What advice can you give someone who is stuck between being inspired by your books, and yet seemingly procrastinating from organizing their household? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights.
Answer by Marie Kondo, author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, on Quora.
Even if you cannot take the plunge to tidy your home, you can take small steps that are relevant to tidying.
For example, I recommend that you take pictures of all of your rooms. You will be shocked how they look messier in pictures than they do when you are in them. I'm not suggesting this to make you feel bad; by seeing your rooms objectively, you will be able to think "I want to change this that way" and come up with specific solutions. These steps will increase your motivation to organize. And, you can use those pictures to compare before and after tidying and appreciate the difference. Looking at the photograph of the messy room after you've tidied, you will feel shocked by how your space once looked.
Another good method is to share your tidying progress with someone else. You can tell someone close to you that you are starting the tidying process or invite a willing friend to go through the process as well so you can support one another.
I especially recommend the official KonMari app. It has a check list function for tidying steps, and you can upload your before and after pictures and share them with the KonMari community. It helps to connect with others about your tidying progress, as tidying can be a solitary process.
Whether you begin by taking pictures of your rooms in their current state or by downloading the app, please do take a first step, and start your amazing journey of tidying up.
This question originally appeared on Quora. - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.