
Marie Kondo, the beloved professional organizer and author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, incorporates the burning of incense into her daily routine. She believes that scent has the power to spark joy and enhance mindfulness practices. By burning incense, Kondo creates a joyful and tranquil atmosphere in her home, utilising Japanese essential oils and aromatherapy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time of the day | Morning, Nighttime |
| Incense type | Japanese, Stick |
| Scents | Grapefruit, Mandarin, Yuzu, Lavender, Sandalwood, Hinoki |
| Benefits | Joy, Mindfulness, Cleansing, Tranquility, Better Sleep |
| Other uses | Aromatherapy, Air freshening |
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What You'll Learn

Marie Kondo's morning routine
Marie Kondo, the beloved professional organizer and author of *The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up*, is known for her unique approach to cleaning and organization, dubbed the "KonMari Method". This method involves only holding on to possessions that "spark joy" and using scent and aromatherapy as a guide to enhance one's daily rituals and experiences.
So, what does Marie Kondo's morning routine entail? Well, for starters, she wakes up naturally around 6 am without the use of an alarm clock. She begins her day by opening the windows to let in the fresh air, a practice she believes helps to invite new energy into her home. After welcoming the fresh breeze, she burns incense to align her space, body, and mind, setting a positive tone for the day ahead.
Kondo prioritizes a mindful morning ritual and often takes a few minutes to focus on her breath and envision her ideal lifestyle. She may also spend time tending to her Japanese-style kamidana, a Shinto household altar with salt, rice, and evergreen fronds, as a way to freshen and energize her space.
For breakfast, Kondo prepares a traditional Japanese meal, cooking rice in a donabe and enjoying it with miso soup and seasonal vegetables. This nutritious and grounding breakfast sets the foundation for a balanced day.
By incorporating practices such as burning incense, welcoming fresh air, and taking time for mindfulness, Marie Kondo's morning routine sets a calm and intentional tone for her day. These rituals reflect her philosophy of creating a joyful and harmonious life through organization and mindful rituals.
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Incense and aromatherapy
Marie Kondo, the beloved professional organizer and author of the bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, incorporates incense and aromatherapy into her daily routine. She believes that scent has the power to spark joy and enhance experiences.
Kondo starts her day by opening the windows to let in the fresh air and then lighting incense. She often burns incense after completing a tidying session to invite new energy into the space. While the specific type of incense Kondo uses is not mentioned, she offers suggestions for scents to use throughout the day on her website.
For awakening and energizing, Kondo recommends citrus scents such as grapefruit, mandarin, or yuzu, a favourite in Japan. These fresh and uplifting aromas can help set a positive tone for the day. To create a tranquil atmosphere in high-traffic areas, she suggests using an essential oil diffuser with a wood blend, such as sandalwood or hinoki (Japanese cypress), which is known for its ability to clear the air and encourage deep breathing.
When it comes to transitioning to sleep, Kondo favours a lavender blend. She recommends inhaling lavender essential oil, taking a scented bath, or spritzing pillows with an aromatherapy spray to signal to the mind that it's time to relax and prepare for sleep.
In addition to incense, Kondo incorporates other aromatherapy practices into her self-care rituals. She prioritizes eating homemade Japanese food, including rice and miso soup with seasonal vegetables. She also mentions the presence of a kamidana, a Shinto household altar, in her home, where she keeps salt, rice, and evergreen fronds, creating a space for mindfulness and spiritual practices.
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Incense for a good night's sleep
Marie Kondo, the beloved professional organizer, and author of *The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up*, incorporates incense into her daily routine. She starts her day by opening a window to let in the fresh air, and then lighting incense. She also uses scent in her nighttime routine to help her drift off to sleep.
Kondo believes that scent can be used to spark joy in every aspect of our lives. She suggests using grapefruit, mandarin, or yuzu incense in the morning. To help you unwind at the end of the day, she recommends a lavender blend. This can be in the form of essential oil, a scented bath, or an aromatherapy pillow spray.
The KonMari Method includes envisioning your ideal lifestyle and using scent to open your mind to what lies ahead. Burning incense can invite new energy into your space, and an essential oil diffuser can help create a tranquil atmosphere. For detoxifying and cleansing, try starting with a wood blend. Sandalwood has the ability to clear the air and has antibacterial qualities, while the scent of hinoki, or Japanese cypress, encourages deep, thoughtful breaths.
To create a scent memory that reminds you to reset and unwind, try burning incense between stopping work and starting your evening routine. You can use a rose quartz incense holder, which is known as the crystal of "love, trust, and harmony." Many believe that quartz encourages deeper relationships, including the relationship with oneself.
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Japanese essential oils
Marie Kondo, the Japanese author of four best-selling books about organisation, uses incense and aromatherapy as part of her daily routine. She often starts her day by opening a window to let in fresh air and lighting incense. She also uses aromatherapy in her nighttime routine to signal to her mind that the day has come to an end. Marie believes that scent can be used to spark joy in every aspect of our lives.
One of the unique blends from @aroma is the Japanese Botanical Air (JB Series), which reflects the climate and environment of rural Japan. This blend includes historically cherished Japanese plants such as hinoki (Japanese cypress), hinoki leaf, cypress, cedarwood, and pine. The soft, pure scent of Japanese cypress is known for calming the mind and has been used frequently in temples since ancient times.
Another blend from @aroma is the Japanese Design Air (JD Series), which captures the exquisite harmony of freshness and solemnity found in the sacred air of Mount Koya. This blend may include ingredients such as blue cypress, aniseed, eucalyptus, lemon, lime, jasmine, ylang-ylang, shiso, geranium, and grapefruit. These scents can evoke feelings of serenity, innocence, and grace, reminiscent of cherry blossoms in full bloom.
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Incense and memory
Marie Kondo, the beloved professional organiser and author of the bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, is known for her unique approach to cleaning and organisation, dubbed the "KonMari Method". This method involves getting rid of things that do not "spark joy" and creating a dedicated morning ritual to set the rhythm for the day.
A key component of Kondo's morning ritual is the use of incense. She often starts her day by opening a window to let in fresh air and then lighting incense. According to her, scent has the power to spark joy and enhance daily experiences. By incorporating incense into her routine, she aligns her space, body, and mind, creating a mindful and joyful atmosphere.
The specific type of incense Kondo uses is not mentioned in her writings or interviews. However, she emphasises the importance of scent and aromatherapy, often recommending Japanese essential oils and incense. She suggests using scents like grapefruit, mandarin, or yuzu for awakening and energising effects, while lavender blends are ideal for promoting a peaceful sleep.
Burning incense is not just a morning ritual for Kondo; it also serves as a way to signal the end of the workday and the beginning of her evening routine. By creating a scent memory with incense, she trains her mind to associate the scent with resetting and unwinding, allowing her to transition mentally and emotionally from one part of her day to the next.
The act of burning incense holds symbolic significance for Kondo, representing a form of self-care and mindfulness. It is an intentional practice that helps her create a sense of harmony and peace within her living space. By sharing her incense rituals, Kondo inspires others to explore the power of scent in their own lives, encouraging them to discover fragrances that spark joy and create meaningful associations.
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Frequently asked questions
Marie Kondo uses Japanese incense as part of her daily routine. She often begins her day by opening a window to let in the fresh air, then lighting incense.
Marie Kondo uses scent to spark joy in her daily life. She believes that burning incense can invite new energy into a space.
Marie Kondo burns incense in the morning to start her day. She also recommends burning incense between stopping work and starting your evening routine to signal to your mind that the day has come to an end.
Marie Kondo suggests using scents such as grapefruit, mandarin, or yuzu for awakening in the morning. For drifting off to sleep, she recommends a lavender blend.
Marie Kondo also incorporates aromatherapy into her self-care routines. She recommends adding essential oils to laundry and cleaning products to fill the home with a custom scent. For high-traffic areas, she suggests using an essential oil diffuser to create a tranquil atmosphere.











































