Don’t Tidy Up Yet!: How to Prepare for Your First KonMari Organizing Session
So you’ve done it. You’ve contacted a Certified KonMari Consultant to book your first in-person tidying session. You may feel excited or panicked, and that’s totally normal. We (Kim Shiu and Steffi Ward - back on the blog again!) wanted to reassure you that whatever you are feeling is completely valid. As Steffi says, “We are friendly people so we understand how it might feel to have a stranger into your home sharing your ‘knicker drawer’ and other clothes.” We may start the process as strangers with you but I do hope that over this process we build trust and camaraderie.
Here’s some things to keep in mind before we arrive (and of course some of these are specific to each KonMari Consultant/organizer):
Firstly - you really don’t have to tidy up before we arrive! We are coming to help you organize your belongings. Between Steffi and myself, we truly have seen it all. We want to see your home as it is now. We are not a cleaning service but may undertake light cleaning where necessary.
Focus on your Ideal Lifestyle. Your Ideal Lifestyle will truly serve as your compass throughout this process. It helps us narrow in on what to keep and what to discard.
We will work in the correct order whenever we can. The KonMari Method follows this order: Clothes, Books, Papers, Komono, and lastly, Sentimental items.
Prepare for what you will donate or discard. This can include pulling out trash bags or saving some large cardboard boxes. However, there’s no need to worry about buying storage containers. Storage is always saved until the end!
Please set aside any unmentionables (anything you don’t want us to get into) if needed. Ensure firearms are secured (if applicable).
We will take breaks during our session. Eat a meal or a snack before, and have water on hand. If it is a full day session, you and your Consultant can discuss meals.
If applicable, sign your contract/service agreement and payment terms.
The last (and my favorite) tip is from Steffi: “Otherwise smile - we are a friendly bunch.” Our goal is to support you through this tidying process and help you discover what truly sparks joy in your life.
There’s no requirement to read or watch Marie Kondo’s books or Netflix shows but diving into one of them can be an enjoyable preview into what we’re getting into.
Depending on your pet(s) and their temperament, as well as your KonMari Consultant’s comfort level, you may need to keep them separate in another room or kenneled. For example, Steffi encourages animals. She finds animals enjoy the process and often get involved just calmly being around.
About Your Blog Authors and KonMari Consultants:
Kim Shiu is a professional organizer and Kansas’s only Certified KonMari™ Consultant. Through her business, Tidy for Good, LLC, she helps busy people in the Kansas City area transition from overwhelmed to organized. Trained directly in the world-renowned methods of Marie Kondo, Kim provides the expert structure needed to create a home that truly "sparks joy." You can work with Kim by getting in touch here.
Stephanie Ward has a deep understanding of the connection between people and their spaces they inhabit. She is passionate about helping others feel aligned with their environments, using the KonMari Philosophy. Drawing on her background in Interior Design, Colour Research, and Weaving, she integrates these innate creative skills into her work, your environment. Stephanie focuses on delivering Tidying Festivals, to inspire lasting change and shifting one’s perspectives on life and surroundings. Stephanie works out of Scottish Borders to Edinburgh. Work with Stephanie by getting in touch here or here.