You Too Can Konmari Your Kids

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Marie “KonMari” Kondo’s life mission is to organize the world and spark joy in people’s lives. Her bestselling book, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” is not only a quick read but a great catalyst for change in your home. 

konmariUsing this method has become a thing of mom lore. Can we really find a way to de-clutter our lives and keep our kids organized? Will the system stick? Is it worth the time and effort?

My quick answer is YES!  This book creates immediate motivation for modifications in your life. Her philosophy will change your mindset on your possessions and need for organization. And while many of the hints, tips and tricks apply to adults sorting out closets of wedding presents, old coats, and mementos, there is so much moms can apply to children’s bed and play rooms.

I’m sharing how the Konmari method changed how we sort and store laundry in our house.

A Place For Everything

Organization begins with the need for assigned space. Like most people, I’ve always had drawers dedicated to specific items (pajamas, t shirts, jeans, etc). My initial instinct, however, was to dump clothes into dresser drawers when the laundry was finished. I stuffed drawers to the gills, and it was impossible to locate anything.  

When I wanted to be “good,” I stacked clothes high like pancakes in drawers. And after the stacks fell over, I squeezed random shirts in the holes between piles. My clothes hid in the back of the drawer. I’d always lose items to the chaos on the drawer. And thirty some years later, I had to then explain to my son that couldn’t find his favorite Incredible Hulk shirt in his dresser.

But after reading about the Konmari method, I have adopted a far more advanced system of laundry organization. I take the time to sort items by child, type, often in rainbow color. The initial set up gave me a chance to touch everything item to see if I need to toss ones that my child has outgrown or that are stained or torn beyond repair.

Using the Konmari folding method, I neatly fold my items to avoid wrinkles. And the major change is that I now stack items SIDEWAYS in the drawer. Each item is visible and accessible. I added shoe boxes to store small items like underpants (folded now, of course) and socks. My son and I can see every shirt he owns (including the Hulk) at one glance. Who knew folding would actually save time in the mornings when getting him dressed? 

And Everything in Its Place

This method does require time to keep the system going. But overall, I save a lot of frustration getting my kids dressed and out of the house looking presentable. Folding and storing laundry brings back each item to its “home.” It’s easy for me to monitor which items aren’t getting used and which ones need to be replaced.

I have found myself sorting other people’s children’s drawers. It’s a quick way to help other moms find a little peace, and the system is easy to maintain on their own.

Do yourself a favor a find a copy of “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Find the adaptations that work for your household and get your kids organized!