Home Hacks
7 Marie Kondo-Inspired Makeovers That'll Make You Want to Declutter...Right Now
These transformation photos spark joy in all of us.
I never thought that I could part with the bulk of my material possessions (let alone want to), including the ones that I never use but probably definitely might need one day. I love my stuff, I thought, even the bright orange Nike sneakers and '80s-era sequined top I had neatly stored under bed (I wore both once a year, if that). I thought I could never ever part with these things—until I binge-watched three episodes of Marie Kondo's new Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, in a row the other night.
If Marie Kondo's name sounds familiar, it's because the book (The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, a must-read in my opinion) upon which the show is based took over the world when it was first published a few years ago. Her manifesto, which utilizes what she calls the KonMari Method is simple yet brilliant: Only keep items in your home that spark joy, discard the items that don't (you must thank them before you get rid of them), and organize everything in a way that makes items easy to find.
Now, with the release of the new series, Kondo mania has swept across the States yet again, and it's galvanizing everyone who's seen it to clear their lives of clutter, get folding, and share the results on Instagram (of course).
Here are seven Marie Kondo transformations inspired by her Netflix series that spark joy in us, and make us want to clear out everything (and we mean everything, that's how the method works) from our own closets, pantries, and bathroom cabinets, ASAP.
It may sound strange if you haven't seen the series yet, but watching Kondo fold clothes—a task I'd normally despise—is one of the most soothing parts of every episode. (For a quick primer on her folding method, check out this video tutorial here.) According to Kondo, each piece of clothing should be shown special care and appreciation when you fold it, which somehow transforms what was once an annoying chore into a calming exercise. The photo above is a great example of the more practical side to her approach: Every piece of clothing should be able to stand upright in the drawer or box (instead of stacked in a flat pile) so you can easily see each item.
In every episode, the end is not so much a dramatic reveal (although some of them are pretty drastic) as it is a reflection on how the lack of clutter has transformed their lives, from their relationships with other people to their relationships with material possessions. The most common emotion observed, post-Kondo method: calm. Even in simple before-and-after photos, like the one above, you can get a sense of the chaos brought on by the clutter, and that calming feeling in the final result.
The fourth step in Kondo's tidying up method is komono, or miscellaneous items, which includes the bathroom, garage, and the kitchen. For many F52ers—myself, included!—the kitchen is where we spend a lot of our time, and probably where we accumulate a lot of extra stuff, from niche kitchen gadgets to dozens of spices. For me, the pantry is where you'll find a lot of that excess, and until watching the show, I've felt too daunted by the clutter to tackle it. When I do, I'm going to take a cue from the photo above and utilize clear storage containers, plenty of boxes, and that nifty tiered rack for stacking cans and spices.
While drawers are a big part of Kondo's folding method, you shouldn't worry if you don't have any in your home. Her simple solution: Use boxes or clear storage containers (The Container Store and Amazon are two great places to look) without the lids as makeshift drawers. Whether you're storing them on shelves, like in the photo above, or even under the bed, it's the easiest way to keep your neatly folded clothes easy to pick out when planning an outfit.
Basically anything that isn't clothes (step one), books (step two), paper (step three), or sentimental (step five), falls under the step-four komono category—yes, even the laundry and cleaning areas. Here, Kondo's signature baskets and boxes come especially in handy, as evidenced in the photo above. They make for easy access to supplies, and prevent anything from getting lost in the back of the cabinet (which will make you forget you have something, often leading to unnecessary purchases).
If you're already a seasoned pro at Marie Kondo's folding method, why not take things to the next level? There are a few ways you might want to do this: You could color coordinate everything (down to your shoes) by shade, like in the photo above; separate it by type of clothing, like activewear, work pieces, or more formal items; or if you live in a place with changing seasons, you might want to separate your fall and winter favorites from you warm weather staples.
One thing Kondo stresses throughout the show, especially to families with children, is to get the kids involved from a young age, like she's done with her own two daughters (watching them carefully fold their own clothes is perhaps the cutest moment in the entire series). The perfectly Kondo-ed baby's room in the photo above has us thinking the little tot will be happily folding before he or she can even walk.
Has Marie Kondo's new Netflix show inspired you to tidy up? Tell us in the comments below!
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Written by: Erin Alexander
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32 Comments
All my underwear is just stacked, though. I bought multiples of the exact some underwear, so I don't need to see them all at once. Haha!
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