Marie Kondo 'Tidying Up' Netflix craze has not hit Israel... yet

Marie Kondo is a Japanese bestselling author who recently released a show on Netflix about tidying up.

JANUARY 21, 2019 19:18

Updated: JANUARY 22, 2019 11:22

apanese author and creator of the KonMari Method to declutter, Marie Kondo, Austin, Texas, U.S., March 11, 2017. (photo credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER) — apanese author and creator of the KonMari Method to declutter, Marie Kondo, Austin, Texas, U.S., March 11, 2017.

(photo credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)

The Marie Kondo craze has spread across the United States like wildfire, after the best-selling Japanese author's new series "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo" was released on Netflix in December, with a 66% rise in donations to Goodwill in Washington, DC in the first week of 2019. However, Israel has not felt the same effect — quite the opposite, in fact.

The new series has brought Kondo's unique method of organizing, the "KonMari method," to homes across the US. The series was an unexpected hit, with viewers all over the world following Kondo and decluttering their homes.

As in any successful cleaning blitz, the inevitable trash-haul follows. The formerly-cluttered homeowners must discard the books, clothes and other items that did not "spark joy" for them. These clothes in particular are usually given away, as is reflected in the recent spike in donations.

Although the effect was huge in the US, UK and Australia, no similar effects have been seen in Israel. In fact, representatives from WIZO in Jerusalem said that "donation amounts have significantly decreased over the past month or so."

As shocking as that might seem, given that the widely-popular Netflix reached Israel in the summer of 2017, this is not completely out of the ordinary. A manager for Hametzion, a secondhand clothing chain in Jerusalem, part of local non-profit Shekel, said that donations are "always slow at this time of year."

"We usually get the most clothes around the Autumn and Spring," he continued. "You should see this place during Passover, too!"

However, some secondhand shops which offer customers reward points within the store for their donations have seen a significant spike after Kondo's revolution. "I hear a lot of customers talk about Kondo's book and television show when they come in," said secondhand boutique Sheynushka owner Yael Hadar. "We receive new clothes every single day."

However, before the show was even out, Sheynushka was swamped.

"We would reach a point that we had to put a sign outside saying that we don't have space to receive more merchandise," Hadar said.