We are so excited to introduce an exclusive collaboration with best-selling author, wife, mother and the woman behind the famed KonMari Method, Marie Kondo! Now more than ever is a time to create keepsakes that remind yourself and loved ones of the most important people, experiences and moments in their lives for years to come. The Shutterfly x KonMari collection, designed and curated by Marie Kondo, explores the art of transforming those magical moments into cherished possessions that spark joy, every day. The collection features an elevated and clean aesthetic that takes inspiration from the Japanese concept, wabi-sabi. According to Marie, wabi-sabi celebrates beauty in imperfection, simplicity and calmness – and is considered a virtue in Japanese culture. The Shutterfly x KonMari collection includes photo books, ornaments, calendars, cards, home decor items and makes great gifts for the holidays. Below you’ll find the story and magic behind Marie Kondo’s method and our newest collaboration.
What is the KonMari Method?
Marie Kondo, tidying expert known for her best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and popular Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, has become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring countless people worldwide to declutter their homes and surround themselves with things that spark joy. Her technique is known as the KonMari Method, a tidying method she created out of her lifelong work and passion for organizing. The KonMari Method has been wildly popular across the world due to its simplicity, effectiveness and ability to empower its followers by helping them regain control over their lives.
The guiding principle of the KonMari Method is to discover and cherish items that spark joy for you. A unique characteristic of the KonMari Method is to tidy by category and not by location, beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, miscellaneous items and sentimental items. Once you decide which items to keep and let go, then determine a home for everything you want to keep. However, because you have to determine what to keep based on how it makes you feel, the KonMari Method is not only effective for tidying homes, but can also increase spiritual awareness and improve overall decision-making.
Meaning Behind the Shutterfly x KonMari Collection
“I am so excited to partner with Shutterfly on this collection. Surrounding yourself with items that spark joy is the foundation of the KonMari philosophy and is also at the center of this collaboration. I designed each item to help transform the most treasured moments into items that spark joy and inspire people to share their most cherished, joyful memories with the ones they love throughout the year.” – Marie Kondo
KonMari and Marie Kondo guide people to live a life that sparks joy. They believe this year – more than ever – is a time to express gratitude to people who support you and spark joy in your life. Here at Shutterfly, we are passionate about helping you feel connected to the most important people and moments in your lives.
Marie Kondo believes that if you let your inner joy guide you when choosing what to keep, you will be left only with things that you love, and those items will love you back. Having fewer, select items means putting more thought into choosing them, owning better quality items, and taking better care of them. The meaning behind our collection is simple: remember the moments that spark joy with meaningful tokens of love and appreciation for friends and family.
How to Spark Joy, Every Day
At its essence, the KonMari Method is a simple guide to cherishing the things that bring you joy. While Kondo encourages you to explore a different way of decluttering your home, the idea of sparking joy isn’t limited to tidying up our spaces. It can actually extend into a mindset for life and the things that we can do to create happiness. The Shutterfly x KonMari collection reminds us to be mindful of the moments in life that spark joy, whether that be big moments such as weddings and graduations, or those small, daily moments in between.
Be Proud of the Small Wins
It’s important to think big and create long-term goals for yourself – maybe that’s getting your dream job, being captain of a sports team or owning your own business someday. To get there, it takes chipping away at smaller goals and keeping a positive attitude, even when it gets challenging. Keeping track of your progress, whether through a journal or photo book, can help you stay focused, especially if you take time to look back and appreciate the milestones.
Imagine Your Ideal Lifestyle
Marie Kondo says to think about what kind of life you want to live and how you want to live in it. In other words, describe your ideal lifestyle. If you like drawing, sketch out what it looks like. If you prefer to write, describe it in a notebook. You can also cut out photos from magazines. When you imagine your ideal lifestyle, you are really clarifying why you want to tidy and envisioning your best life. The tidying process represents a turning point – so seriously consider the ideal lifestyle to which you aspire.
Learn to Let Go
The KonMari Method shares that when you find items that do not spark joy for you, do not just simply toss them away immediately. Instead, it is encouraged to hold these items close to you, reflect on your past experiences with them, be mindful of your emotions and feelings, and practice gratitude and thanks before you let them go. Whether that be the end of a job, city, or relationship, you are taking the time to thank the moments for the lesson you learned, good or bad, and the emotional or spiritual connection that was created with it.
Remember to say “Thank You”
One of the keys to the KonMari Method is remembering to say “thank you”. Kondo’s method encourages you to thank the home you live in and items that protect and help you every day. This feeling of gratitude can certainly translate to a practice for life. Say “thank you” to your family, teachers, friends, mentors and anyone who’s helping you reach your goals. You’ll probably make their day and you’ll feel positive energy from the exchange.
Listen to Your Feelings
In the KonMari Method, your feelings are the standard for decision making – specifically, knowing what sparks joy. To determine this when tidying, the key is to pick up each object one at a time, and ask yourself quietly, “Does this spark joy?” Pay attention to how your body responds. Joy is personal, so everyone will experience it differently; Marie describes it as “…a little thrill, as if the cells in your body are slowly rising.” Through the process of selecting only those things that inspire joy, you can identify precisely what you love – and what you need.
Wrapping Up
Learning small ways to spark joy is a great way to de-stress, stay focused and remember what’s important through life’s journey. We hope this collection helps you capture magical moments and make space for what matters most. Surrounding yourself with only items and moments you love will not only help you defeat clutter but to live more joyfully.
If you’re looking to be even more inspired, the impacts of tidying are delightfully surprising, emotional, and transformative in the lives of the people Marie meets throughout the new series — Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo now streaming on Netflix. WATCH NOW
