The joy of
lettinggo organizers weigh in on the Konmari method By Niki Hope
Allyson Butt of Revive Organize
22 | Space | FALL 2015
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arie Kondo’s best-selling guide to decluttering was a runaway hit when it was released last year. The book, The LifeChanging Magic of Tidying Up, presents her trademark approach KonMari Method for simplifying and organizing. New Westminster professional organizer Allyson Butt says what makes Kondo’s approach unique is that she attaches “feelings” to objects with a methodology that calls for individuals to ask themselves if a particular item sparks joy. The answer determines whether or not it gets tossed. “It’s more like a spiritual approach,” says Butt, who runs Revive Organize. After reading Kondo’s book, Butt decided to give her closet a thorough overhaul, and she was
surprised by the results. “It personally gave me a shot in the arm. I did my clothing and I was shocked by how much I donated … not a lot of clothes sparked joy,” she laughs. After purging her closet of the joyless clothes, she donated a whopping four stuffed garbage bags to charity. “Now when I put my hand in my dresser, whatever I pull out, I like,” she says. Butt started her own career as an organizer through the practice of Feng Shui, a Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing with the environment.Today, she helps people in various walks of life, whether they are clearing an estate after the passing of a loved one, staging their home for a sale, downsizing Gen Xers, or just in need of sprucing up their own living space. But not everyone is