It might seem like a decade ago by now, but Marie Kondo’s Netflix series, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, sparked joy and controversy at the beginning of 2019. Why? Because the Japanese author and organizing consultant’s MO for her clients is encouraging them to clean up their homes (and, by extension, their lives) by decluttering and getting rid of excess junk so that they can be happier and healthier overall.
Naturally, in consumer culture–obsessed America, this launched an online riot.
But that might have just been a vocal minority. Whether you love or hate Kondo’s KonMari method for minimalist living, the Netflix program inspired legions of watchers to clean out their closets, make record hauls to donation centers, and possibly cut back on their clothing expenditures—especially as fast fashion comes under fire for its contributions to climate change.
Fast-forward several months later, and Kondo is taking the next step with KonMari—essentially her personal brand now—building off both her books from years past as well as the reality show.
Kondo is launching an e-commerce shop this month with highly curated items intended to—in keeping with her brand and trademark phrase—“Spark joy.” The digital storefront will offer a selection of lifestyle products that Kondo says she uses in her everyday life and that spark joy for her. So now her apprentices can emulate the master herself.
“The shop came about because I always like to share how I tidy everyday, and in the process of doing that, I always ask myself, ‘Well, why do we tidy in the first place?’ The answer is to live a life that sparks joy,” Kondo tells Coins2Day, through her translator, Marie Iida. Kondo explains that she received a lot of queries and feedback from fans about the products she uses on an everyday basis, and this is meant to be reflected in the catalog of items.
“When something sparks joy, you should feel a little thrill, as if the cells in your body are slowly rising,” is just one of the Kondo quotes serving as taglines for the collection.
The collection will launch with approximately 150 items, ranging in price from $10 to $300, applying to various situations that one might encounter around the home and organized by activity—dinner parties, bathing routines, aromatherapy, and purification rituals. Kondo helps illustrate the concept of a purification ritual with a tuning fork—among her favorite products included in the collection—which she uses to purify the air in her home.
Among Kondo’s other favorite items include incense and a donabe (a Japanese clay pot described by Bon Appetit as a “one-pot wonder”), which she uses on a daily basis. As Kondo explains, it’s one of the oldest types of cooking vessels in Japan, and in the wintertime, it’s Japanese tradition to have a “donabe party,” at which hosts have their friends and family over, make a big pot with vegetables and tofu, and share it over conversation.
Each item was chosen for its ability to enhance the owner’s daily rituals and inspire a joyful lifestyle. They come from brands deemed to specialize in simple, elegant design across categories, including kitchenware, decor, bath ware, and home organization. And of course, there will be tidying products, including trays, shelves, and baskets.
“They are ‘tidy chic’ because even your dustpan should spark joy,” notes a spokesperson for the brand.
Arguably, it may seem counterintuitive that the next step for KonMari is encouraging followers to go out and buy more stuff, especially given the fervor to start spring cleaning in midwinter earlier this year.
“That’s something we carefully considered, of course,” Kondo replies. “For me, the emphasis is not on trying to throw out as much as possible but to choose what sparks joy for you. The ultimate goal with my method is for people to really hone their sensitivity to what sparks joy for them so they can make a considered, cautious purchase.”
In regards to how this should work, Kondo advises that you first finish tidying. Once you’ve done that, you might then consider looking at the shop. “It’s not my intention at all to encourage you to buy something that is redundant to you,” Kondo explains.
This isn’t Kondo’s first foray into retail: She has already attached her name to a set of organizing boxes that sold out near immediately. (Not to mention you can buy hard copies of her books, and no matter what conspiracy theories you’ve read, Kondo never advised that you throw out all your books.)
“An underlying theme to KonMari is treasuring what you have, so these are not items that you would discard easily. They’re really well crafted, well designed, and meant to last,” adds Rebecca Prusinowski, vice president of content at KonMari Media.
The collection will be available starting on Monday, Nov. 18, via KonMari.com, with new products expected to be added monthly.
Kondo offers a closing piece of advice: “I know it’s an odd thing for a founder to say—they’re lovely products—but don’t overbuy! Tidy first, and then consider the products.”
More must-read stories from Coins2Day:
—Cannabis dos and don’ts from an etiquette expert
—How neuroscientists are capturing the aromas of Montreal
—What happens to the clothes you forget to pick up from the dry cleaner?
—Do fashion collaborations actually make restaurants money?
—Smart kitchens need smarter ideas to solve real problems
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