Now that I've selected the items that "spark joy" and nothing extra (donated and discarded the rest), I've been able to put the pieces back together. Marie Kondo talks about the home being almost like a museum and your belongings are on display. I've treated my closet the same way. I now own probably a quarter of the amount of clothes and shoes that I used to (see the empty/extra hangers?). Well, shoes, maybe a little more. Anyway, through this process, I've been able to select an outfit quicker and haven't had a huge desire to go out and buy new clothes. If I do buy a new piece of clothing, it is specifically selected for my style and will be versatile with many different clothes.
- Fold as many items as you can
- Hang what looks like it needs to be hung (flowy shirts, jackets, dresses, mens dress shirts)
- Hang by color- I did light to dark in combination with lightweight to heavy. My closet also has the long items towards the back, but the book says to start with long items. It's just not set up that way.
- Bags/large purses are on the top shelves and smaller ones are hung to the left of the picture.
Marie Kondo writes very specifically on how to fold shirts, socks etc. I, personally, haven't gotten into the groove of folding my socks, but I've found it very easy to maintain my shirts as she describes. Here is the Marie Kondo Shirt Folding Demonstration.
In this one drawer are all my shirts including tee shirts, tank tops, causal v-necks and sports team shirts. Another area I was so surprised to have eliminated so much from my wardrobe. With her method, you can see all your shirts, and at the same time fit a lot in one spot.
Asking yourself if it stays or goes:
- Does it spark joy in your heart?
- Does it serve a useful purpose?
- Is it used on a regular basis?
- Am I honoring how this item should be used? (is it used for it's intended purpose or just being stored?)
If you ask yourself these questions and answer "no" then you should consider discarding or donating the item. You must not play the "what if" game and hold on to items for the "just in case" scenerio or if you THINK you MIGHT use the item.