage ideas alike. But what are the secrets of Marie Kondo's success? 

In an exclusive interview with H&G, Marie revealed what she believes makes her stand out from other professional organizers – and how she refined her celebrated tidying method. Plus, she reveals what she learnt during the pandemic.

‘Most tidying methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which dooms you to pick away your piles of ‘stuff’ forever. The KonMari Method encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items,’ Marie says.

While the KonMari Method differs in its tidying approach, Marie also highlighted her most famous teaching – surrounding the idea of ‘sparking joy’ – which further emphasizes her place as a pioneer in the organization world. 

Whether you’re looking for kitchen storage ideas or you simply want to declutter, the pillar of Marie’s teaching will teach you what to throw away. 

‘Only keep those things that speak to the heart and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service, then let them go. My approach is not just using a technique to organize, but asking yourself how you want to live your life and why you want to tidy,’ she explains. 

And if the KonMari Method was not already successful enough, Marie explained how her extra time at home refined her organization ideas. 

‘The beauty of the KonMari Method is that, at its core, the approach remains the same no matter the time and space. I constantly envision the life I want to live and find gratitude in the things that spark joy in my life,’ Marie says.

She continues: ‘One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned during the pandemic is taking more time to express gratitude for my space. I’m not necessarily referring to a particular room in the home, but the space where I live in general. For example, my husband and I have taken more walks around the neighborhood to discuss our business. It’s become a nice routine for us to connect and grow together.’

‘I also enjoy gardening, so finding more time outdoors has brought so much joy,’ Marie adds. 

Dare we get excited about KonMari garden ideas in the near future? We can only hope so.