How can I organise my home effectively? This is a summary of Marie Kondo’s book for tidying your home and living a more fulfilling life.
Chapter 1: why you can’t keep your environment in order
Despite its importance, no one teaches us how (rather than to) keep our living space in order. Furthermore, most of us believe that it is better to ‘tidy a little every day’ rather than organising everything in one fell swoop.
The truth is that keeping a clear environment requires habits that emerge from a different mindset. Such a mindset you can only get when you tidy in one shot. The radical result will change your perspective, which will empower you to keep your space in order ever after.
We make a mess of our environment because it gives our mind something to pay attention to. When our mind is in a state of distress, for example, studying for a test, it is all to happy jumping from one distraction to the next. When your environment is clean and uncluttered, you must examine your inner state.
In this situation, the only possible course of action is dealing with it. From the moment you start tidying, you will improve your life. As such, it helps to see tidying as a means, rather than an end in itself.
The storage myth
It is in our nature to take the easy route and resort to storage solutions when our place is a mess. However, putting things away only puts the mess out of sight. Sooner or later, the storage units are filled, and we are left back where we started. Real decluttering starts by discarding.
Organise by location
The first core lesson of keeping an organised space is to tidy by category, and not by location. We can have the same items in multiple places, and when we organise each of them separately, we will not do any of them away.
When you start your declutter marathon, go from books to clothes, not from cabinet to cabinet or room to room. Per category, there are only two essential steps: discarding things, and deciding where to store the rest. Of the two, discarding must come first.
Once you have put your house in order, tidying becomes a simple task of putting things back where they belong. In fact, this becomes an unconscious habit.
Chapter 2: start by discarding
Tidying completely deeply affects your mind. It inspires a strong aversion towards your previously cluttered state. The change needs to be so sudden that you experience a complete change of heart. This can never be achieved when you do it gradually.
Such a radical cleansing requires an efficient approach. The more time it takes, the more tired you feel, and the more likely you are to give up halfway through.
Know your purpose
In the words of Stephen R. Covey, you should always begin with the end in mind. The same is true for your decluttering marathon; what do you hope to gain through tidying? What would it be like to live in a clutter-free space?
Then, further explore your why‘s. If you want to declutter your environment to be less distracted, ask yourself why you want to be less distracted? If it is to work more efficiently, ask why you want to work more efficiently? Keep going until you feel like you have reached your core motive(s). This will help your keep at it when tidying gets though and tiring.
When you have assessed your underlying motivation(s) and visualised the result, you are ready to start discarding.
How to decide what to keep?
There are many ‘rules’ for deciding what to throw away, such as things you had not used in a year. These rules have in common that they focus on what we should throw away, rather than what we should keep.
This focus on what we will lose is a negative one and will make our decluttering journey a miserable one. Therefore, the best way to choose between keeping and throwing away is to take each item in your hand and see if it sparks joy. If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. Provided that you embarked on this journey to achieve happiness, this is the best yardstick to measure by.
Do not glance over items in a drawer. Take each of them in your hand—one by one—and see how they make you feel. Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.
One category at a time
As mentioned before, you should approach the discarding step one category at a time. Taking clothes as an example, go through the whole house, collect every bit of clothing, and spread it all out in one place on the floor. Then pick up each outfit and see if it sparks joy.
Gathering every item in one place lets you grasp of just how much you have. When this would be too much to oversee, you can sort in subcategories as well—socks, trousers, shirts… etc.
Dealing with one category within a single period speeds up the tidying process. Be sure to gather every item in the category you are working on. Do not let any slip by unnoticed!
The right order
Discarding items in one category is harder than in others. The more difficult categories often contain items with multiple types of value. Namely, these are things that
- you can still use (functional value),
- contain helpful information (informational value), and
- have sentimental ties (emotional value), and/or
- have a rarely aspect (e.g. the item is unique).
It is best to start easy and go increasingly difficult.
Keep it a secret
When you tidied up your place, make sure no one else sees what you are planning to throw away. Especially parents can find it stressful to see what their children discard. In the end, letting others in on your efforts can only make them, and so possibly you, feel bad.
In a similar light, do not make your close relatives the recipient of your discard pile. Do not transfer your problem to them. Find out what they like, and if you find something that fits those criteria, only then should you offer it.
Make tidying a meditative experience
Carefully considering which of your belongings sparks joy is an intense meditative experience. Make sure you are in a quiet and serene space. Noise will make it harder for you to access your introspective state, which will make it harder to feel the joy sparked by your belongings.
The best time to start is in the early morning, after flooding your ‘sorting space’ with fresh outside air.
What to do when you cannot throw something away
When discarding the things that we do not need, it is often our rational mind that causes trouble. When you come across something that is hard to discard, ask yourself why you have that item in the first place.
Posing this question carefully often leads us to realise that the item has already fulfilled its function. However, this function does not have to be its intended use. For example, a shirt of a particular kind of colour might have taught us that we do not feel this colour suits us well. The function, in this example, was teaching us something about the preference of the colour of our clothes.
This is similar for the people we meet in our lives, only a few can become a close friend or lover, but we might learn something from all of them.
When you come across something that you cannot part with, think carefully about its true purpose in your life. You will be surprised at how many of the things you possess have already fulfilled their role. By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you can put the things you own, and your life, in order.
Discarding the things that have outlived their purpose allows you to cherish the things that you decide to keep.
Chapter 3.1: discarding clothes
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:
- tops (shirts, sweaters, etc.),
- bottoms (pants, skirts, etc.),
- hanging clothes (jackets, coats, suits, etc.),
- socks,
- underwear,
- bags,
- accessories,
- specific-event shoes (swimsuits, uniforms, etc.), and
- 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.
Chapter 3.2: discarding books
For books, too, you start by collecting them all and spreading them over the floor. When there are too many, you may go through them, one category at a time:
- fiction books,
- non-fiction books,
- practical books (e.g. cooking),
- visual books (photograph collections, etc.), and
- magazines.
Take each item in your hand, one by one. Keep it if it sparks joy, discard it when it does not. Only touch them, though. Do not start reading them.
The same way as with clothing, ask yourself whether you need to keep the books you have already read. Has it not already fulfilled its function? Furthermore, if there is a book you may ‘read sometime,’ you can safely discard them without second thought.
Like clothes that did not quite suit you, books you have read only halfway through have served their purpose. You have read enough of them to realise that it was not for you after all.
For books, timing is everything. The moment you first encounter a particular book is the best time to read it. Do not miss that moment and keep your collection small.
Chapter 3.3: discarding papers
This category does not include paper with sentimental values (diaries, love letters, etc.). For the papers the remain, start from the intention to throw away everything. The only possible exceptions are papers that
- are currently in use,
- are needed for a limited time, or
- must be kept indefinitely.
When you have discarded unnecessary papers, sort the remaining papers in two files:
- papers to be saved, and
- papers that need to be dealt with.
You should reserve one place (and one place only) to keep the papers that need attention. Never let them spread around the house. The then-remaining papers can, again, be sorted in two categories:
- Infrequently used papers: insurance policies, guarantees leases, etc. Papers you might need at some point. These papers do not need sophisticated sorting.
- Frequently used papers: outlines of seminars, newspaper clippings, etc. It is useless to keep these papers unless you organise them properly.
So, you need only three files for papers: needs attention, should be saved (contractual documents), and should be saved (others). Refrain from subdividing them any further.
You may still find it difficult to part with papers of particular sorts. Contemplations for each are shared below.
Lecture materials
It is common to have lecture handouts lying around for ‘future study.’ However, it is good to realise that when you have not put the material to practice thus far, it is unlikely that you will do so in the future.
Keeping handouts is giving yourself an excuse not to master the material and put it into practice while taking the course. To keep your home free of clutter and learn more from your seminars by resolving to part with every handout distributed.
Bank and credit card statements
Once you have checked these statements, you will never need them again. Discard all of them.
Warranties and manuals
You will never read your manuals after taking something into use. If you run into issues later, you can always find help (and often also the manual) online. Hence, you should discard of these (often thick) paper manuals.
Warranties do not need to be organised. Keeping all of them in the same file is fine, given how low chances are that you will ever use them. When you do, this is also a perfect time to go through all the warranties in the file to discard those that are outdated.
Greeting cards
Greeting cards, like those sent for Christmas or new year’s, have fulfilled their purpose as soon as you have read them. Unless they spark joy, you can part with the cards with gratitude for conveying to you the consideration of the sender.
Chapter 3.4: discarding miscellaneous items (komono)
Komono entail small articles, miscellaneous items, accessories, gadgets, small tools, parts, etc. They are the things which are placed, stored, and accumulate “just because.”
The basic order for sorting komono is as follows:
- CDs and DVDs
- Skincare products: Moisturizers, cleansers, toners, etc.
- Makeup: foundations, lipsticks, eyeshadows, etc.
- Accessories: jewellery, belts, hats, scarves, etc.
- Valuables: passports, credit cards, cash, important documents, etc.
- Electrical equipment and appliances: digital cameras, chargers, cords, etc.
- Household equipment: stationery, writing materials, sewing kits, etc.
- Household supplies: medications, cleaning products, tissues, etc.
- Kitchen goods and food supplies: utensils, cookware, appliances, etc.
- Other items: spare change, figurines, souvenirs, etc.
If you have many items related to a particular interest or hobby, treat these as a single subcategory.
Amongst these categories, you may be confronted with items of the following types:
Gifts
Gifts are the embodiment of someone’s expression of love and consideration. This can make it difficult to do them away.
It is good to recognise that the true purpose of a present is to be received. Presents are a means for conveying someone’s feelings, not ‘things’ per se.
When viewed from this perspective, you don’t need to feel guilty for parting with gifts. It would have been nice if you could use it with joy. But surely the person who gave it to you doesn’t want you to use it out of a sense of obligation. Neither does he or she want you to put it away without using it, only to feel guilty every time you see it.
Thank the gift for the joy it gave you when you first received it, then allow yourself to let it go.
Cosmetic samples
Saved by some people for future trips, cosmetic samples have a very short shelf life. If you didn’t use a sample a month after receiving it, you are better off discarding it in any case. Either you will not use it for many more months, or when you do, they will not give you the effect you expected them to.
Unidentified cords or plugs
If you see a cord and wonder what on earth it is for, you will probably never use it again. Mysterious cords will always remain just that—a mystery. Keep only those cords that you can clearly identify and get rid of the rest.
Broken appliances
If they do not work now, they will not work in the future. Figure out how you should dispose of them and resolve to take them all out.
Spare buttons
Buttons rarely fall off our clothing, and when they do it is usually a sign the piece of clothing has exceeded its use. For coats and jackets, you can sew the spares to the lining when you buy them. When you are not doing that, get rid of them right away.
Things you bought in a craze
Most of us are guilty of buying something (expensive) that was hyped up either by ourselves or our environment. Something we soon realised we did not really need or use all that much. Thank the item for the boost it gave you when you bought it and then just let it go.
Free novelty goods
An assortment of promotional knick-knacks you never asked for but somehow accumulated: branded trinkets, barely functional freebies… None of these are going to bring you any pleasure. Discard or recycle them without any qualms.
Chapter 3.5: discarding sentimental items (mementos)
The last and most difficult category for discarding concerns items with sentimental value. We fear that by discarding an item, we lose the memory that accompanies it.
The truth is that truly precious memories never vanish. And when they do, we will not feel bad about it, because we will have forgotten.
We live in the present. No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now are more important.
By discarding mementos, you process, or ‘settle’ your past. Keeping these items prevents you from living in the here and now. To put your things in order means to put your past in order, too.
It is not our memories but the person we have become that we should treasure. This is the lesson these sentimental items teach us when we sort them. The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.
Photos
The correct method to sort photos is to remove them all them from their albums and look at them one by one. You will be surprised how clearly you can differentiate between photos that touch your heart and photos that do not.
Chapter 4: store things to make life shine
When you have discarded everything that did not bring you joy, it is time to find a spot for everything that does. By giving each item a place, you assign each place an item. When that happens, it is less likely that a ‘thing without a place’ ends up there and invites further clutter around.
You only need to designate a spot for every item once. Decide where your things belong and when you finish using them, put them there. This is the main requirement for storage.
Storage: how to store
When it comes to the practicality of storage, there are only two rules:
- store all items of the same type in the same place, and
- do not scatter storage space.
You can follow the discarding categories for storage, or a broader system based on similarities in material. For example, ‘cloth-like,’ ‘paper-like,’ and ‘things that are electrical.’
If you live with your family, first clearly define separate storage spaces for each family member. Each individual’s storage should be focused in one spot. Having your own space makes you happy. Once you feel that it belongs to you, you want to keep it tidy. Everyone needs a sanctuary.
Storage: where to store
Clutter emerges from a failure to return things to where they belong. Storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort needed to get them out.
When we want to use something, we have a clear purpose for getting it out and will go through the effort of doing so. It is the effort of putting things back that is difficult.
As such, it is best to store things in a single spot. When you do that, you do not have to think much about where to put things away.
Storage: next to, not on top
When it comes to storage, vertical is best. When you stack things on top of each other, you can keep storing indefinitely. Things on the bottom get squished and worn. Furthermore, retrieving an item will require two extra steps—removing and placing back whatever it was that was on top.
Storage: ‘solutions’
The only storage items you need are drawers and boxes. Create your own original combinations by matching an empty box to fit an item that needs storing. The best method is to experiment and enjoy the process.
The best way to store bags is in another bag. The key is to put the same type of bags together. Doing so means that you only need to take out one set whenever you need a particular bag.
Storage: routines
To avoid losing track of things, and to give your bags a well-deserved break, empty your bag every day. This is not as much effort when you have a place for all the things inside it.
Do not keep your soaps and shampoos in your bath or shower. Dry them up and store them away after use. These spaces will be tidier and easier to clean, and any ‘sludge’-buildup is prevented.
Similarly, your kitchen counter and sink are for preparing food and washing dishes, not for storing things. Put sponges and dish detergent underneath the sink. Keep oil, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and other seasonings in your kitchen cabinets. This will keep those things free of grease, and your kitchen much easier to clean.
Space can be noisy and tidy at the same time when it is overflowing with unnecessary information. Remove the product seals from your storage containers and tear the printed film off packages that you do not want to see. Your space will be much more peaceful and comfortable.
Another good habit to develop is to appreciate your belongings. Express your appreciation to every item that supported you. You will have a more grateful existence and take better care of what you own—extending your possession’s lifespan in the process!
Chapter 5: a tidy home transforms your life
At their core, the things we like do not change over time. By putting your house in order, you can (re)discover what they are. When you put your house in order, you can discover what you really want to do. After all, the things you decide to keep are the things that bring you joy.
Tidying changes your life. Being in an environment in line with who you want to be—without distraction of clutter—sets you up for an authentic life.
Tidying improves your decision-making capacity. By taking an item in your hand and feeling whether it sparks joy, you train your ‘decision-muscles.’ Doing this hundreds or thousands of times creates a strength like you have never known.
When we get clear on the reasons for why we cannot let something go, we find that there are only two:
- an attachment to the past, or
- fear for the future.
This is a useful observation, because each time you are having trouble to discard something that does not spark joy, you can explore your inner world. When you are particularly prone to either of the two, chances are these interfere with other areas in your life as well, e.g. work or relationships. Exploring to what extent this is keeping you from living up to your full potential is worth the effort.
Whether we are caught up in the past, or in the future, we cannot see what we need now, at this moment. The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we do not.
Facing and selecting our possessions forces us to confront our imperfections and inadequacies, and the foolish choices we made in the past. It is only when we take the things we own one by one and experience the emotions they evoke that we can deeply appreciate our relationship with them.
There are three approaches we can take toward our possessions: face them now, face them sometime, or avoid them until the day we die. The sooner we confront our possessions the better. If you are going to put your house in order, do it now.
There is greater happiness in life than to be surrounded by the things you love. Allow yourself this happiness and remove the noise that interferes with the happiness radiating toward you.
Human beings can only truly cherish a limited number of things at one time. Pour your time and passion into what brings you the most joy, your mission in life. Putting your house in order will help you find the mission that speaks to your heart. Life begins after you have put your house in order.
Benefits of owning less
When we have reduced the amount, we own and know where it is, we can tell at a glance whether we have something or not. When we do not, we can shift gears immediately and start thinking about what to do. We do not have to spend time searching for something we ‘might have somewhere maybe.’ Instead of suffering through the stress of looking and not finding, we act.
Your environment changes you
Much of this final part of the book is best summarised by another book that inspired me to read this one: ‘Willpower Doesn’t Work’ by Benjamin Hardy.
Hardy argues that the only way you change is by adapting to your environment. Getting your environment in order, then, is the key to getting yourself in order. Your mental and physical health, clarity on your life’s purpose and priorities… All follows from creating an environment that embodies who you want to be.
