Welcome to Week 7 of the Tidy Challenge! Over the past six weeks, we’ve piled, sorted, joy-checked and discarded – the heavy lifting of tidying. This week is all about storing your joy-sparking items; as we move through the tasks, think of storage as an expression of gratitude for all the support your belongings provide. Keep your smartphone handy to document your progress – and tag #mykonmari on social so we can see your storage solutions.
Day 43: Give Everything a Home
The aim of storage is to give every item a home – a designated spot for it to rest and recharge when not in use. This is an essential step in the tidying process – assigning each one of your belongings its own spot is the only way to maintain a tidy and clutter-free space. Today, store items by category and stay flexible – it’s okay to give something a temporary resting spot while you figure out what goes where. As you work, keep Marie’s four principles of storage in mind:
- If it’s foldable, fold it!
- Stand it upright.
- Store in one spot.
- Divide storage spaces into square compartments.
Day 44: Tackle Deep Drawer Storage
Marie advises against storing items on top of each other – it’s hard to remove what you need and even harder to put things back. An exception can be made for deep drawers. To make the most of this type of space, fold clothes KonMari style and file them upright so they fill the bottom of the drawer. Then place extra clothes (folded, of course!) in boxes. Stack the boxes on top of the folded clothing for two layers of easily accessible items. Ta-da!
Day 45: Organize Books by Category
As a rule of thumb, store like items with like – and don’t disperse storage throughout the house. Books are a special case: Group these by category – cookbooks, coffee table books, novels, etc. – and store them where they make the most sense. If you like to read before falling asleep, designate a book zone in your bedroom – this way they won’t overwhelm your nightstand or end up in a stack on the floor.
Day 46: Make a Recipe Box
If you’ve held on to physical recipes – handwritten notecards and newspaper clippings – use a box to make a joy-sparking home for them. Or, organize digital recipes into an easily-searchable folder. Either way you’ll know exactly where to find your grandmother’s banana bread recipe.
Day 47: Use What You Have
The secret of an always-tidy fridge is to keep an eye on expiration dates and know what needs to be eaten first. Tonight, make a meal out of perishables, soon-to-expire items and anything else with a short shelf-life. You’ll make space for future groceries – and avoid discovering slimy lettuce later.
Day 48: Maximize Wall Space
Hanging organizers make it easy to see your belongings at a glance – and turn blank walls into storage spaces. Try them in rooms that house a lot of gear – like playrooms, garages and workshops.
Day 49: Get Creative With Small Spaces
Worried about limited storage space? Look for unexpected spots – like the inside of a drawer or cabinet – to hold your belongings. When you’re choosing what to keep, ask your heart; when you’re choosing where to store something, ask your house!
There’s only one week left of our 8-Week Tidy Challenge – amazing work! Delight in your tidied space and reflect on how far you’ve come. Next week is all about joy – and turning your home into a peaceful sanctuary.
It’s not too late to join the fun – visit our 8-Week Tidy Challenge.
