Marie Kondo has become a household name all over the world, helping people
declutter, tidy and discover the possessions that ‘spark joy’.
Her KonMari Method is a simple, yet thoughtful, approach to the stuff that fills
your home, and as a result, Marie has converted millions of
people to her philosophies.
So we asked ourselves - what’s one of the most cluttered parts of the home to
tackle on a tidying spree? The linen closet, of course - followed closely by the
tupperware drawer, but that’s for another article!
Whether you’re a KonMari convert or barely able to look at your linen closet,
we’ve broken the method down to help you take charge and tidy!
What exactly is the KonMari method?
Marie Kondo has created a unique approach to tidying, with specific orders,
intentions, and techniques underpinning the whole process. From the KonMari
fold (we’ll get to that!) to the 6 rules of tidying, there’s a lot to unpack.
Put simply, the KonMari Method focuses on what you decide to keep, as
opposed to what you’re getting rid of. And, as everyone with an internet
connection knows, the method is heavily linked with things that fill you with joy.
In its simplest form, the KonMari Method directs you to:
Pick up a single item
Ask yourself if it sparks joy
Pay attention to the physical and emotional responses in the body - do you feel joy?
Ask yourself if it sparks joy
Pay attention to the physical and emotional responses in the body - do you feel joy?
Either keep the item if it sparks joy, or discard if it doesn’t.
Sounds easy enough so far, right? The KonMari Method is all about changing
habits for the better so your linen closet doesn’t continue to instil dread
whenever you open it. Instead of working by room - which most of us would
naturally do - Marie Kondo instructs you to work in categories.
According to this method, there are five (ordered) categories:
Clothing
Books
Papers
Komono (or Miscellaneous)
Sentimental items
Books
Papers
Komono (or Miscellaneous)
Sentimental items
By starting with clothes (the easier items) and ending with sentimental
(harder to let go), you practice your decision-making skills. That way, at the tail
end of your tidying, you’re in the right rhythm and headspace to keep going.
At the same time, by starting on the easier end of the belongings spectrum,
you’ll build momentum and enjoy the dopamine hits that come with completing
tasks. This gives you motivation to keep working up to the harder items.
How to apply these rules to the linen closet
Ok, you’ve tackled clothing, books and papers, now you’re ready for the
miscellaneous - and looming - linen closet! Following the KonMari principles, the
following paves a clear path from clutter to clean:
Picture the end product
A big part of Marie’s method is to visualise your ideal lifestyle before undertaking
any tidying. And while your only goal may be to declutter your linen closet, take
some time to think about certain colours and fabrics that feel good (or don’t).
Because when it comes to your linens, they don’t exist solely in the cupboard;
they show up to shape the mood in your bedroom, bathroom, and beyond.
Start from scratch
First things first, you need to know what you’re working with, while also creating
a blank canvas to re-organise your linen closet. After pulling every item out of
the linen closet, work out if your linens extend to bathroom cupboards or laundry
drawers, and add these to the pile. By doing this, you can consolidate your
belongings and create more space along the way.
Discard first, put away second
out and buy that new organic mattress protector), you first need to finish
discarding. The KonMari Method encourages you to thank the belongings you
no longer need, before letting them go.
We’ve gone a step further by splitting the items into three piles: ‘Keep’ for the
things that spark joy; ‘Donate’ for those that don’t, but are in good condition or
serve another purpose (like donating bedding accessories to animal shelters);
and ‘Discard’ for the items that can’t be repurposed or recycled.
Ask if it sparks joy
Linen closets might not be the first place you think of when seeking joy, but trust
us, once you’ve cleared the clutter, the fun really begins. Once you’ve let go of
all those old bedding accessories and tattered towels, you can replace them
Learn the magical KonMari folding techniques
Right after the ‘spark joy’ trend, Marie Kondo was responsible for teaching the
applies to most types of linen.
The trick is to make sure you can see everything once stored, which rules out
the usual stacks that hide things under and behind other items. And if you want
to, you can use different shelves or sections to categorise all your linen - your
sheets, towels, hand towels, guest bedding, and so on.
Which leads to our next point...
Categorise your categories
If you have little items that don’t fold or have a place, consider using baskets or
removable drawers for your shelves. That way you can put all your smaller bits
and pieces in one space and see everything from first glance.
Another trick is to separate your sheets based on size - King, Queen, Double &
Single - while also grouping sets like you would socks. For seasonal items -
think winter flannelette sheets and blankets - try vacuum sealed, airtight storage
bags that shrink them down to save space.
Look into labels
If you want to take things even further, consider labelling any baskets, boxes or
shelves to clearly mark where everything goes. This is particularly helpful if
you’re sharing the job of putting away laundry, and also keeps track of any items
that get a bit out of hand, like the 20 mismatched pillowcases hiding in the
corner. As long as they bring joy, right?
The magic of tidying up!
The KonMari Method is simple but effective, and was designed to keep you from
relapsing into a state of clutter. By following these steps, keeping things fast and
efficient, and being intentional - both with your belongings and your desired end
goal - then your linen closet can shift from foe to friend.
And, as Marie Kondo says, “Your real life begins after putting your house in order.”
