Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo has “kinda given up” on tidying up
The queen of tidying up and decluttering has confessed her home is messy.
Reassuring news for parents everywhere as Marie Kondo, the viral Japanese consultant who specializes in decluttering and organization, has confessed that she lets her home get messy.
In a recent webinar promoting her latest book, ‘Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life’, the specialist in keeping things neat announced she is no longer tidying up as much after giving birth to her third child.
“My home is messy, but the way I am spending my time is the right way for me at this time at this stage of my life,” Kondo said (via an interpreter).
“Up until now, I was a professional tidier, so I did my best to keep my home tidy at all times … I have kind of given up on that in a good way for me. Now I realize what is important to me is enjoying spending time with my children at home.”
In August of 2021, Kondo and her husband Takumi Kawahara welcomed their third child and first son into their family. Their daughters Satsuki and Miko are now six and seven.
Kondo is best known for her two Netflix series, ‘Tidying Up’ and ‘Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo’. The central theme of Kondo’s work is sustainable and meaningful methods of organizing and decluttering a space.
Changes since becoming a parent
Kondo previously shared her thoughts on motherhood on her personal website ‘KonMari’.
“Just after my older daughter was born, I felt unable to forgive myself for not being able to manage my life as I had before,” she explained.
She went on to describe how she has lessened the pressure on herself with time.
“But, with time, I eased up on myself. Then, after I gave birth to my second daughter, I let go of my need for perfection altogether. I am busier than ever after having my third child, so I have grown to accept that I cannot tidy every day – and that is okay!”
Kondo also makes sure to pass her teachings on to her children.
“I try to teach them how to fold clothes. Children are very close observers so I try to make it so they can watch me folding clothes,” she told the Associated Press in 2018.