-So I had read Marie's book when it first came out,
and it really resonated with me.
It changed the way that I lived within my own home.
And so three years ago, I was trained by Marie Kondo
and became the first certified KonMari consultant
based in Washington DC.
So the KonMari Method
has us separate items into categories --
clothing, then books, then paper, miscellaneous items,
and finally sentimental.
And we want to identify each of the items in those categories
and make sure that you're picking
only the ones that spark joy for you.
The way that I use the KonMari Method
when I'm packing a suitcase or packing for a trip
is that I always start with what my vision is for the trip --
how you want to feel during your trip, what you want to do.
And then make sure that you're thoughtfully packing
just the items that are gonna help you do that.
So, for instance, I have to be at meetings.
I have to do presentations.
And so it's really important that I feel good in the clothes
that I'm wearing while I do that.
So I want to pick, like, my favorite shirts,
my favorite dress, because I know anytime I put them on,
I'm going to feel better and stronger
about what I'm doing for the day.
So one of the things that Marie Kondo is known for
is her special folding method.
It's really nice to use when you're packing, especially,
because it can keep your clothes wrinkle-free.
You want to have a long rectangle out
of anything that you're folding, so keeping the front side
of the item sort of on the ground
or towards you, you just tuck in everything.
So bring over one arm and then the second arm.
Then once you do that, from the bottom,
you want to bring it almost all the way up to the top.
And then you're going to fold things in thirds.
So you bring this up and then tuck over the top.
And what you wind up with is a cute little packet like this.
For me, while I'm packing,
I like to use this nice-size container.
And so I'm just gonna start folding each of the items,
and then I'll keep them standing up like this.
So the toiletries I have -- same sort of idea.
I try to keep them separated in different containers
so that I know what's where.
In the smaller one, I keep all of my liquids
so that's really easy to pull out
if anyone at an airport needs to check it.
And in the slightly larger one,
I keep items that don't have liquids,
so, like, dry shampoo, a sheet mask.
And, again, one other thing about the KonMari Method
is to reuse items that you have in new and joyful ways.
So, like, I got this pouch at an event
that I went to for a club that I'm in,
and it makes me really happy
and I think back to the memories of that weekend when I use it.
And so I'm gonna repurpose it, and now it's my snack bag.
So probably the weirdest item
that I like to travel with are my crystals.
I know that some people might not think of this
as an important item, but I have to say,
just knowing that they're there makes me feel like
I've got a piece of home with me.
It makes me think about what is the importance of what I'm doing
and how I can bring my best self to the work
that I'm doing in my trips.
Some people get overwhelmed by the Method
and the idea of touching everything in your home.
I think that if you want to just do a couple small things,
maybe just pick one category of items
that you use a lot when you're traveling.
You could start with your toiletries
and just collect all of the items
that you have in your bathroom
and then just look through and see, like,
what you wound up with and set aside
and start making your travel toiletry bag
so it's ready to go for your next trip.
I would say that having applied the KonMari Method in my life
makes most things in my life faster,
especially for packing because I know that in my closet
are only items that make me feel good.