Many of us have been watching–and loving–Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix. When her book was first published, my husband and I tackled decluttering our home. Here’s where we’re at three years later.
Tidying Up: Things We Still Do
- Shirt Folding: We still fold our t-shirts like she demonstrates in her show. Our kids were doing this when we first started, but we found that putting kids’ shirts on hangers was easier than folding. I love being able to open my drawers and see my clothes standing up!
- Keeping only the clothes we love and wear: When I walk into my closet, I have one section with all of my clothes hanging up. Everything fits and I wear every item. I’ve also drastically changed how I shop for clothing. I love shopping and especially finding a good sale! But now I will only purchase items that fit and I know I will wear. I will happily put back a great deal if it doesn’t fit perfectly!
- Organizing kimono: I love Marie’s suggestion to use small boxes to keep items under control. We have boxes that keep our camera accessories, magnatiles, piano music, tools, etc. found all over our house.
- Paper: We have become very good about keeping bills and papers organized. Bills go in a place where my husband can grab them quickly. School papers go into one of three areas—keepsake box, recycle bin, or hanging file if we need to deal with them asap (Book It forms, field trip forms, etc.)
- Bathroom cupboards and drawers: We have been good about only keeping things we are currently using and throwing away (or not purchasing) things we don’t need. It is a good feeling to see what items we have at a quick glance!
Things We Could Improve On
Before you think our house is perfectly organized and tidy, I need to confess there are still many areas we struggle with!
- Toys: We have a lot of toys and I still struggle to get rid of them. 99% of the toys in our house were gifts from other people and I feel bad when I donate them. My kids really love their toys. This has been a great way to keep them involved in the process. As they are getting older, it is easier for them to identify which toys would be better donated and which ones they still actively play with.
- My office space: My home office is our extra bedroom. It is a combination of doula items, office supplies, crafts, sewing items, and more. This is also the room where things go if we don’t know where to put them. 2019 is my year to tidy up my office!
- Our master closet: Our clothing is very realistic and tidy, but the other things on the shelves need to be addressed soon. This is a place where we set items to deal with later because there is extra room in the closet.
- Getting rid of too much: I think we actually got rid of too much when I first read the book. There are some things I wish I still had since we moved into a new house. I’ve found myself wishing I still had xyz, but we’ve made it work.
Have you been watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!
