Should I KonMari my Wardrobe?

By now you have probably heard of Marie Kondo, author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” and creator of the “KonMari” organization method. Maybe you have even watched her new Netflix series. If so, I am betting you have already picked up an item in your home and asked yourself “does this spark joy?”

I am not an expert on the KonMari method, but I use her folding methods and I believe in her message. I believe that we should start being more careful about clutter and about the items we allow in our lives. Because, whether we want to accept it or not, things weigh heavily on our souls. Those packed closets and storage bins are not just stored in our homes, they live in our psyche. We carry them around with us every day, whether we know it or not.

As a wannabe minimalist, I am drawn in by her methods. However, as a wardrobe stylist, I have a set of knowledge and experiences working with people that make me pause.

So, do I think you should watch “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” and KonMari your wardrobe?

My answer is no.

I do not believe the simple, seductive question of “does this spark joy?” will work in your wardrobe. In order to have an organized wardrobe, you need to ask more of yourself. You will need to ask yourself “WHY does this not spark joy?” You see, if you are not willing to ask yourself this question, you will inevitably fill up your closet with more clothes that lose their spark after a few months and you will find yourself in the same situation. The spark joy method of clothing is what got us in this cluttered mess in the first place.

Ok, so now what?

There is no need to abandon the process all together. My advice is to ask yourself some questions and reflect on the answers. It will take longer (sorry) but your organization will last longer.

Here are some questions I recommend you ask of yourself while you are decluttering your closet:

Are you seeing themes in the clothes that do not spark joy? Are they certain colors or prints? Are they certain types of clothing? Do they fit in an unflattering way? Do you feel frustration with an item because you don’t know how to style it or where to wear it?

Answer these questions honestly and write down what you learned about your buying habits that did not serve you.

Then, learn about what clothing works best for you. Spend some time researching how to wear the pieces that you own and love. Pinterest can be a great resource.

If you need help, I provide a Shape and Style Consultation in which I help you find the best looks for your body, life and style.

Would these items spark joy for you if they were fixed or altered? Are the items just a little too long or big?

Bring your items to be fixed and altered before giving up on them. Give your local tailor some business and save a garment at the same time.

Are you finding that many of your clothes look shabby? Are they pilled and worn?

If your clothes are wearing out too quickly or falling apart and/or losing their shape after a few washes, you may be buying low quality clothing. To be clear, low quality does not equal low price. Some of the most expensive, designer clothing in the stores are low quality.

Make a habit of looking at the tags for fabric content and care information. Natural fabrics like cotton, silk, linen and wool are typically higher quality. I also find that many of the clothes that are synthetic and require hand washing are typically low quality. If you wash your clothing only when needed and according to the care instructions you will get a lot more life out of your clothing.

You can also invest in tools like a fabric shaver (this is the one I have) or lint remover (mine) to keep your clothes sparking joy.

Are the clothes that don’t spark joy really just basics?

Put those necessary basics back in your wardrobe. You need them. That long sleeve tee might not spark joy, but it fits perfectly under your favorite sweater, which in turn, sparks joy. If you want, you can replace your basics with better quality, better fitting pieces when you find them. Put them on your shopping list, but leave room for these pieces in your wardrobe. From my experience, most people are missing the basics.

Are you having a hard time remembering if you liked an item? Do you feel detached from it?

Maybe this item sparks joy in another time of year? When piling up your clothes on your bed, just work in the current season. Most of us do not remember what we loved wearing in the summer when it is -20 below out. Keep your out of season clothing in storage.

What about those special chosen ones that sparked joy? Question them too!

Do they spark joy when you hold them, but when you put them on your body you immediately want to take them off?

You may want to move on from that garment. Put one on your shopping list that has a similar style that feels good on your body. In my experience, uncomfortable clothing does not get worn.

Do they spark joy because they have sentimental value, but you don’t actually wear them?

Either commit to wearing them or take them out of your wardrobe. You can store them, take photos of them, make them into artwork, but don’t let them take up space in your closet if you aren’t actually going to wear them.

Do they spark joy because you spent a lot of money on them?

Figure out how to style them and make them work. Or, sell them and get some of your money back. Two wrongs do not make a right. Don’t punish yourself for making a bad decision.

Ready to donate?

This process may result in a lot of donations. There have already been reports of thrift stores being swamped with donations. Be careful in how you give. Only donate clean clothes with lots of life left in them. Please do not donate rags (ripped, stained and no longer useful clothing)  to thrift stores. It is not their job to get rid of your trash. Most Goodwill and Salvation Army locations will accept rags, please make a separate bag for them and mark them “RAGS.” Or, better yet, find a way to reuse these rags in your home.

I hope these tips helped you navigate the KonMari method. And remember, the process is not as easy as the show leads you to believe. According to the article “Here's How Much It Costs To Hire An Official KonMari Consultant To Organize Your Home” on Refinery29.com the "The tidying lessons shown on Tidying up with Marie Kondo are highly edited to fit the format of a television show... it is important to note that the cast families worked diligently to stay on-task for the filming schedule. For some, that meant many hours of work behind the scenes with Certified KonMari Consultants." 

Let me know how the process went for you. If you have any tips to share, please comment!

If you need help, please reach out to me. I love a good wardrobe challenge.

Love, Lisa