It's quite likely you've heard of Netflix's new reality series Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. It's a very sweet little show that can really benefit pretty much everyone. Why? Well, because it's essentially about getting your life in order simply by getting your home in order. It really is that simple.
By employing a few basic organisational techniques, you can declutter your home, making your day-to-day life a lot easier.
The show came off the back of the Japanese organising consultant's hugely successful 2014 book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising.
If you watch the show or have read the book, you'll be aware that Kondo has six basic principles that make up what is known as the KonMari method:
- Commit yourself to tidying up.
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
- Finish discarding first.
- Tidy by category, not by location.
- Follow the right order.
- Ask yourself if it sparks joy.
Throughout the series, particular emphasis is placed on the idea that if a particular item you come across during the tidying process "sparks joy" for you, then you should keep it and if it doesn't, you should part with it.
Of course, parting with items you've had for a long time - items that were once very special to you - is by no means an easy thing to do. But it does ultimately serve the purpose of ensuring your home remains a place of comfort as opposed to a hectic, disorganised mess.
Taking Kondo's six rules for tidying on board, here are 10 products that will help you keep your home in order.
1. Grey Purse Storage Bin - $20 from Containerstore.com
Credit: containerstore.com
If we have a lot of items cluttering our cupboards and closets, it can be difficult to find exactly what it is that we're looking for. That's why fit-for-purpose storage boxes are invaluable in the decluttering process.
The Grey Purse Storage Bin is primarily for storing purses and folded items of clothing. It's relatively spacious and also has a label on the back so you can keep the items hidden while being able to identify them with ease.
2. Linen Drop-Front Sweater Box - $30 from Containerstore.com
Credit: containerstore.com
This very fancy-looking storage box will help you keep your closet both tidy and accessible. With the drop-front opening, retrieving a particular item is a piece of cake.
3. Umbra Origami Hanging Organiser - $40 from Containerstore.com
Credit: containerstore.com
This very creative storage device contains several sizable pockets in which you can store pretty much anything. It also has a swivel-neck hook meaning it can be hung up anywhere that is most convenient to you.
4. Hurrise DIY Table Storage Rack - $16 from Walmart.com
Credit: walmart.com
Not only does this storage rack have a very modern, polished feel about it, but it's also incredibly useful and efficient. The small and easily-assembled shelf gives you a space to keep your books and office supplies so that they don't end up cluttering other parts of the house.
5. Seville Classics 6-Drawer Steel Mesh Organiser Cart - $55 from Amazon.com
Credit: amazon.com
This organiser cart might not be for everyone, but with six drawers, you would have ample space to fit any items that would otherwise clutter up your desk or, let's face it, the floor.
6. Woodows Birch Stand Desktop Organiser - $24 from Amazon.com
Credit: amazon.com
The cute, little desktop organiser is built to fit all those little office supplies you usually leave lying around.
7. Umbra 18 Piece Drawer Organiser Set - $20 from Wayfair.com
Credit: wayfair.com
It's very easy to simply stuff all your kitchen supplies in the cupboards when unloading the dishwasher but eventually this will just end up giving you a lot of hassle. This adjustable 18-piece drawer set, however, will help you get a little bit of order back into your kitchen. It has an adjustable tray with removable pegs that can be repositioned in pretty much any way you need.
8. OXO Good Grips Sinkware Caddy - $13 from Amazon.com
Credit: amazon.com
Instead of leaving your sponges and washing up brushes lying around the sink, get one of these handy organisers with separate compartments. It even has drain holes to allow any excess water to drain into a removable drip tray.
9. Rebrilliant 16 Pair Shoe Rack - $30 from Wayfair.com
Credit: wayfair.com
Convenient though shoes are, they can cause a whole lot of mess in your home if you're not careful. You should always find a proper space to store them. This shoe rack, for instance, is built to contain up to 16 pairs.
10. Rebrilliant 2 Tier 8 Pair Show Rack - $19 from wayfair.com
Credit: wayfair.com
If you're looking for a completely different shoe rack design, you might want to go for this one. It can fit up to eight pairs and has a very neat, simple, and modern look about it.
Of course, there are plenty of handy storage items you can purchase online but if you really want to make the most out of them, remember to always ask yourself whether the items to be stored are things you actually need and whether they still spark joy in your life.