What is the Marie Kondo decluttering method, and how can it help you prepare your home for Christmas?

Are you one of the many asking, 'What is the Marie Kondo decluttering method?' And is it worth the hype?

Bestselling author and organisation guru Marie Kondo is well-renowned in the decluttering space. Her famous approach to organising the home has been around for a few years now, but it's in the spotlight again as people look for new ways to declutter before Christmas.

There are so many fabulous professional decluttering methods to try, so what makes Marie's method so popular? I asked a professional home organiser to share her thoughts.

What is the Marie Kondo decluttering method?

Kondo created a decluttering method - the KonMari method - that centres around being intentional with what you keep. It's a methodical way to organise our homes, which Kondo believes plays a huge role in our overall wellbeing.

"This approach encourages us to declutter by category rather than by room," professional home organiser Rebecca Crayford explains. "For example, gathering all your clothes or books and deciding what truly 'sparks joy'."

Rebecca Crayford

Rebecca Crayford is the founder of RCLM, a lifestyle management business helping busy, midlife women reclaim their time by decluttering, getting organised, and putting simple systems in place to make daily life run more smoothly. With a background in marketing and advertising, Rebecca understands the pressures of modern life and offers a friendly, practical approach to creating space – both physically and mentally.

Many of the best decluttering methods encourage us to focus on one room at a time, such as the 1-3-5 decluttering method, where we pick a room, split it into three medium-sized tasks, followed by five micro-tasks. As shown in her Netflix docuseries, Kondo breaks the mould by encouraging us to categorise our items and work through them one by one. The main categories she outlines are:

• Clothes
• Books
• Papers
• Komono (miscellaneous items)
• Sentimental items

Marie says tidying items by category means we're on "the path to success".

Beyond categorising our items, the Marie Kondo decluttering method is all about tidying up in a way that "sparks joy" - the idea being that if we find an enjoyable way to tidy our homes, we're more likely to a) do it and b) accumulate less clutter in the first place. Because the tidier our house is, the less we'll want to bring stuff in that might mess it up.

How to use Marie Kondo's method in the build-up to Christmas

If you want to give Marie Kondo's decluttering method a try in the run up to Christmas, Rebecca has shared three top tips that will help.

1. Keep the principle, lose the pressure

"Kondo’s 'spark joy' idea is really about choosing items that support you and your life right now," Rebecca says. "If handling every single item isn’t realistic, simplify the question: Does this serve me? Does it make life easier or happier?"

Maybe don't aim for a complete overhaul right now - the big day is looming after all. Instead, declutter in a way that feels manageable by asking yourself the questions above and answering them as honestly as possible.

2. Tidy by category, but in bite-sized chunks

Using Marie Kondo's approach of decluttering by category is helpful, but don't feel like you need to stick to the categories she outlines if they don't work for you.

"Need to reclaim a spare room? Start with one drawer or shelf," Rebecca suggests. "Kitchen clutter? Clear surfaces and the fridge door first for quick wins, then move to chaotic drawers or overstuffed cupboards."

One section at a time still counts as category-based tidying.

3. Let go of 'just in case' thinking

Holding on to things 'just in case' is one of the biggest decluttering mistakes we can make. Now's the time to let go of this way of thinking and create a little more space for the festivities to unfold.

"Kondo encourages releasing items kept out of guilt or habit," Rebecca summarises. "Creating that breathing room makes your home feel lighter, calmer, and easier to manage during the holidays."

A big part of making the Marie Kondo decluttering method work is in adapting it to suit your needs. Will you giving it a try in the run up to Christmas?