5 tips for rethinking your wardrobe Marie Kondo style
Would you like to take advantage of the confinement to do some spring cleaning? We can only encourage you to do so. Better still, we’ve compiled Marie Kondo’s top tips for you. According to her, tidying up your home can change your life and even your way of thinking. In her bestseller The Magic of Tidying up, the papess of organization has developed an effective and sustainable method, dubbed “KonMari”. Here are her 5 key principles that have taken the world by storm…
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Tidy up quickly… in one go!
For the Japanese consultant, tidying up here and there, from time to time, is completely counter-productive. Rearranging your closet, then taking a break, tidying a room, then stopping… That’s a no-no! Her recommendation? Plan a non-stop week or sacrifice all your weekends for a month. That’s right: the sooner you get it right, the less likely it is that the clutter will take up residence in your home again.
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Keep only the things that make you happy
This is the golden rule of the KonMari method. Gather ALL your clothes (coats, jeans, sweaters, shoes, bags, accessories, shirts, underwear…) in one place, then take each piece one by one in your hands and ask yourself the very simple question: “Does this make me happy?”. The rest is history. If you feel a ‘spark of joy’, then keep the garment. If not, get rid of it. The point here is not to think in terms of utility, but in terms of feelings!
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Sort by type of object, not by room
In her famous book, Marie explains that this is one of the most common mistakes people make. People tend to organize room by room – bedroom then living room then kitchen… – rather than by type of object. But it’s not uncommon to have the same object, such as a notebook or even a pen, in different rooms of the house. By grouping them together, you can sort them with a clear conscience. The order she recommends? Start by sorting clothes, books, administrative papers, “komonos” (Japanese for “miscellaneous objects”), and finally, objects of sentimental value. During your big sort, make three separate piles: the items you’ll keep, the ones you’ll give away and the ones you’ll get rid of. Marie makes a point of thanking them for their good and loyal service. We warned you, this is going to take some time…
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KonMari-style clothes folding
To save a few precious square meters (not insignificant, especially for small Parisian spaces…) Marie Kondo turns to folding rather than storing on hangers or flat. A key tenet of her method, KonMari folding is a highly practical technique that saves both time and space. After being carefully folded, all your clothes should be stored vertically. If you don’t have enough drawers, use empty shoeboxes. Then arrange the lighter pieces towards you and the darker ones at the back. The idea: see at a glance what you’ve got and avoid the eternal symptom of “I’ve got nothing to wear”… No more piles of T-shirts and balled-up socks!
Choose a place for everything
The secret to a spotless home? Finding a place for everything and sticking to it! Closet, cupboard, shelf, kitchen or bathroom, take the time to arrange your objects, utensils and other knick-knacks in the most logical and, above all, eye-catching way.
Par Mélanie Hroorakvit
