You may have seen the Netflix hit “Tidying Up” with Marie Kondo. Her decluttering and organizing methods have inspired the world. We’re sharing some of her greatest tips below.
If you’re getting ready to move, this advice can really help with your packing process as well.
Tackle categories instead of rooms. Organizing room-by-room seems like an easy way to break down the huge undertaking of decluttering a home, but it’s actually better to do it by category. For instance, you probably have towels scattered throughout the house. Take stock of what you’ve got and get rid of any you don’t need or are worn out.
Follow a Checklist. 5 categories to tackle, in order:
- Clothing
- Books
- Papers
- Kimono (miscellaneous items)
- Sentimental
Start with an empty space. To organize your closet, first you need to empty everything out of it and start fresh.
Keep only what brings you joy. Ask yourself, why am I keeping this? How does it make me feel? If it doesn’t bring you joy, get rid of it!
Don’t let nostalgia cloud your judgment. We’re all guilty of keeping a ticket stub or a sentimental card. But does keeping it really bring you joy? If it does, find a way to display it or organize it neatly (like in a scrapbook).
Ask yourself why you’re keeping things. The more you understand why you can’t part ways with your things, the easier it is to avoid falling into the trap again. Marie says everything falls into three categories:
- Attachment to the past
- Fear of the future
- A combination of both
Respect your belongings. Marie encourages people to thank and say goodbye to things you’re tossing. You might feel silly doing that, but the takeaway is that we should have a level of respect for our clothes and other belongings by taking care of them.
The art of folding. Marie has revolutionized the way we store our stuff. Using her methods, you can store twice as much in a space. When you store things upright instead of stacked on top of each other, you can see everything without having to rummage through the drawer. Watch this video for specific folding advice.
Staying on top of clutter is something we are all challenged by. If you have tips you’d like to share, comment below!
