The Spruce: I Tried the KonMari Method
Published online on 3/1/2026.
Any home organization guru has undoubtedly heard of Marie Kondo and her “KonMari Method” of massive decluttering and neatly storing what you keep thereafter. A proud queen-bee organizer myself, I was set in my ways and resisted learning about the method all these years—even after friends raved about her and Netflix gave her a series in 2019.
But then I was challenged by the editors of The Spruce to try the method myself, and it just so happened, I had need for it: I recently decided to put my New York apartment on the market in the coming months, so extreme decluttering was on my open house–prep to-do list.
But would the method still stand up today? Would it really make a difference? And could it yield better results than my own practices? Here’s what happened.
How It Works
The KonMari method instructs to tidy up by category rather than by location, and, admittedly, this was new to me as I usually go room-to-room and closet-to-closet every spring. I set aside one Saturday to begin with clothes—including seasonal items, outerwear, socks, and undergarments—since I had them scattered between two closets, two dressers, a nightstand, and underbed storage cases.
Just fetching all the clothing was a daunting task, but I now see why it was necessary: Viewing everything at once makes an impact and opens your eyes to easily choose what can go. I spotted doubles of some articles, clothes that I haven’t worn in more than a few years, several items that still had their sales tags attached (I forgot I even bought them!), and then there were just clothes that no longer suit my style today. These are what I purged for donation.
I watched a quick video on Marie’s clothes-folding technique and emulated this with what I kept. In a nutshell, one folds everything into uniform squares and stands them up on their sides in drawers, much like book spines on shelves, as opposed to creating stacked piles.
This not only maximizes space but also helps you spot what you’re looking for speedily, rather than having to look underneath several other items to find it. Additionally, the method calls for storing like with like, so I dedicated one drawer to tops and the other to bottoms, while hanging the more delicate or non-foldable apparel in the closet.
The Result
I whittled down my wardrobe substantially and, using Marie’s folding method, I was able to fully clear one closet and empty out two large dresser drawers, as well as make space in the nightstand. This storage space I gained allowed me to eliminate the underbed cases completely!
I had room left over to store my bedding, linens, pillows, and towels (which I purged beforehand), as well as pet toys and workout equipment. The irony about all this is that several containers I used to hold some of these in plain sight now sit empty and have thus become clutter.
Has it helped prep my home for open-house season? I’ve unclogged areas and shelves where I “created” makeshift storage for things that now fill the remaining drawers and closet, so I believe so. I have yet to start the process with the other categories (books, papers, keepsakes, and objects), but I suspect that after I do, my place will be in peak shape for an open house.
What Doesn’t Work
The method emphasizes folding over hanging every article of clothing, though Marie has made exceptions for some “made of soft materials or highly tailored cuts.”
Unless you’re ready to whip out the iron every time you get dressed, this isn’t practical. Also, there are some articles that don’t lend themselves to the folding-and-standing method. I therefore kept a small selection of shirts, sweaters, skirts, and dresses hanging in the closet.
The only other major qualm I have with the KonMari method is keeping only items that “spark joy.” That might be cute to some people, but I think for most of us, it’s more poignant to ask: What do you truly need and use?
My rule of thumb these days when it comes to apparel: If I haven’t worn that item in over a year—for reasons other than an abnormally long season—it’s going to a thrift shop. I make the exception, however, for one business-formal and one dressy outfit I might not have worn in a while but will need for the next, say, wedding, business event, or party I attend.
I also think the “spark joy” requirement won’t work for the remaining categories. For instance, call me old school, but I prefer to hold onto certain paper documents that definitely don't spark joy. (However, I always scan them for digital copies, just in case.) And there'll likely be keepsakes that I don't necessarily need or use but will want to keep in the family.
Is It Sustainable?
It’s been a week since I implemented the KonMari method, but I can say it’s improved my day-to-day already: I take less time getting dressed as I know exactly where to find everything and, thanks to the folding-and-standing technique, I can hone in on the top I want to wear within seconds of opening the designated drawer.
It’s an organizational mindset I plan on continuing as it is—I say begrudgingly—more effective than my own, and I believe it will be easy to maintain if I do a category purge each spring.