Life

18 Things That Go Through Your Pet's Mind When You Get In The KonMari Spirit

Seems like everyone nowadays is into the KonMari method of cleaning — you know, the strategy where you "spark joy" by tossing out everything that doesn't delight you when you look at it. But you know what's even better? When your pets get into the act. The #KonMariPets Instagram page is filled with photos of dogs, cats, and even a guinea pig or two, all in the process of neatening up their spaces by saying goodbye to some of their playthings.

Decluttering guru Marie Kondo has made minimalism trendy through her Netflix series and her bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Thanks to her, millions are following her technique of going through their possessions according to category (clothes, books, papers, etc.) and keeping only the items that inspire instant happiness.

That's fine for the humans, but what about our animal companions? Dogs aren't what you normally call neat freaks, and pretty much anything makes them happy — toys, mud puddles, smelling other dogs' rear ends. Cats are better at keeping themselves clean, but if you've ever seen the arm of a couch that a kitty has decided to claim as a scratching post, you know that they're not too bothered about making messes of their own. Yet to a true KonMari follower, nothing is off-limits, including catnip mice and chew toys. So whether they like it or not, pets are getting the KonMari treatment, too.

What might our pets think about our attempts to remove their non-joy-sparking belongings? I took a look at some of the best Instagram posts and took my best guess at the thoughts that seemed to be going through their furry heads. See if you agree.

"But They *All* Spark Joy!"

It's not that Mr. Tucker the Corgi doesn't want to be helpful. But what's a guy to do when every single one of his toys makes him wag his adorable stumpy tail with glee? "Can I keep them all?" he asks in this post.

"I Had A Ball Tidying Up (Get It?)"

Kiara, a mini Goldendoodle, finds joy in everything, but she happily pared down her favorite fetch toys. "My mom is always asking me where I hide my balls (tee hee), so now all the balls I love most are right here!" she says.

"Thank You, Next"

"Thanks to my old toys for the fun, and sorry I chewed you to pieces," says Tucker, the Shiba Inu, who doesn't seem to have had any regrets over getting rid of his extra playthings.

"So, Are You Feeling The Life-Changing Magic Yet?"

Sir Clive, a chocolate Lab from Seattle, makes an excellent supervisor for a family determined to KonMari their wardrobe. "Helping the Pawrents get rid of stuff," he declares.

"Just Call Me CatMari"

Rescue cat Earl Grey is living a much easier life now than he did when he was found abandoned and injured. His human, a KonMari fan, enlisted his help with the tidying up by having him wear each piece of clothing at a time and watching for his reaction.

"You Didn't Have To Do This For Me. I Would Have Gotten Around To It. Probably."

Levi, a Shih Tzu from Massachusetts, has quite the bandana collection. It's hard to keep them organized when you have four furry paws, so sometimes you need a little help. "Thanks for KonMari-ing my bandanas, Mom!" he says.

"Helloooo. Remember Me?"

Less than impressed with decluttering, Mr. Tuxedo Maki figures that if he plunks himself down on the pile, he can stop the whole KonMari kick in his household. "Stop tidying up and start giving more treats!" he begs.

"This Is Not A Good Sign"

"Maybe Mom is on to something," admits Reagan, a Labradoodle who's the star of two books. So if Mom is indeed about to KonMari his chew toys, he might just be inspired to help out.

"Here's One For The "Donate" Pile"

Sunny Rose the Beagle must not be a Burberry fan. On the #Konmaripets page, she announces, "Mama, this coat does not spark joy...get rid of it!"

"Please Don't Make Me Choose"

Brinkley the Golden Retriever is an "equal opportunity hugger," according to his page. And since he loves everything, he asks in his post, "But what if all the toys spark joy?"

"Netflix, You LIE."

Check out Brody's video at Two Dapper Doods for the full story. He imagines himself decluttering like a boss, but reality paints a different picture. "Darn you, Netflix!" he rants.

"Um...Okay, MAYBE I Could Use A Little Help"

Actor/model Tinkerbelle the Dog has almost as many clothes as she does Instagram followers (196,000 and counting). A smart diva knows when to seek help: "I think we need an episode of Tidying Up With @MarieKondo for my wardrobe," she admits on Instagram.

"Marie Kondo Could Take Lessons From *Me*."

Lloyd the whippet, who lives in London, knows that simplicity is everything. He supervised the proper folding of his favorite sweater; the procedure is described in the original Insta post.

"What Do You Mean, I Have Too Much Stuff?"

Jimmy was told by his human, Katie, that he could keep only his most special toys. "He was not at all embarrassed by his pile!" she reports.

"I Make Decluttering Look Good"

Princess Hockey Kitten is such a gracious royal, she let her "Meowmy" do the KonMari treatment on her toys with barely a flick of her whiskers. The discards will go to an animal shelter (way to repurpose, Princess!). "Lucky for me she said I still spark joy in her, so I get to stay!" says Hockey Kitten.

"But We Need Them All!"

Lychee and Mochee heard that their "Momchee" was going to ditch some of their beloved friends, and they came to plead their case. Really, how can you get rid of toys that are almost as cute as their users?

"Get Me Out Of Here!"

Tuxedo cat Caffrey realizes that it's time to pare down when your toys are starting to hem you in. But he opts to play it cool, engaging in a little wash-up before the decluttering starts.

"You've Been Watching Netflix Again, Haven't You?"

Scooby, a lovable Cavachon (a mix of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Bichon Frise), knows what's in store when his mom spends an afternoon watching Marie Kondo's show. "Now it's time for me to pick which toy sparks joy," he sighs.