Before You Marie Kondo Your Wardrobe - READ THIS!
I’ll be the first to admit, when Marie Kondo released her book; The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I read it and loved it. She has very useful tips of simplifying the clutter in a home using her KonMari Method.
When the Netflix show came about, the first episode involved a couple going through their wardrobes and I had this strange feeling that people were about to start throwing out their basics because they didn’t ‘Spark Joy’.
And I was right, because nearly every second day after the show was released, I was getting messages from clients-to-be and readers of the blog. They wanted to book a wardrobe makeover session because their wardrobe was no longer sparking joy after they’d KonMari-d it.
They’d thrown out their nude bras and seamless knickers because they didn’t spark joy (but later realised those underwear lines they were getting weren’t sparking joy either), they’d ditched their boring jackets, plain pants, plain tops and even their go-to around the house clothes because these didn’t spark joy. And at the end of it all, they were left in a worse situation than where they’d started because they didn’t consider their style before decluttering their wardrobe.
In every craze, whether they’re diets, minimalism, terrarium building in your home or whatever it may be, there are certain situations where making drastic changes can be a band-aid solution that’s harmful. In this case, I believe going through the Marie Kondo process on your wardrobe is harmful not only to your wallet, but to your style.
You’ll still have a wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear at the end of it. And, like many people who have called me asking for my help in fixing their over-purged wardrobes, you’ll lack a sense of style.
Why I don’t recommend it to clients:
It’s a one size fits all solution - and we all have different needs.
Editing so ruthlessly can have a rebound effect and make you regret removing so much from your wardrobe.
She doesn’t repurpose or rescue clothes.
Not everything needs to ‘spark joy’. Somethings are boring but practical and that’s okay!
It doesn’t address why we need to edit. We’re not all editing for space! We have lots of reasons that should be explored before starting.
The One-Size-Fits-All Solution
As a Stylist, tailoring the way I edit to the client is how I help them most. I don’t waltz in with a checklist and have them follow the same steps because each on of them is different. When I’m going through a client’s wardrobe, we’re not in there for the sole purpose of decluttering, which this book focuses on, over the factors that contribute to it. We’re building a style and finding the pieces that match that and removing the things that don’t.
We’re setting limitations for how much each person needs in their wardrobe before they start to feel overwhelmed with choice and we’re also thinking of ways we can make that space more user-friendly, providing less of what I love to call: mental clutter. What isn’t included in the KonMari method are the practical things like picking colours you love and ensuring you have enough colours in your wardrobe that match, and enough other pieces to work with them.
Wardrobe Maintenance Looks Different For Everyone
While I LIVE FOR a well-organised wardrobe, I know that the level of organisation in Marie Kondo’s book is not for everyone. For some, just keeping your clothes clean and hung up or in drawers is enough. Leave the special folds and hanging orders if it’s overwhelming, because you won’t maintain it. Don’t waste your time implementing a system you won’t be able to keep up with.
Your Lifestyle Should Influence Your Wardrobe Declutter.
The biggest thing I’ve noticed that the Marie Kondo method doesn’t do when it comes to wardrobe decluttering is consider the person’s lifestyle.
Checking how much work clothing you have compared to how often you work is important. Ie; if you work half the week and more than half of your wardrobe is work clothing then this is an over-crowded area that needs attention. If you have too much gym clothing and you rarely visit the gym, then it’s not motivating you to go, it’s just filling space – expensive space if you live in a city.
Compare your schedule with your wardrobe and see what you’re wearing before you do any decluttering. Something I find super useful for clients to do is take a photo of every outfit they wear for a month, then asses the things they haven’t worn and ask why that is. The Marie Kondo method is on the right track in helping you to remember what makes you happy in your wardrobe, but it’s a cookie-cutter solution to something that needs more consideration.
Repurposing & Wasted Clothing
These days, recycling is more important than ever. Clothing is what has Australia listed as the second most wasteful country in the world when it comes to textiles, because so much of our clothing is going into landfill. It’s easy to fill a bag with clothes to that don’t spark joy, but KonMari’s method that if you can’t wear it out of the house, don’t keep it, in my eyes is impractical. We need around-the-house clothes, paint clothes, clothes to wear doing chores. Instead of throwing something away, consider repurposing it. This isn’t moving cluttter if you’re giving it a new life.
The Rebound Effect - BEWARE
This is like a bad hangover. Filled with regret and thoughts of ‘what was I thinking’. You can over-edit, I’ve seen it happen. In my early days as a stylist, I had a few sessions with people who weren’t ready to do as big of an edit as we did and they ended up never getting rid of the clothes we sorted into bags. At the time, my experience with hoarders was minimal and I know now that it requires specific help and baby steps.
Many of us aren’t hoarders, even through we might call ourselves that. But you can still get that hangover effect from over editing if you suddenly find yourself with nothing to wear, or a dent in your wallet because you now need to spend money to refill your wardrobe - not to mention there’s that nagging thought in the back of your mind of how much you spent on the clothes you just got rid of. The KonMari method is a ruthless way to declutter a wardrobe and not well-rounded enough to adapt to peoples wardrobe needs. If you don’t want the rebound, do it in other areas of your house - not the wardrobe.
Why are you editing your wardrobe?
It’s important to get down to the true reason you’re ready to throw out half your wardrobe, because the edit might not be where you need to start. If it’s because nothing fits, build a small capsule wardrobe of clothes that do until you get to the weight you want to be at. If your current weight is that weight - work on what style you want before you edit. Define that first. If you don’t have enough space, ask yourself, what area of your wardrobe is the most overcrowded - and edit that down rather than the whole lot. If you can never find what you need, try re-organising your wardrobe first and do a slow purge. Little bits each day is better than one day of crazy editing.
My advice:
When you’re doing your wardrobe declutter, start small and don’t rush through it. Every piece in your wardrobe should be deserving of its place and it’s okay to take the time to work out which pieces really work and which no longer fit your style. If you’re considering the Marie Kondo method, remember to think about what you actually want to achieve from your decluttered wardrobe and always consider your personal style and lifestyle – without these two factors, you can’t spark joy!