A home can get messy faster than you expect. A few things left on the counter turn into piles, closets get packed, and suddenly you’re stepping around old magazines, random cords, and socks that somehow lost their partners.
Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has helped people rethink their relationship with the things they own. Her method goes beyond simply putting everything away; it asks you to look at what you keep, why you keep it, and how you want your home to feel.
These 15 Marie Kondo organizing tips can help make tidying feel more manageable. Some are practical storage tricks, while others are about changing the way you think about your belongings.
Respect Your Belongings
Marie Kondo encourages people to treat their belongings with care instead of tossing them into drawers or piling them into closets. Folding clothes neatly and giving everyday items a proper place can make your home feel more cared for.
Related: 14 Organizing Tips for Small Bedrooms
Limit Sentimental Items Until the End
Sentimental belongings can be some of the hardest things to sort through, so Kondo recommends saving them for last. Once you’ve practiced making decisions with clothes, books, and other less emotional items, dealing with old cards, school papers, and keepsakes can feel easier.
Create a Home for Everything
Clutter often builds up because items have nowhere specific to go. Give each belonging its own spot, and putting things away becomes much easier after you use them.
Related: 13 Things Professional Organizers Would Remove From Your Countertops
Ask Yourself: Does It Spark Joy?
The KonMari method asks you to hold each item and think about how it makes you feel. If something no longer brings you joy or serves a useful purpose, Kondo suggests thanking it for its time with you before letting it go.
Declutter Your Paperwork
Paper can pile up quickly, especially when you keep old receipts, flyers, statements, and documents you no longer need. Kondo recommends sorting paperwork into items that need attention, documents worth keeping, and papers that can be thrown away, while keeping tax records and important warranties.
Use Boxes to Divide Drawers
Small boxes can turn a messy drawer into separate sections for socks, accessories, office supplies, or other little items. You can reuse shoeboxes and other containers you already have instead of buying a bunch of new organizers.
Related: 14 Genius Organizing Tips to Maximize Small Bedroom Space
Lean Into the Joy
Kondo’s idea of joy is about more than having a neat-looking home; it’s about creating a space that feels good to live in. The WebMD guide on clutter and health notes that clutter and disorganized spaces can be linked with higher stress and cortisol levels.
Thank You for Discarding These Items
Saying thank you before getting rid of something might feel unusual at first, but it can make letting go feel less negative. It gives you a chance to recognize that an item served a purpose before you move on without it.
Maximize Vertical Space
Walls, doors, and the inside of cabinets can provide extra storage without taking up additional floor space. Hooks, shelves, and stackable containers can help keep countertops and floors from becoming crowded.
Personalize Your Storage
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on storage products to keep things organized. Shoeboxes can hold small belongings, while jars can be useful for buttons, clips, craft supplies, and other loose items.
Related: 15 Home Organization Tricks That Make Clutter Easier to Manage
Revisit Your System
A storage system that works today may stop working after your routines or belongings change. Check your spaces from time to time and move things around if your current setup is becoming difficult to maintain.
Start With a Vision
Before you start pulling everything out of your closets and drawers, think about how you want your home to feel. Maybe you want a cozy space, a simpler home, or rooms that feel more open and personal.
For Easy Access, Fold Vertically
Kondo’s vertical folding method keeps clothes standing upright instead of stacked on top of each other. You can see more of what you own at a glance, which makes choosing an outfit and putting clothes away much easier.
Related: 17 Home Organization Tricks That Can Make Your Space Feel Better
Store Similar Items Together
Keeping similar belongings in the same place makes it easier to find what you need and spot duplicates. Group office supplies with other office supplies, kitchen tools with kitchen tools, and hair accessories with the rest of your hair accessories.
Tidy by Category, Not by Room
Kondo recommends working through categories instead of cleaning one room at a time. Start with clothes, then move on to books, papers, miscellaneous belongings, and sentimental items, so you can see how much you actually have throughout the entire home.
