I used to smash my t -shirts down so they would fit. When I went to open a drawer from my dresser it would get stuck on the overflow of clothing. So, I would have to reach my hand in there and press down on the high pile of t-shirts and slowly I would be able to inch my way out. Or what about this one. Anyone’s dresser drawer not close? It took me forever to realize the contents had made its way down the backside and were lodged somewhere between my drawer and the drawer below it.
Does this sound familiar? It’s ok! Listen, we ALL live like this. The more I organize for people, the more I am certain of it, ALL of us in one way or another are living with the problem of “too much stuff.” We don’t get rid of anything because what if we need it one day? Or what if there’s too many memories attached to the sweatpants? Or what if we spent too much money on something (even though we don’t like it) to just give it away?
Before I answer these completely valid concerns into how to de-clutter your clothing, here’s the first piece of business & arguably the MOST IMPORTANT. It is this that will keep you on track while de-cluttering.
You must ask yourself:
What Kind of Life Do I Want?
There are many answers, as every person is different. Here’s my example.
“I want a life where every item has a place, every drawer is organized so I can see its contents, every closet is in order and minimal. I want to feel calm at home. I want to feel inspired by the style & decor around me and want it to be a reflection of me. I want a home full of items that thrill and I desire for my guests to be comfortable at ease and inspired.”
Once you write out the vision you have for your dream life, it will be easier for you to discard clothing or other items. Because, for instance, let’s say you don’t want to get rid of a basket full of socks that’s sitting at the bottom of your closet you wear “just in case” your main socks are all in the laundry, but you know that in your dream life you have minimal items for a peaceful environment. Now you can look at that basket and see that keeping them is not getting you any closer to minimal & peaceful.
Get Rid of It
The only rule to apply “Does this item thrill me?” We care not if you might wear it one day, or used to wear it a lot, or any other reason unless its sentimental. If it’s too difficult to let go, keep that item.
- Grab a garbage bag or 2 and take a deep breath. Walk to your closet and start at one end. Pick every single item up and ask yourself, “does this thrill me?” If the item does not thrill you, it goes in the garbage bag to donate or give away. If you are unsure, place in a pile nearby for “maybe”. This goes for shoes as well. If you can commit to this very unusual way of approaching your clothing you will have greatly reduced the amount of items that bring you ZERO thrill!
- Head over to the “maybe” pile and make the final decisions.
- If you don’t already have matching hangers, this is the time. It doesn’t matter if they’re all bright yellow, please just make them all match!
- Aim for the longest item to the left to shortest item all the way to the right. Example: Long dresses, long robes on the left, & all the way to the opposite end of the closet would be mini skirts.
- Head to the dresser. Empty it completely. And do the same process of discarding items.
I personally don’t put a vacuum cleaner in my closet, and I prefer luggage in a luggage closet if possible. So feel free to put those items in their respective places.
KonMari® Folding Technique
For those of us that haven’t seen her Netflix TV show, Marie Kondo is a Japanese woman who created and branded a whole new way of thinking about clutter, and a whole new way of folding. For purposes of this blog I’m not going to go into her entire method, but I will go into her folding techniques, which I, as a KonMari consultant myself use on all my clients as well as in my own home.
Women’s tank tops/long sleeve shirts/t-shirts
Click below to watch how to fold women’s tank tops:
Time for the Organizers
- Stick double sided tape underneath the organizer boxes so they don’t shift when you open and close the drawer.
- Place the new KonMari® folded clothing into the organizers.
I’m a huge fan of drawer organizers, so I would purchase enough for the entire dresser. I like my drawer organizers to match.
So to answer the question in the title of this blog, “Can the KonMari Method be the answer?” I say yes! I promise you a life of calm, peace, and beauty when you get rid of all that stuff everywhere and keep the things in your life that absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, thrill you.
