Sorting out clothes (Marie Kondo)

How can I organise my clothes using the Marie Kondo method? This page explains sorting, folding, and storing clothes to maximise space and joy.

This an excerpt from a summary of Marie Kondo's book 'the life-changing magic of tidying up: The Japanese art of decluttering and organizing.' You can access the full book summary via the link icon.

The first category to sort in the Marie Kondo method is clothes, since they are the easiest to go through. Within the clothing category, it can help to go through the different types of clothes you have, one by one. The order recommended in the book:

  1. tops (shirts, sweaters, etc.),
  2. bottoms (pants, skirts, etc.),
  3. hanging clothes (jackets, coats, suits, etc.),
  4. socks,
  5. underwear,
  6. bags,
  7. accessories,
  8. specific-event shoes (swimsuits, uniforms, etc.), and
  9. shoes.

Per category, collect all items in one heap, take them in your hand one by one, and ask yourself whether the item sparks joy. When you are struggling, you can start with the off-season clothes first. 

Organising and folding clothes

Hanging clothes takes up much more space than folding. Besides the space benefit, handling each piece of clothing gives us a moment to care for, and appreciate them. Being grateful for them is better for the clothes and our own state of mind.

The best way to story clothes in in drawers. In drawers, things can be stored standing up, rather than laying flat. To do so, you start folding the piece of clothing in a rectangular shape, with the short edge just below the height of your drawer. Then, you fold it over, again and again, until the clothing’s height is about the same as its width.

Folding all your clothes this way allows you to see and grab the piece of clothing you are looking for, without having to lift or move around others. An added benefit is that since there are no clothes pressuring on what is below it, folds in your clothes will be a thing of the past.

Only hang the clothes that look like they would be happier hung up. For example, clothes made with soft materials that flutter in the breeze or highly tailored cuts.

When it comes to closet structure, organise your clothes or a per-category basis. Furthermore, organise from left to right—heavy to light. So, when hanging clothes, put your long and heavy clothes on the left, and shorter, lighter clothes to the right. You can do something similar in each category, e.g. by ascending brightness.

Do not categorise clothes by season or by activity (work or leisure). Only when you lack closet space (after discarding first) should you put away off-season clothes in storage.

Storing socks

When storing your socks or stockings, do not ‘ball them up.’ If you do, they are always under some kind of tension, either in storage, or when worn. Instead, lay both socks on top of each other, and fold and sort them just as you did your clothes.

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