5 Closet-Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid, According to Marie Kondo

Did you drop the ball on spring cleaning? I don't blame you. As the world started to open up this spring, many of us weren't spending quite as much time at home as we used to. Why bother taking inventory of your clothes when you could be outside enjoying the nice weather? Of course, there's no expiration date on the joys of tidying up your closet—something Marie Kondo certainly knows a thing or two about.

To get some tips on closet cleaning, I tapped the one and only Kondo, who recently collaborated with Paravel on a line of chic organizers for both home and travel. Naturally, Kondo had plenty of words of wisdom to help guide you on your next wardrobe purge. Scroll down to read about her tips, and shop items that will help you achieve organizational bliss. 

Mistake #1: Not Tidying Up and Purging Before You Start Organizing

"Tidy up first. My key to keeping the closet organized is to first thoroughly finish all your tidying and discarding," Kondo told Who What Wear. "Think about storage only after you are finished letting go of items. When you go through all of your clothing and keep the items that spark joy, you know which items you own and where they should live."

Mistake #2: Mixing Different Categories of Clothes Together

"Store by category," Kondo told us. "This is a great principle by which to create simple storage. With clothing, for example, categorize by tops, bottoms, and jackets. Store pieces that are as similar to one another as possible. By reducing the number of locations where similar-type items are stored, it will become much easier to locate an item when you need it."

Mistake #3: Folding Wrong

"Fold clothes for easy access," Kondo said. "One of the most common tidying mistakes is the way clothes are folded. In drawers, your clothing should be folded to become small, smooth rectangles that can stand upright. This way, when you open a drawer, you can see exactly what’s inside. The KonMari x Paravel Storage Cubes are ideal for storing off-season items or extra blankets inside your closet as well."

Mistake #4: Burying Items in Boxes or Drawers

"Store standing upright. When storing belongings in drawers or boxes, store them standing upright. This will allow you to see what's inside at a glance and take inventory of what you own." In other words, if you have to dig through a drawer or box to see what's buried underneath, you've done it wrong. 

Mistake #5: Ignoring the Left-to-Right Organizational Tip

"Arrange hanging items so that they rise from left to right. By category, long coats would be on the far left, followed by dresses, pants, skirts, and then the shortest item: blouses." This is definitely the most aesthetically pleasing, sleekest-looking route.

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