Even Marie Kondo's House Can't Stand Up to the Chaos of 3 Kids

Organizing consultant and television personality Marie Kondo, Konmari, poses for a portrait in her home office. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Variety | Getty
Variety | Getty
Every editorial product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission.

It's finally happened. The queen of clean, Marie Kondo, has "kind of given up" tidying up after her three children. The author of "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" says she initially felt she had a reputation to uphold. But now at 38, she's realized that perfectly folded laundry and color-coded organization isn't always attainable.

"Up until now, I was a professional tidier, so I did my best to keep my home tidy at all times," she said at a recent event, the Washington Post reported. "I have kind of given up on that in a good way for me. Now I realize what is important to me is enjoying spending time with my children at home."

The organizing consultant went on to explain that after having her third child, she found it more and more challenging to maintain a tidy home all the time. "My home is messy, but the way I am spending my time is the right way for me at this time at this stage of my life," she said.

One thing's for sure: this news has certainly "sparked joy" for those who have a hard time staying on top of tidying. "Marie Kondo has a messy home and I'm 1000% here for it," writer Elahe Izadi tweeted. Another Twitter user wrote, "Y'all don't know how much I needed this today! The mess kids make is no joke. The mess all over my house feels validated lol." And while it's nice to know even the experts have a hard time keeping things tidy, Kondo's transparency is a great example of how we evolve and change over time — especially with a growing family.

The bestselling author shared her new philosophy in her more recent book, "Marie Kondo's Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life" ($20), which came out in November 2022. It focuses on the Japanese concept of "kurashi," which her website defines as "way of life" or "the ideal way of spending our time." Essentially, instead of hyperanalyzing which objects in our home "spark joy," she instead asks us to declutter our calendars and consider how we spend our time.

"The true purpose of tidying is not to cut down on your possessions or declutter your space," Kondo writes on her site. "The ultimate goal is to spark joy every day and lead a joyful life." So let's make 2023 the year of messy, lived-in, happy homes.