Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo is officially a household name, which is fitting considering the tidying expert’s rise to fame is all thanks to her trademarked home organization philosophy.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and, more recently, the star of the hit Netflix show “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo” is such a sensation that her name is frequently used as a verb (as in, How to Marie Kondo Your Desk) and her nickname, KonMari, is a trademarked tidying method.

Ahead, Kondo opens up to Create & Cultivate about starting her first business when she was just a 19-year-old student, waking up every morning at 2 am to write the first draft of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and learning to slow down in order to mindfully reflect on her (many) accomplishments.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You have helped people all over the world "spark joy." What does sparking joy mean to you? Why do you think this concept has resonated so much with people?

MARIE  KONDO: I believe the concept of sparking joy resonates with so many people because it’s about assessing what’s truly important to you. It’s about understanding your values and what your ideal life is. 

You started your first business when you were just a 19-year-old student—and organization is a very competitive market—why do you think your business has been so successful?

The KonMari Method is about tidying up in a way that will spark joy in your life and change it forever. Organizing and decluttering are not the end goals—they are steps you take along the way. 

You are a New York Times bestselling author and, more recently, the star of Netflix hit show “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.” What inspired the decision to move to the entertainment space and bring your brand to TV? What has the response been like?

After witnessing the response to my book in the United States, I wanted to share the joy of tidying with more people. I’m thrilled—and deeply grateful—that people around the world have connected with the show. What surprised me the most was the speed at which people put the KonMari Method into action—folding their clothes and joy-checking their belongings! It all happened so fast.

“Investing time in work that excites you will help you acquire skills that will distinguish you from others.”

You are new to the world of entertainment—what have you learned in the process of making your show? What advice can you share for others who are interested in turning their books into TV?

A little known fact is that “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo” was not my first foray into entertainment. Back in Japan, I often appeared on late-night television shows as a tidying expert! My advice is to surround yourself with people who believe in what sparks joy for you.

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

For me, everything goes back to tidying. By physically organizing the environment around you, your mind is cleared. Being aware of what you have in your life—and where you are placing everything—allows you to understand the thoughts and emotions you’re carrying with you. When your home is tidied, you are better equipped to handle bumps in the road and the emotions that come with them calmly.

You're now building an empire around your books. What advice can you share for aspiring authors out there? How long did it take you to get your first book published? What was the process like?

When I was writing The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I would wake up at 2 am, write until 7 am, and then focus on my tidying lessons. It was a labor of love! I didn’t know the first thing about publishing a book, so I entered a publishing training course and won first prize with my book proposal. I was very fortunate that one of the judges believed in my work and became my editor. To aspiring authors out there, I’d say to believe wholeheartedly in your work and do what brings you joy. 

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned throughout your career and what have they taught you?

After the success of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I became so focused on work that I took a long time to respond to texts or emails from my family or would forget to send thank you messages when someone did something thoughtful for me. My father reminded me that when you receive recognition for what you’ve accomplished, it’s not only a reflection of your own efforts but also of the people who have supported you along the way. I’ve learned to always cherish my foundation and where I came from. 

What traits do you need to succeed as an entrepreneur or founder in the competitive start-up environment? Why?

Trust in your own sense of what sparks joy for you. Above all, work on something you are passionate about with concentration and dedication. Investing time in work that excites you will help you acquire skills that will distinguish you from others. 

“Surround yourself with people who believe in what sparks joy for you.”

You've had incredible success bringing the KonMari Method to the masses both as a book and a TV series. What's next for your brand? How do you hope to grow?

My first children’s book, Kiki & Jax: The Life-Changing Magic of Friendship, came out in November 2019; and this spring I’m publishing Joy at Work, which is about applying the KonMari Method to your career. We’re also launching the Spark Joy Shop, a collection of items that I use in my everyday life and that spark joy for me. My hope with each of these projects is to inspire others to make room in their lives for things that spark joy.

With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?

The time that I get to spend with my family.

What is the #1 book you always recommend (besides your own!)? Why?
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Elizabeth’s approach to work and life celebrates many of the same values as the KonMari Method. I admire her vulnerable path to self-discovery.

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.

How to Marie Kondo Your Career and Enter the Next Decade With a Bang

Photo: Smith House Photography; Design: Ginny Macdonald

There’s not much room for debate. Marie Kondo is the Japanese organizing consultant who is transforming lives everywhere and despite her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing launching in 2011, Kondo continues to inspire people around the world to get their spaces in order. 

In the book, she breaks down her two-pronged approach to cleaning. Step one: Physically touch your belongings, see if said belongings spark a sense of joy, and if they don’t, toss them. Step two: After you’ve done the dirty work and dumped those joyless items, put everything else back in a place where it’s easy to see, grab, and put back again. 

It has brought countless people lasting results—to point, none of her customers are repeats. “In this book,” she writes in the Introduction, “I have summed up how to put your space in order in a way that will change your life forever.”

So we wanted to take her home tidying methods and apply them to work. Because WHY NOT? We want to change our relationship to work forever too! If she can work magic in the home, why can’t she work magic at the office?

Here are four KonMari methods that can be applied to your career, too and kick off the new decade with a bang!

KonMari Method Lesson #1: Tackle Categories, Not Rooms

Tidying by category is Kondo’s first rule. She says to start with clothing, then books and move on to items like documents and old photographs later. The reasoning is that things in like-categories tend to be spread throughout your house, not confined to one space. 

How to apply this at work: This will be similar to time-batching, or grouping like activities together. Set aside time the morning for email, time mid-morning for conference calls, and time in the afternoon for writing, creative ideas, and brainstorming. Sure, there will be the odd bits of “clutter” that pop-up during the day-- the email that needs a response while you’re in the midst of your creative jive but batching helps you stay focused and on track. 

KonMari Method Lesson #2: Picking Up Each Item and Asking, “Does this spark joy?” 

For most of us, minimalism isn’t our strong suit. But from those in power suits to tracksuits, everyone can get on board. 

In the book, this method is applied in the literal sense to the home. The clothes that are shoved in the back corner of your closet that you need to lose ten pounds to wear. The pile of books you keep meaning to read. Just because you bought it, doesn’t mean you own it. In fact, if it doesn’t bring you joy, it’s owning you. 

“Just because you bought it, doesn’t mean you own it. In fact, if it doesn’t bring you joy, it’s owning you.”

How to apply this at work: The most obvious place you can start is your desk. You can apply the same method to stacks of papers, old receipts, empty bottles of Advil, and that half-eaten Snickers stashed in the back for a 2 pm sugar craving. If your desk is surrounded by “joyless” items that you don’t need for work or taxes, toss them. 

Next. There are parts of all jobs that are joyless. From the startup founder who hates Quickbooks to the intern who can’t stand the tedium of stuffing gift bags. However, you can apply a minimalist mindset to your work by understanding what each piece of your work puzzle is contributing to the larger picture. There is a nugget of joy in each task. Even if it's just that at some point, it will be over. 

If you’re a freelancer (and can afford to turn down jobs, which, we know is not easy) ask yourself if this project or client will bring you joy and if what you’re contributing will bring joy to other people. 

KonMari Method Lesson #3: Put the Kibosh on Nostalgia

Many times through the book Kondo talks about nostalgia and hazardous sentimental attachments to our possessions. Whether it’s boxes of old photographs and birthday cards that lead us down a long and windy path of nostalgia and distraction while cleaning, to items we hold onto for no reason—aka your grandmother’s boots you're keeping even though they’re two sizes too small. Talk about a tropical depression. The nostalgia hurricane is real and it's ruling your life. Feeling strongly about stuff is okay but it can also be the enemy of tidy. Kondo says people keep things out of "fear for the future or attachment to the past.”

“Talk about a tropical depression. The nostalgia hurricane is real and it’s ruling your life.”

How to apply this to work: It's not just stuff kids! We have nostalgia and emotional attachment to ideas. So, what should we do to make space for bigger and better creative thoughts? Kill your darlings. That’s right. The creative ideas that keep falling dead in the water. Every single one of us has that “golden” idea that we can’t escape. The one we reposition and bring up in pitch meetings, the one we’re sure is going to hit with ONE client that simply never does. Accept that. Thank the idea for taking up space in your head and let it go. 

Also, those notebooks full of half-baked ideas and sparks (ahem duds) of genius you jotted down and have never looked through—toss them. We know you’re saving them for that one time you’re going to need to reference a page scribbled on in 2007 but just say goodbye. If ideas are really that great, they’ll stick around. You don’t need to create a physical library of your own brain. 

KonMari Method Lesson #4: Simplifying and Letting Go Feels Good, So GOOD

Yes! Getting rid of clutter and freeing up your home space feels great. You feel lighter, more free, and less emotionally tied to STUFF! When it comes to closets specifically the Marie Kondo method creates space between stuff. Your clothes have SPACE GLORIOUS SPACE to live and breathe! Dressing all of the sudden becomes easier when you can SEE everything! Decision making is easier when you love everything and therefore you become more efficient with your time! Exclamations abound!! (For real, this is happy, joyous stuff.)

How to apply this to work: You don’t have to do anything here! Once you start letting go of the clutter on your desk and in your head, you will free up space for the next steps. You’ll be giving your career the breathing room it needs to expand. It will also help you become more clear on what projects to say yes to, and which projects to turn down. 

You’ll feel relief instead of anxiety, joy instead of a job. 

What are some ways you can apply this method to work? Share in the comments below!

This post was originally published on September 15, 2016, and has since been updated.

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