Are you overwhelmed with clutter? Get inspired by these 4 easy yet effective storage hacks by Marie Kondo and keep your stuff organized.
If you are looking to organize your space, the Konmari Methods founder, Marie Kondo is the perfect inspiration. A decluttering legend, she has been organizing spaces professionally since she turned 19 and is the celebrated author of 9 books on the topic. If diving into her books feels daunting, this article is for you—we’ve compiled 4 very simple yet effective storage hacks by Marie Kondo that are sure to spark joy.
The Legend Behind Marie’s “Sparks Joy” Sensibility
According to her website, Marie was captivated by the concept of organizing at the age of 15 but became so overwhelmed during one particular tidying session that she passed out. After 2 hours, she heard an inner voice urging her to “look at the items carefully and closely.” Suddenly, the items that really mattered to her seemed to glow, and she realized that instead of focusing on discarding things, she should choose the items that give her joy. This experience gave birth to the Konmari concept of “sparking joy.”
1. Discard Things You Don’t Need
What if it’s a gift?
While it is not easy to let go of gifts, it is even harder to keep them if they don’t match your preferences. If you have gifts that are just taking up space or adding to clutter, Marie Kondo suggests following these tips:
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2. Store Similar Things Together
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This is a simple but powerful organizing hack: Store similar things in one place. Keep all of your shirts together, socks in another area, stationery in a designated container, and cords in a separate drawer. With this approach, you will always know where to find things and you’ll eliminate drawers filled with miscellaneous clutter.
If you have a glass cabinet, you can even leverage this organizing hack to beautify your living space, as Kondo has done in her example above.
3. Use Containers to Store Clothes
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If your ironed clothes often wrinkle in storage, Marie Kondo recommends using compartments or containers. These prevent wrinkles caused by the weight of stacked clothes—and it also helps you see all your clothing options clearly. Related, Kondo says, “If you store your clothes in a drawer standing upright, you will be able to survey how many articles you own that are the same color. This will prevent you from unknowingly buying more of the same type of clothing.”
This hack prevents clutter, ensures easy access, and helps keep your clothes wrinkle-free.
4. Prepare for Upcoming Seasons in Advance
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We all need different items, especially clothes, for the changing seasons. Kondo recommends preparing for an upcoming season ahead of time. For example, in February, start prepping for spring. After the weather transitions, have your heavy woolens dry cleaned and vacuum packed for storage until next winter. Marie Kondo shares that she has her out-of-season clothes dry cleaned, stores them with covers, and protects them with insect repellent. Oh, and one more thing…she expresses gratitude to her clothes as she stores them away or lets go of them entirely!
References
- Marie Kondo, Konmari.com
- Marie Kondo’s three best storage tips, House & Garden
