Tidying Up With Marie Kondo has sparked joy in millions of viewers to the surprise of producer Gail Berman. In an interview, Berman discussed the impact Tidying Up has created, and how they hope to keep it in the Netflix closet for years to come.
It’s still January, so all the resolutions we’ve created have to keep on going at least until Feb. 1. If one of your resolutions just so happens to involve becoming a neat-freak and shuffling through the depths of your home to get rid of old stuff, then you need to take a break and watch Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix.
And while the reception was so well, Gail Berman, the executive producer of Tidying Up, revealed she was shocked at just how many people loved the show.
“I thought to myself, you really know when you’ve reached critical mass when your rabbi is sending you memes about tidying up,” Berman stated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
The viral fame of the Netflix show is centered around the cream-colored-cardigan-clad host, Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and known for her “KonMari” method. Memes have surfaced of Kondo and her motto: “sparking joy,” which is how she determines whether an item—a book, piece of clothing, or whatever have you—stays in the home or moves onto another owner.
The most shocking part of Tidying Up’s journey is the fact that it was originally intended to be a scripted reality show. But, of course, who needs a script when you have the sage tidying advice of Kondo? The show truly is inspiring simply because, as Berman states, “It was a six-week process with the participants and it was really them committing to do it.”
So many of the reality shows that are created now center around celebrities or economically privileged people covered in glitz and glam; although they are interesting and annoyingly addictive, those reality shows don’t quite capture the true reality of life. Tidying Up does.
Most people can relate to not wanting to clean up your home because of time-pressures, school, work, babies, laziness, etc. Kondo brings to light a subject most people put off until tomorrow with a level of happiness and joy never before equated with doing something like laundry. Each episode takes a look at a very different household and their journey following Kondo’s KonMari method.
The couples are not only extremely relatable but very diverse as well — each with their own story on how they want to make their house feel more like a home. In doing that, they invite the viewer into their story, not just about tidying, but their life.
The combination of the participants, Kondo’s sunny and kind disposition and Berman’s creative production, team create this gem of a Netflix show that doesn’t just teach you how to clean but teaches you how to value your belongings and life itself.
The interview ends with a hopeful outlook on the future of Tidying Up and the internet’s new icon, Kondo. Although Berman has not yet heard back from Netflix on whether there will be a season 2, I think it’s safe to say that Tidying Up sparks joy and therefore, it should stay.