{ For all of us that have too much Komono in our lives, inspired by the Konmari Method }
In 2014, the English version of "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing", written by tidy guru Marie Kondo, hit the shelves in the states. It swiftly rose to the top as the #1 New York Times best-selling book. Since then, Marie Kondo has received as much criticism as praise for her tidying methods. One of the most frequent criticisms of her work is that it doesn't encompass all of the types of things Americans own, and that her set of categories to tidy fall short.
If you found yourself arriving at the "Komono" (AKA all the things left) category of Marie Kondo's declutter checklist and then freaking out because there was still just so much stuff left - you're not alone. According to "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" the 5 main categories are:
Clothes
Books
Papers
Komono (miscellaneous)
Sentimental
...and then we're all left trying to figure out what to do with all the things! To combat feeling overwhelmed, I approached my Komono by continuing to declutter by category just as the book suggests. To be fair, if Marie Kondo had said, "Oh by the way, these are the easiest things to start with, but then there's like 30 more categories to tackle...", I definitely would have never dug myself into this hole in the first place! The brilliant thing about Marie Kondo is her idea to sort by categories - not room! I found that if I applied her category method by creating my own additional categories and subcategories of items that it was easy for me to really customize the experience to my specific belongings. If you're feeling overwhelmed by anything that didn't fall into any of the primary Konmari categories, write down categories specific to your lifestyle such as hobby supplies, pet care items, or exercise gear. This can really help to make the task of sorting through Komono so much more manageable.
Since slowly chipping away at my own clutter and mess, I've compiled the ultimate guide for categories to declutter! Here is a list of the primary categories, divided with suggestions per category. I hope this is helpful and inspiring.
CLOTHING
ACCESSORIES
LUGGAGE
HYGIENE & PERSONAL CARE
BOOKS
DOCUMENTS & PAPERS
OFFICE SUPPLIES
CLEANING PRODUCTS & SUPPLIES
LINENS & TEXTILES
LAUNDRY MANAGEMENT
KITCHEN
HOME DECOR
WALL DECOR
INTERIOR LIGHTING
SEASONAL ITEMS
HOME & AUTO TOOLS
TECH & GADGETS
DIGITAL CONTENT
PET CARE
KID CARE
HOBBY SUPPLIES
FURNITURE
STORAGE UNITS & CONTAINERS
SENTIMENTAL ITEMS
CLOTHING
shirts
sweaters
jackets
pants
skirts
shorts
dresses
suits
swimwear
shoes, boots, slippers
bathrobes
underwear, socks
pajamas, loungewear, robes
ACCESSORIES
belts, sashes
ties, bowties
cufflinks, tiepins
coin pouches, wallets
purses, clutches
costumes
jewelry
headbands, hair accessories
hats, visors
scarves, gloves
LUGGAGE
suitcases
backpacks
duffel bags
totes
gym bags
carry-on bags
briefcases
travel accessories
HYGIENE & PERSONAL CARE
shampoo, conditioner
bodywash, facewash
liquid soap, barsoap
lotion, sunscreen
makeup, makeup removers
makeup applicators
brushes, combs
straighteners, curling irons
shaving products
deodorant, bodyspray
cologne, perfume
nail polish, nail care
dental care
medcine, supplements
hairdryer
bath & shower accessories
samples, travel size items
first aid kit
home care gadgets
BOOKS
textbooks
fiction/nonfiction
encyclopedias
dictionaries
magazines
newspapers
eBooks
comics
cookbooks
DOCUMENTS & PAPERS
receipts/bills
taxes, pay stubs
employment records
manuals, warranties
insurance
used checkbooks
expired cards
school documents & notes
take-out menus
rental history
loan documents
commercial or residential leases
vehicle documents
birth certificate, social security card
passport
loose recipes
coupons
personal/family medical history
credit reports
pet medical history
family papers
business cards
brochures, pamphlets
OFFICE SUPPLIES
staplers & staples
tape dispensers & tape
glue, scissors, rulers
hole-punchers, scissors
binders, folios, folders
notebooks
pads of paper, sticky notes
pushpins, paperclips, binderclips
writing & drawing utensils
pencil sharpeners, erasers
home office electronics
file organizers
printer paper
envelopes, stamps
stationary
crafting supplies
calendars, planners
bookmarks, page markers
CLEANING PRODUCTS & SUPPLIES
broom, mop, vacuum
dish detergent, dish soap
sponges & scrubbers
carpet cleaners
deodorizing products
glass cleaner
multipurpose cleaners
dusters
silver polish, brass polish
stainless steel cleaner
wood polish
lysol wipes
toilet scrubbers
buckets
microfiber cloths & rags
LAUNDRY MANAGEMENT
laundry bags
clothes hampers
laundry baskets
laundry detergent, dryer sheets
dryer balls
stain lifting products, specialty products
clothes drying racks, clothespins
iron & ironing board
LINENS & TEXTILES
bedsheets, pillowcases
blankets, duvet covers
throw blankets, pillows
bath towels, washcloths
bathmats
dish towels, rags
tapestries, curtains
area rugs, doormats
tablecloths
cloth napkins
cloth placemats
electric blankets
KITCHEN
silverware
cups, mugs
water bottles, thermoses, travel cups
vases, table decor
plates, bowls
serving sets
serving utensils
knives
hotpads, cutting boards
aprons, oven mitts, dishtowels
tupperware, storage containers, jars
baking supplies, baking decor
measuring cups, spoons
pans, pots, and skillets
baking dishes, baking pans, general bakeware
electron kitchen gadgets
non-electronic kitchen gadgets
seasonal cookware
trays, platters
spices, non-perishable goods
HOME DECOR
anything that serves no purpose other than as visual decor
*make your own unique list
WALL DECOR
framed & unframed art
mirrors
tapestries
hanging shelves
hooks
wall sculptures
INTERIOR LIGHTING
string lights, fairy lights
nightlights
table & floor lamps
battery powered lights
decorative lights
candles & candle accessories
SEASONAL ITEMS
gift wrapping supplies
shipping supplies
seasonal stationary & cards
holiday specific decor
holiday lights
holiday china & place settings
ornaments
wreathes
TECH
spare cords
extension cords, power strips
flash drives, external hard drives
CDRs, DVDRs, SD cards
usb hubs
charging stations, chargers
batteries, rechargeable batteries
handheld gaming devices
tablets, phones
laptops, PCs
gaming consoles, videogames
streaming devices, DVD players
tech toys
tech accessories
tech travel cases
headphones, speakers
radios, sound systems
music, movie, and TV series collections
docks, ports
controllers, remotes
software, hardware
mice, mousepads
keyboards
monitors, TVs
printers, laminators
DIGITAL CONTENT
photos, screenshots
downloads
audio & video files
folders
cloud storage
word documents
contacts
emails
active & inactive online accounts
eBooks
programs & apps
games
paid subscriptions
streaming services
BONUS: View my simple guide on how to declutter your digital life in an afternoon.
TOOLS
hardware
screwdrivers, hammers, pliers
electronic tools
specialty and standard tools
interior painting supplies
picture hanging supplies
plumbing tools, supplies
electrician tools, supplies
wall repair supplies
car repair and maintenance
home maintenance supplies
PET CARE
pet carriers
crates, cages, playpens, aquariums
beds, blankets
toys
food and water containers
accessories, costumes
medicine, supplements
collars, leashes
name tags
*make a list of your pet's unique items
KID CARE
indoor toys, bath toys
outdoor toys, playsets
costumes, special occasion outfits, seasonal clothes
clothes, accessories, shoes
personal hygiene, medicine
socks, underwear
books, art supplies
*make a list of your kids unique items
HOBBY SUPPLIES
*make a list of your hobby supplies
FURNITURE
coffee table, side table, tv dinner tables, desks, entry tables, bedside tables
folding tables/chairs
armoires, wardrobes, dressers
carts, kitchen islands
chairs, footstools, couches, stools, office chairs, floor pillows/poufs, benches
clothes racks, shoe racks, jacket racks
shelving units, drawer units
outdoor furniture
china cabinets, credenzas, sideboards
media consoles, tv consoles
bedframes
STORAGE UNITS & CONTAINERS
decorative boxes
cubby shelving, cubby bins
over-the-door storage
under-the-sink storage units
under-the-bed storage containers
plastic storage containers
jewelry boxes
trash cans, waste bins
trunks, furniture with built-in storage
mini drawer sets
make-up pouches and bins
toolboxes
outdoor storage containers
bins, boxes, bags
suitcases and luggage
SENTIMENTAL
photos, photo albums, framed photos
childhood toys, boardgames, stuffed animals
childhood clothes
letters, postcards, greeting cards
gifted items
family heirlooms
souvenirs
sports memorabilia
school/college memorabilia
paper ephemera
knick-knacks, decor
awards, medals, trophies
patches, pins, badges
journals, diaries, notebooks
yearbooks
*make a list of your unique sentimental categories
PHEW! I'm already exhausted just looking at this!!! If you made it this far, then take a moment to hop on over to the Freebies Page to download this list as a PDF document. Feel free to cross off categories you've already tidied and to create custom categories that fit your lifestyle. Happy decluttering!
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