If you haven’t heard of Marie Kondo (and seen all those Marie Kondo tips floating around), you’ve probably been spending more time outside and off of social media and less time decluttering your life and trying to reach that ultimate Marie Kondo house level.
(Good for you, by the way.)
We’re going to talk to you about KonMari and give you some easy tips for homeschool organization and homeschool organization hacks so you don’t drown under all of the materials that comes with homeschooling!
So, if you’ve ever asked, “How should I store my homeschool supplies?” this is definitely for you!
(Yes, we know you need to spend time organizing homeschool bookshelves, too!)
REMEMBER: being even a little organized goes a long way with homeschooling and creating a more peaceful homeschool!
Organize Your Homeschool the KonMari Way
So, how do you do the KonMari method?
I first heard of Marie Kondo a few years ago when my friend told me she was using KonMari developed by Marie Kondo.
She explained that it’s a process for tidying up her house and clutter by holding each item to see if it sparks joy.
And, I was like, “Um . . . huh?”
(I mean, I can’t even hold the dishes in my sink often enough to put them into the dishwasher, let alone ponder over each item that I want to get rid of . . .)
I thought my friend was crazy, but it did spark my interest (especially after I learned about that Marie Kondo folding method where Kondo tells us to fold, not to hang!).
BE SURE TO GET YOUR KONMARI METHOD CHECKLIST PRINTABLE FOR HOMESCHOOLING AT THE END OF THIS POST!
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Marie Kondo Tips on Folding [VIDEO]
(Crazy, right?)
Who is Marie Kondo?
Marie Kondo is an author and a Japanese organizing consultant. At only 19 years old, she started working as a “professional tidier” in Japan where she made extra money by helping out her friends organize and declutter their homes. Today she has written four books on organizing (which have sold millions of copies), is an organization consultant, and even has her own Netflix show called, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.” Kondo believes that tidiness is part of everyday life and that is how you declutter your home.
(Yes, apparently “professional tidier” is a thing. No, I don’t know why we didn’t think of it first. #MissedOp)
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What is KonMari? (The Marie Kondo House Method)
The Marie Kondo house method of decluttering is called KonMari. (Yes, it’s an amalgamation of her name.) This is the method that came out of her years of experience from being a “professional tidier.” With KonMari, you get rid of things that don’t “spark joy.” Asking, “Does this item spark joy?” helps you determine what you should get rid of and what you should keep. It is a category-by-category method of how to declutter your home (and life).
CHECK OUT OUR OWN ULTIMATE HOMESCHOOL ROOM DECLUTTERING AND (AFFORDABLE) MAKEOVER (with photos and video tour!).
The Marie Kondo Book
Marie Kondo really became popular worldwide with her bestselling book, TheLife-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.
From the publisher:
Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again.
Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever.
The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results.
In fact, none of Kondo’s clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.
Other Marie Kondo books include:
Tidying Up with Marie Kondo
Tidying Up with Marie Kondo is a Netflix special that started in 2019.
In each episode, Kondo takes a family through how to tackle the clutter in their home and sparks joy by showing them how to discard items and organize.
(How do I get on this show list???)
Marie Kondo [YouTube] : Tidying Up
SO . . .
How Do I Declutter My House Like Marie Kondo To Spark Joy With Homeschool Room Organization?
(Including homeschool organization ideas for small spaces!)
You can follow these steps to make your home a Marie Kondo house and help organize your homeschool classroom.
KonMari Method Steps:
- Read the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing to learn the Marie Kondo tips.
- Watch the Netflix show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” with the family to get everyone on the same page.
- Grab a free KonMari checklist.
- Freeze your new clothing and home purchases over the next several months. (Yes, even books. Sorry.)
- Categorize and plan your decluttering (following the checklist categories) for the next few months.
- For each category (area topics, not rooms!) you’re tackling, place all of the items in one place before starting the elimination process.
- Follow the exact category order on the checklist and cross of the items when you have completed them.
- Once you have sorted through a category and thrown away or donated the items, then organize them. (REMEMBER: SORT, DISCARD, AND THEN ORGANIZE.)
- Save sentimental items like pictures and gifts for the very end. They will be the hardest to let go of during the decluttering process.
READ THIS NEXT FOR MORE ORGANIZED HOUSE IDEAS:
35 Homeschool Classroom Ideas for Small Spaces
EASY TIPS FOR HOMESCHOOL ORGANIZATION
How Do I KonMari My Homeschool Clutter?
Can you apply the Marie Kondo house method to your homeschool mess?
Of course!
(These are especially helpful homeschool organization ideas for small spaces!)
I recommend starting with books and then moving onto that [especially unused] homeschool curriculum shelf (shelves/closet) (before tackling other areas).
Those seem to be the items that most quickly get out of hand in our home (and probably your homeschooling home, too).
After that, declutter the toys and then the crafts.
Follow these categories to declutter homeschooling, in this order:
- Books
- Homeschool Curriculum Packages
- Toys
- Crafts
Here are the steps to follow for decluttering and creating a Marie Kondo house while homeschooling:
- Grab this free KonMari checklist printable that focuses on organizing your homeschooling space.
- Follow this mantra: SORT, DISCARD, THEN ORGANIZE! (Don’t try to organize while you’re sorting because it slows you down and you can easily get off track!)
- Tackle your homeschool clutter in four categories: books, curricula, toys, and crafts (in that order!).
- FOR BOOKS: place all books used for homeschooling (from throughout the house) in one pile. Review each book and ask, “Does this spark joy for our homeschooling?” If it is not useful for your homeschooling, place it in the trash/donate/sell pile. *DO NOT STOP TO READ ANY BOOKS DURING THIS STEP!*
- FOR CURRICULA: Repeat step #4 for homeschool curriculum packages and workbooks, etc.
- FOR TOYS: Arm yourself with clear pouches like these
(or clear plastic stackable bins). Sort toys into categories. (For example, all the Lego bricks in one pile, all the dolls in one pile, all the cars in one pile.) Discard the toys that don’t bring joy or haven’t been played with lately. Organize the remaining in see-through bins. - FOR CRAFTS: Again, arm yourself with clear plastic stackable bins. (Clear is key so you can see what’s in them. This prevents further messes from grabbing bins and boxes to “root” through them while looking for something.) Place all your craft items and supplies in one pile. (YIKES. I know.) For each item ask, “Does this bring joy?” (REMEMBER: Sparking joy can mean that using it at certain points and times is helpful.) Discard the things that do not bring joy or are not used regularly (including those pieces of yarn, fabric, and ribbon that you’re saving for “that special project”). Organize the rest, by category, in the bins.
Homeschool Decluttering Tip:
Take digital pictures of crafts and drawings to save as memories.
Discard the physical projects and drawings.
For the drawings and paintings that spark joy (and you want to keep), find a way to display them (these changeable art frames are perfect!) or roll them up into tubes for storage.
*GET COMPLETE TIPS IN THE FREE DECLUTTERING CHECKLIST PRINTABLE
Does Marie Kondo Spark Joy?
I’m not sure . . . yet . . .
I have to be honest:
I’m just starting the Marie Kondo method for my house.
There are some parts that I find hokey — like, I’m not really up for “communicating affection through my palms” to inanimate objects.
(No judgment if you are into that.)
But, I do like that Kondo teaches to be grateful for the items that bring you joy and that one way to show that gratitude is to honor the items by treating them responsibly and respectfully.
I’ll keep you posted how it goes, but if I seem more joyful online after this, you’ll already know.
Don’t forget to print the FREE KonMari Checklist printable we created just for homeschooling!
CLICK HERE (or on the image below) to get the printable.
Curious: Have you tried to Marie Kondo house method—for your home or homeschooling? How did it work?
If you haven’t tried it, is there another method you find that works well for your homeschooling? Let’s talk in the comments!
ALSO HELPFUL FOR ORGANIZING:
How to Put a Study Area in a Bedroom
STARTING HOME SCHOOL? CHECK OUT OUR HOW TO HOMESCHOOL GUIDE
