35 Eye-Opening Marie Kondo Decluttering Tips Most People Miss

🔎 Disclosure: Heads up, babe: some links here are affiliate links, which means you might throw a tiny commission my way if you buy (zero extra cost to you). Only things you’d actually use and love get shared on this site.

What You’ll Get After This:

  • Closets feel less crowded because only meaningful items stay
  • Less money gets wasted storing and rebuying unused things
  • Daily cleanup becomes easier since categories stay contained

1. Hold Each Shirt And Ask If It Sparks Joy

That quick pause forces a real decision instead of the usual “maybe later” pile, babe.

Start Small With This: Pick up one shirt at a time and notice your first gut reaction before putting it back.

It will feel so simple if you try slim velvet hangers to give your favorite pieces breathing room.

2. Declutter Clothes By Category Not By Room

Sorting by category shows how many of the same item you truly own.

Here’s A Quick Way: Gather every piece of clothing from every room into one pile before deciding what stays.

You can make this easier to finish if you use large storage bins with handles to move clothes around fast.

3. Pile All Clothing In One Spot Before Sorting

Seeing the full mountain of clothes makes duplicates obvious right away.

The Easy First Step Is: Bring every shirt, pair of jeans, and jacket onto the bed in one stack.

This gets easier if you use a laundry hamper with wheels to collect items from different rooms.

4. Fold Shirts So They Stand Up In Drawers

Standing folds let you see every shirt instead of digging through a stack.

Give This A Try: Fold each shirt into a small rectangle and place it upright side by side.

You can make this easier if you use drawer dividers to keep rows from falling over.

5. Store Socks Neatly Instead Of Balling Them

Rolled balls stretch out elastic and waste drawer space.

Instead, Try This: Fold socks flat and stack them vertically so each pair is visible.

This feels easier if you use a small drawer organizer tray to separate pairs.

6. Thank Items Before Letting Them Go

That tiny thank you makes it easier to release guilt from gifts or unused purchases.

Here’s A Gentle Way To Start: Hold the item, say thank you for its use, and place it in the donation bag.

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7. Keep Only Books That Feel Meaningful

Shelves packed with unread books create visual noise fast.

The Most Doable Way Is: Touch each book and keep only ones you plan to reread or truly value.

It will be so much easier if you use a simple bookend set to keep remaining books standing neatly.

8. Touch Every Paper Before Deciding To Keep It

Paper piles grow because decisions get delayed.

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To Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed: Pick up each paper and decide keep, scan, or recycle on the spot.

This is faster when you use a small desktop file organizer to hold only important papers.

9. Toss Old Manuals And Warranties

Instruction manuals for items you no longer own just take up drawer space.

One Easy Reset Is: Recycle manuals for appliances you no longer use and keep only current ones.

You can make this easier if you use a document storage folder to store only active warranties.

10. Store Papers In One Simple Folder

Loose papers in multiple spots make it hard to find anything later.

The Easier Approach Is: Place all important papers into one labeled folder today.

It will take less time if you use a file box with lid to keep everything in one place.

11. Gather All Beauty Products In One Pile

Makeup hides in purses, drawers, and bathroom bags without you even noticing, girl.

Start This Way: Bring every beauty item to one spot and toss anything expired, dried out, or unused.

It will feel so simple if you try a clear acrylic makeup organizer to keep only daily items visible.

12. Keep Only One Backup Of Toiletries

Five half-used shampoos under the sink do not make mornings easier.

Consider This: Choose one open bottle and one backup, and donate or toss the rest.

You can make this easier if you use a small under sink storage bin to hold just the backups.

13. Empty Bags And Purses Fully Before Storing

Old gum wrappers and receipts hide in purses long after the season changes.

Here’s What To Do: Turn each bag upside down and shake everything out before putting it away.

This gets easier if you use a purse organizer insert to keep future clutter contained.

14. Store Bags Inside Each Other To Save Space

Handbags stacked randomly waste shelf space fast, babe.

Here’s A Simpler First Move: Place smaller bags inside larger ones and stand them upright together.

It will be so much easier if you use shelf dividers for closets to keep rows tidy.

15. Stand Up Files Instead Of Stacking Them

Flat stacks hide important papers and grow taller every week.

The Easy Starting Point Is: Place files upright in a row so each one is easy to grab.

You can make this easier to finish if you use a vertical file organizer to separate categories.

16. Keep Kitchen Tools That Feel Easy To Use

Drawers stuffed with tools slow down dinner instead of helping.

If You Want To Keep It Easy: Keep only tools you reach for weekly and remove the rest today.

This feels easier if you use drawer dividers to give each tool its own space.

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17. Remove Duplicate Spatulas And Spoons

Three of the same utensil rarely gets used at the same time.

Start By Doing This Instead: Choose your favorite version and donate the extra copies.

It will take less time if you use a utensil tray organizer to limit space for duplicates.

18. Store Like Items Together In Clear Bins

Mixing categories makes cabinets feel chaotic.

To Make This Feel More Doable: Group similar items like baking supplies or snacks into one clear bin.

This gets easier if you use clear stackable storage bins so labels are not even needed.

19. Keep Only Mugs That Make Morning Better

Cabinets full of random mugs make shelves feel tight.

Try This Way: Pick your favorite 4 mugs and box up the rest.

It will feel so simple if you try a mug stacker shelf insert to keep favorites easy to reach.

20. Let Go Of Gifts That Feel Like Guilt

Gifts kept out of obligation still take up real space.

The Less Stressful Way Is: Thank the item in your mind and move it to the donation pile.

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21. Declutter Sentimental Items Last

Emotional items are harder decisions and slow momentum.

Here’s The Shortcut Version: Leave memory boxes for the end after easier categories are done.

Skip the affiliate here since the step is about timing, not tools.

22. Keep One Memory Box Per Person

Unlimited memory bins turn into clutter storage.

One Thing That Helps Is: Choose one box per family member and fit only the best memories inside.

It will feel so simple if you try a sturdy storage box with lid to set a clear limit.

23. Fold Pajamas Neatly In One Section

Pajamas tossed in random corners of a drawer look messy fast.

Here’s A Small Step That Helps: Fold each pair and stack them together in one section.

You can make this easier to finish if you use drawer dividers to keep the section defined.

24. Keep Cords That Match A Current Device

Old cords from phones you no longer own just take up space.

To Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed: Test each cord and keep only ones that fit devices in use today.

This gets easier if you use a cable organizer box to store active cords neatly.

25. Clear Off Flat Surfaces Fully Once A Week

Flat surfaces collect clutter faster than any drawer.

One Easy Reset Is: Choose one day a week to remove everything and return only essentials.

It will be so much easier if you use a decorative tray to group daily items in one place.

26. Store Daily Items Close To Where They Are Used

Items stored far away rarely get put back properly.

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Begin With This: Move frequently used items to the closest logical drawer or shelf.

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27. Place Small Items In Simple Containers

Loose small items create visual clutter quickly.

Give This A Try: Put keys, clips, and small items into simple containers instead of leaving them out.

You can make this easier to finish if you use small storage bins with lids to group tiny items.

28. Remove Decorations That Do Not Feel Right

Too many decor pieces make shelves look crowded instead of styled.

The Most Doable Way Is: Take down decorations that do not feel meaningful and box them up.

This feels easier if you use a decorative storage box to hold seasonal decor neatly.

29. Keep Only One Set Of Sheets Per Bed

Extra sheet sets crowd linen closets without real use.

Here’s A Low-Stress Way: Choose your best set for each bed and donate the extras.

It will take less time if you use under bed storage bags to store backup linens out of sight.

30. Empty One Small Drawer At A Time

Big decluttering sessions feel overwhelming at the start.

Start Small With This: Pick one small drawer and finish it completely before moving on.

Skip the affiliate here since the power is in focus, not products.

31. Keep The Closet Floor Clear

Shoes and random bags on the floor make closets look cramped.

Instead, Try This: Remove everything from the closet floor except daily shoes.

You can make this easier to finish if you use a narrow shoe rack to lift shoes off the ground.

32. Line Up Shoes So Each Pair Is Visible

Hidden shoes get forgotten and replaced with new purchases.

The Easy First Step Is: Place each pair side by side so every shoe is visible at once.

It will feel so simple if you try a tiered shoe organizer to keep rows clear.

33. Put Away Items Right After Using Them

Leaving items out creates tomorrow’s clutter.

To Make This Feel Less Heavy: Build the habit of returning items to their home immediately after use.

Skip the affiliate here because consistency is the only tool needed.

34. Choose Storage That Fits The Space Exactly

Oversized bins waste space and look bulky.

Consider This: Measure shelves first and buy storage that fits without gaps.

You can make this easier if you use a measuring tape to get the right size before shopping.

35. Revisit One Category Every Season

Clutter creeps back slowly over time.

Here’s A Quick Way: Set a reminder every 3 months to review one category like clothes or papers.

This feels easier if you use a wall calendar planner to mark seasonal reset days clearly.


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Lily Thompson

Hey, I'm Lily! I'm a mom who's really good at two things: making life easier and sharing what works. I created ''Like Mom Said'' after one too many moments of realizing: "My mom was right about this." Turns out, a lot of that old-school wisdom still holds up... it just needs a modern spin. Think of me as your friend who's always got a tip (and coffee in hand.)