8 decluttering tips from Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

The basic premise of Marie Kondo's Netflix show, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, is to test all your stuff. If, while holding the item, it doesn't spark joy, thank it for its service and get rid of it. 

This may sound a little woo-woo, but the point is to toss stuff that you no longer use or want. I've given similar advice in articles like this one.

Beyond the whole "sparking joy" idea, the show offers several great organizing tips. Here are some of my favorites and how I adapted them to my home.

While boxes may not bring you joy, don't toss them right away. Kondo advises watchers use them in drawers to keep items separated. 

For example, I used tiny boxes to organize what used to be a catch-all drawer for art supplies. Now I can actually find things!

Folding clothing, towels and other cloth items so they stand up by themselves is a big part of Kondo's tidying process. This allows your to store things vertically so they are easier to see in drawers.

If you can't figure out Kondo's special folding technique, you can still store items upright. Just place a cardboard box -- like a shoe box -- into drawers to prevent your folded items from falling over.

One of Kondo's tidying steps on the show includes organizing mementos. Her best tip for photographs is to go through and find photos that are very similar. Then, choose the one you like best and discard the other. 

If throwing away a photograph gives you the hives, give the extras to relatives. 

Once your photos are sorted, store them upright so they are easier to thumb through. I don't know about you, but being able to find photos easily gives me joy.

Another tip for organizing mementos is to store your favorite keepsakes in a decorative box or trunk. 

Pick a box you want to display somewhere in your home, rather than one you'd rather put away in storage. If it's out in the open, you're more likely to enjoy the contents inside on a regular basis.

A lot of people have had some strong feelings about Kondo's tips about getting rid of books, including CNET's Bonnie Burton. 

Following Kondo's method, you are supposed to hold each of your books to see if they spark joy, and if they don't, you toss or donate them. Toss my books? I have to admit, this part of the show makes me queasy. 

If you're a book hoarder (and I fully recommend that you become one if you're not already) going through every book can feel like an impossible task. 

My advice is to think of your book collection as a whole. Does it make you happy? Then keep it. 

If you're running out of room for new books though, take action. Find any books you really don't like and donate them. 

Our own Bonnie Burton came up with a great way to make your books look tidy without tossing a single book. She color coded her shelves by placing books that are the same color together. 

Her bookshelves -- like the one above and in the previous slide -- look perfectly tidy without sacrificing any books. I tried it out and now my books give me even more joy.

The part I love best about Tidying Up With Marie Kondo is the closet cleanups. 

I am notorious for having an overflowing closet. In fact, we were forced to build my husband his own separate one. But, I am reformed, thanks to Kondo.

To get on board with decluttering your closet, all you really need to do is take everything out and make a pile. This makes a huge mess, but it is a must. Trust me.

Then, go through and only keep your favorite pieces and toss or donate everything else. Here's some more of closet cleaning tips I've learned.

Make a piles in your kitchen, too. Clean out each drawer and cupboard and pile everything up on your counters. Sort through the mess and only keep appliances, utensils, dishes, pots and pans that you use and love. Then, find them a permanent home in your kitchen.  

You'll be amazed at what you have that you don't actually use. For example, I found a snow cone machine that hasn't seen the light of day for around five years.

How does Kondo's tidying techniques deal with tech clutter? We walk you through organizing your tech using the KonMarie Method here.