Beyond the application of Lean in manufacturing, healthcare or any professional industry, the same principles of reducing waste and getting the maximum value with the minimum resources possible can and do extend to one’s personal live.
A very famous expert on organizing homes is Marie Kondo, the Japanese lady (no surprise here) who wrote books on the subject, with her NY Times best seller “The Life-Changing Majic of Tidying UP” , where she talks about removing waste from homes. Her approach (now referred to as KonMari method) is very similar to the known 5S approach of workplace organization, where you need to start by removing anything that doesn’t add value, in your home (real value compared to sentimental value), then tidying up the rest in a simple and accessible way. I guess this has it roots in the Japanese culture in organizing living spaces leading to a zen-like life.
Another leading expert in the subject of reducing waste at home to almost “ZERO” is Bea Johnson, with her famous book “Zero Waste Home“, translated to 9 languages and showcased through many international media channels. Her 5-step approach is also very similar to the 5S, with words starting with R instead: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot (only in that order). However, she adds to that the preventive first step of Refusing anything unnecessary that can turn into clutter from coming in our lives. I guess refusing is the most important first line of defense against waste.
Both konmari and zero-waste home and many similar approaches highlight the life changing effects of minimalist living on the mental and psychological state of the residents, which resembles the positive impact of 5S on the workers in any work place.
I strongly suggest you to take a moment and browse the 2 related websites, and the YouTube videos, and learn some of these principles in de-cluttering your personal life.
Lean is for life!
