Learn how to use the KonMari method of organizing clothes to keep your closets and drawers neat and tidy!
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New to this series? I’m decluttering my home once and for all using the KonMari method from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up! Today, we’re starting at the very beginning – clothing!
Well, here we are!! If you missed my last post, I explained some of the main ideas from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo as well as my commitment to get through all the categories once and for all!!
When I first read the book over 2 years ago, I dove right into the clothing category. I went through my items and discarded (donated) a TON of clothes and shoes – many of which hadn’t been worn in years!
Since then, I’ve tried to keep my clothes under control, but realized recently that I still had more work to do. I decided to go through my clothes again (hopefully with all of you) and I finally feel like I’ve reached the “sweet spot” that Marie discusses in her book. I wish I had more before pictures so that you could truly see the transformation!
As Marie suggests, I took everything out of the drawers and closets and spread them out on the bed. Our closet is tiny and very awkwardly shaped, so I had a lot of my clothes stored in another closet upstairs. Many of those clothes were added to the donate pile immediately, as I hadn’t touched them the entire time we’d lived in this house!
Once I had everything out, I held up each item and did my best to discern whether the items “sparked joy.” Some items were easy – they either didn’t fit anymore, were no longer in style, or were visibly worn/discolored.
It got more challenging when I was dealing with items that were still in good condition, but I just didn’t love or had hardly worn.
Would I need this later?
Could I try to wear this in a different way and maybe like it better eventually?
Sometimes I’m too practical for my own good. The answer was usually NO to those questions, even if I wasn’t ready to admit it yet.
Our guest room closet after tidying (we use this as our coat closet)
The good news is that after going through this process the first time over 2 years ago, I plowed through like a mad woman this time around!
Once I determined what I was keeping, it was time for my favorite part of the KonMari Method – folding! Marie Kondo recommends folding as much as possible, and doing it so that the items can stand up in your drawer. This method has been a game changer for me!!
Folding can take some time to get used to because there is not one exact way to fold every single item since clothes come in all different shapes, sizes, lengths, fabrics, etc. Marie Kondo gives some basic guidelines to get started.
Here are some examples:
How to fold a t-shirt
Remember that the end goal is to be able to stand the item in your drawer, so you may need to tweak your folds to accomplish this. If the item doesn’t stand after you’ve folded, then you’ll need to adjust.
For example, some fabrics are flimsier and you may need to tweak steps 4-5. After folding the item in half in step 4, you might need to fold it in half two more times in step 5 and 6 (rather than in thirds as shown above). This will make it so the item isn’t as tall and will stand better.
You may also need to do this if your drawers are shallow in height. Don’t be afraid to play with your folding a little bit until you figure out what works for you, your drawers, and the different fabrics you have!
How to fold a pair of pants
You may need to tweak your folds for your pants. This was actually a pair of capri pants, so a normal pair of pants would probably need some extra folds in order to make sure they stand up. Generally speaking, you’ll fold the items in half multiple times or fold the items in half and then thirds.
How to fold socks
These examples should give you the basic idea, but there are also videos on YouTube if you think that might help. The biggest advice I can give you when it comes to folding is to practice!
{Update: I’ve added this Facebook Live video where I demonstrate how I fold items!}
After folding and storing as many items as I could in my dresser, the rest went back into the closet. Marie recommends hanging the items in the closet from longest to shortest, moving left to right. I gave this a try as best I could, but our closet is tiny! I’m hoping to work on a new set up for the closet later, so this is a work in progress.
Now that I’ve gone through the clothing category a couple of times, here are some tips and tricks that might help you as you get started.
Tips and Tricks from the KonMari Method of organizing clothes
1. Divide items into subcategories
If you have a ton of clothes to go through, then you might be overwhelmed when you get started. Sort the items by subcategories (tops, bottoms, skirts, etc.) and then go through each subcategory at a time. This helps reduce the overwhelm but also gives you an idea of how much you actually have in each subcategory. You may be surprised!!
2. Pick up/touch/try on each item
Marie discusses the importance of touching each item and although some of her reasoning is a little out there, I can see the benefit. Since I hadn’t worn so many of these items in so long, this was especially important.
Many of the clothes didn’t fit well and I no longer liked the styles. Others were either not in good shape or sometimes discolored. Had I not physically touched each item, I may not have noticed those things.
3. Be brutally honest with yourself
Since we live on a budget, I had a hard time justifying why I should get rid of perfectly good clothes. Trying them on helped because I realized that I didn’t like many of the items and hadn’t been wearing them anyway. Even still, I still hated the idea of not putting the clothes to use. I have found that this does get easier with time.
It also helped to know that I was donating the items and they would hopefully bring someone else joy.
4. Keep “maybes” in a separate pile and revisit
If you find yourself getting stuck on certain items and it’s holding you up, create a “maybe” pile and then keep going. As you continue on, the process of discarding items will get easier and you may find that your “maybe” becomes a “discard” by the end. If you are still unsure, I put those items in the “discard/donate” pile and leave them there for a week or so. If you don’t miss it (which you probably won’t!), then donate it once and for all!
5. Learn to fold!
This is my favorite part of the KonMari method! It has so many benefits – I can see everything in the drawer when I open it and the items take up so much less space!
It’s taken me a little time to feel comfortable and confident folding this way, but I will never go back now. I can pack a mean suitcase now using this folding method and I’ve even folded dresses like this in order to save space! It’s truly genius!
I use shoebox lids to keep my socks from sliding around in my drawer
6. Store as much as possible in drawers
Prior to discovering the KonMari method, I used the closet for the vast majority of my wardrobe. Now, I store as much as possible in my drawers, reserving the closet for larger items or special fabrics that are not conducive to folding.
Ideally, your items can stand up on their own, but sometimes it can be helpful to use some extra help for storing your clothes in your drawers. I love using:
- plastic baskets from Walmart or The Dollar Tree
- shoeboxes or shoebox lids
- SKUBB boxes from IKEA
Any of these options are very affordable (or free) and are great for keeping smaller items contained so they don’t slide around in your drawer.
7. Kids clothes can be tricky
Once I completed my clothes, I wanted to see how this could work with my children’s clothing. This process was not as cut and dry for them as it was for me. I kept a little extra simply because my kids clothing gets lots of wear and tear and can go through them quickly!
I let the kids participate as much as I could (I didn’t hold up each item and ask them if it “sparked joy” though!). They didn’t make the final decision on everything, but I did try to let them help.
I use the same basic folding method for their items and it’s working very well. I’d like to teach them how to fold with this method so they can start folding their own laundry, but we’re not there just yet.
8. Don’t force your spouse to get on board
My husband reluctantly did this with me, but his results were much different than mine. I have to accept that he might be willing to hold onto more items than I think he should, and that is okay. Or perhaps owning a ton of shirts really does “spark joy” for him! 😉
9. Do this as many times until it feels right
It took me a couple of times to feel like I reached a good spot. Don’t feel bad if you do it once and realize you actually can let go of more items. I found that doing this process the second time was much easier because I knew that I did not regret donating a single item from the first time.
My top drawer is a perfect spot for my earrings and belts. These stackable jewelry organizers keep my earring neat and organized!
My DIY necklace board is still going strong – it just needed some tidying too!
Conclusions
I am so motivated and encouraged after going through this process with my clothing. I had no idea just how much clothing I was holding onto that I did not even like. I have no regrets about anything I have discarded.
Since going through this process, I’ve noticed that it has changed the way that I shop. I am much more thoughtful about what I am buying, so that the items hopefully won’t end up in the discard pile within 6 months. I aim to only buy items that I truly love!
In addition, it’s much easier to get rid of my items now. It was pretty difficult when I first started this process. I realized that I was fearful about giving things away. Now that I realize I don’t even miss the items I discarded, it’s been much easier to part with items along the way. As I’m doing laundry and notice items that no longer “spark joy,” I deal with them right away. Even though I don’t want to be wasteful, I no longer feel guilty or fearful.
Let’s Get Started!
I know this post has been long and might seem a bit overwhelming, but I hope that you’ll jump in with me and tackle your clothes now too! To help make that process less intimidating, I’ve even created a little checklist to help you use the KonMari method to organize your clothes.
I’m giving you an entire month to work through this process with your clothes, which should give you enough time to get it done and not completely disrupt your entire home.
Check back next month for the next category we’ll tackle – books!
If you want to save this post for later, you can pin it here:
Here are all of the posts in the KonMari Method series:
The KonMari Method: Organizing Clothes (you’re here)
The KonMari Method: Organizing Books
The KonMari Method: Organizing Papers
The KonMari Method: Organizing Komono in Living Spaces
The KonMari Method: Organizing Bathroom Komono
