Have you been thinking about decluttering your stuff, but you don't know where to start? Are you spending too much time maintaining your belongings and not enough time living the life you want? Do you need a professional organizer to help you love your home? Maybe someone like Marie Kondo, international bestselling author and host of the hit Netflix show? Well, she's not coming to San Antonio, but I'm the next best thing!

As a Certified KonMari® Consultant, I can lead you through a tidying festival according to the KonMari Method®. I help you sort through your items in a specific order so that you can figure out what sparks joy and what will serve you in leading the life you want. I’m currently offering a discount to clients who want to complete a tidying festival with me: $1,900 for a prepaid 10-session package (each session is 3 hours). That comes out to $190 per session instead of $210 – that’s 10% off! I can also do longer sessions (like 4 hours or 6 hours) and sell extra hours at the discounted rate. Get in touch at info@amelieorganizes.com. I work in-person with clients in and around San Antonio; virtual sessions are also an option.

I realize that not everyone is familiar with Marie Kondo or her method, so let me explain the six rules below.

Rule #1: Commit yourself to tidying up. The KonMari Method® is “a chance to reset your entire life” – and as you might expect, it takes a certain resolve to accomplish. This is much more than a quick project to organize a room; it really does affect all areas of your life. The results are worth it, though!⁠

Rule #2: Imagine your ideal lifestyle. “Think about what kind of house you want to live in and how you want to live in it.” Now, no one is asking you to move! But give some thought to what you want out of life. Do you picture yourself reading in a beam of sunlight, with a steaming cup of tea? Then you need a comfortable reading nook near a window, books, tea, a nice mug or cup, and time to read – keep that in mind as you work your way toward it.⁠

Rule #3: Finish discarding first. Reflect on what this process is teaching you. Why did you acquire each object? How well has it served you? “Cherish the items that bring you joy, and let go of the others with gratitude.” On a more practical level, only once you know which objects you are keeping can you then decide how to store them properly.⁠

Rule #4: Tidy by category, not by location. Tidying here and there, a shelf or drawer at a time, “will doom you to a life of clutter.” Tidying by category allows you to grasp the overall volume of things you own, letting you make better decisions about what to keep. It also prevents you from repeating the same work in several locations.⁠

Rule #5: Follow the right order. “Tidying your belongings in this order – clothes, books, papers, komono [miscellaneous items], and sentimental items – has proven to be the most efficient and effective.” That’s because you’re working from easiest to hardest, honing your ability to make decisions along the way. Plus, it’s very motivating to be greeted by a tidy closet each morning, once you’ve completed that task, and it will help keep you on track!⁠

Rule #6: Ask yourself if it sparks joy. The KonMari Method® is unique in that the criteria are personal, not dogmatic or one-size-fits-all. Pay attention to how your body responds to each object when you touch it. It might be a bit different for everyone, but for Marie Kondo, it feels like “a little thrill, as if the cells in your body are slowly rising.”⁠