/Order/
Author of the article: Alena Sharapova
It's been several years since the little blue book about cleaning took the world by storm and inspired millions of people to make positive changes in their homes and lives. However, cleaning is not quite the right word. Marie Kondo's book is not about tidying, but rather about tidying up, relating to things, and how space can affect a person's personal well-being. This guide to the KonMari method is intended for those who are already familiar with Magic Tidying Up and need a cheat sheet for the future, as well as for those who are still thinking about purchasing. The guide is supplemented with a selection of inspiring photos, videos, tips on where to donate unnecessary things, as well as notes from a former hoarder - the author of the article.
Despite the fact that I work as an interior journalist and simply adore comfort, I have never been a neat person. Putting things in their place, folding clothes in piles and getting rid of unnecessary things on time - all these were not natural habits for me, but painful rules that I broke every now and then. After extensive cleaning, my apartment always returned to its previous state within a week. That’s why, when I heard about Marie Kondo, who promised to teach me how to tidy up once and for all, I bought her book. Here's what I learned and what came of it.
Cloth
- It is optimal to carry out a wardrobe audit in the following order:
- Tops (shirts, sweaters, etc.);
- Bottoms (skirts, trousers, etc.);
- Clothes that need to be hung on hangers;
- Socks;
- Underwear;
- Bags;
- Accessories (belts, hats, scarves, etc.);
- Special clothing (swimsuits, sportswear, etc.);
- Shoes.
- It is better to fold/hang things of the same category according to the principle from heavy-dark-long to lighter and lighter. For example, things can be sorted by materials such as “wool” and “cotton”. In the drawers, light and light things should be in the front so that your wardrobe makes you happy.
- Use the bag-in-bag method (no more than 1-2 bags in one bag). At the same time, the bag straps should be visible from the outer bag so that you do not forget about them. It is also desirable that the outer and inner bags are similar in material, season and/or style. Thanks to this trick, you will save space and maintain the shape of your accessories.
- Even fold socks and tights into rectangles. Place them all together in a box or drawer in an upright position so you can see each pair. As Marie says, “Treat your socks with respect.”
- Cup bras should be placed carefully next to each other to ensure they maintain their shape. Soft bras should be folded in half and then folded over the straps. Store your bras in a nice basket, like rattan. After all, everything that comes into contact with the body must be kept with special respect.
- If you have a shoe rack, place heavier shoes on the bottom and lighter shoes on top. Then arrange the pairs by color to keep everything organized.
The main essence of the Kon Mari method
Storing things according to Kon Mari is, in essence, the proper organization of space and getting rid of unnecessary clothes. According to the girl, cleaning the house should be done only once, and by her concept she means total disposal of trash. He is not ordinary garbage, which we freely say goodbye to every day, but things:
- Making you remember any unpleasant events.
- Interfering and annoying.
- Unsuitable in color, cut or style.
- Similar to each other.
- Stored for a long time and not used.
- I just don't like it.
From a practical point of view, the system implies:
- Storing only what is needed and useful right now;
- Surround yourself with the most important things, even if there are not very many of them;
- Saving space, teaching discipline.
If you hate throwing away good clothes, clean them up and give them away. But there is no need to impose a wardrobe on relatives and friends, otherwise the underwear will continue to carry the energy of “uselessness”. Before disposal, any thing needs gratitude. Clothes feel the attitude of the owner, so if you carefully store wardrobe items, they will delight you for a long time and carry positive energy.
Folding things according to Kon Mari implies total decluttering. Each person in the family must do the sorting themselves. If someone close to you helps, it will be more difficult to say goodbye to the item. In the process, turn off your emotions, think about what you keep and what you throw away. It is also advisable to start cleaning in the morning and do it strictly in stages:
- First, take on large items that hang in closets, then skirts, dresses, suits, etc. Start with the non-seasonal ones.
- Fold clothes that are worn both in winter and summer - jeans, T-shirts, etc.
- Next, sort your socks and underwear.
- The following are household items, swimming trunks, swimsuits.
- Next, sort out your shoes, bags, various accessories, bed linen, books, documents, and souvenirs.
Home clothes should be homemade, and not used items that will never be worn again. A piece of clothing always affects your self-image as a person, so you shouldn’t walk around the house wearing trash.
Kon Mari vertical storage system
In small chests of drawers and closets, it is advisable to fold linen vertically; however, blouses and pants, etc. should not be stored together. Marie Kondo advises ironing and thanking every item, and also giving up horizontal storage. If we fold laundry into rectangles so that it does not exceed the height of the shelf, we will save space, we will immediately see the desired product, and easily take it out without affecting the other.
Need to sort clothes.
Categories of things according to Kon Mari are sorting by color, type of accessory, size. Large, long items are stored on the right side, small and short items on the left. The products are rolled into rolls or rectangles and placed vertically in boxes, like files in a stand. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to fold it beautifully the first time, but step-by-step photos or instructional videos will help you figure it out.
Marie Kondo against various partitions, you can put clothes in cardboard boxes, special organizers, etc. In addition to saving space, you will get something that is not crumpled and has no unpleasant odor. To regularly monitor the volume of your wardrobe, it is better to store it in one place. This way you will see an overabundance and will be able to refuse the next new thing. An important nuance - the method works when a clear goal is set, there is a desire to strive for it, otherwise nothing will come of it.
Hanging up the rest of the things
Not all products are stacked compactly on shelves; some are hung on hangers. You can sort them by length, type, color. Long, heavy objects are placed on the left, shorter and lighter objects on the right. Visually, the clothes will rise from left to right. According to the author of the bestseller, the products will carry positive energy and give lightness and comfort when worn.
Kon Mari storage system – we don’t put out-of-season clothes far away!
We are accustomed to the fact that winter clothes need to be hidden in the summer so that they do not get in the way. Surprisingly, the Japanese girl advises against doing this. According to reviews, after reading the book, people begin to wear some summer trousers or T-shirts in the winter if they really like them. This recommendation is relevant for warmer countries where there are no strong temperature changes.
Books
- If there are too many books, they can be sorted into subcategories in the following order:
- Fiction;
- Applied books;
- Illustrated, for example, art albums;
- Magazines.
- When sorting out books, do not start reading them, as this almost always delays cleaning.
- By and large, only those books that belong in your “hall of fame” will remain in your home. For example, Marie herself keeps only 30 books in her house, although she previously had a large library.
- According to Kondo, unread books will never be read. They also tend to accumulate. Therefore, you need to get rid of them.
View this post on Instagram
