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May 21, 2019 By Abby Lawson 68 Comments

File Folding and Organizing Clothes with the KonMari Method

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File folding our clothes -- also known as the KonMari Method of folding -- has helped us to keep our drawers organized and uncluttered so that we can always find the clothing items we need without searching through stacks of messy shirts and pants!

File Folding and Organizing Clothes with the KonMari Method

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

In 2015, I read a little book called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. Along with changing the way I think about decluttering our home, it also had a significant impact on the way I fold and store our clothes.

I recently shared a detailed guide to the entire KonMari Method, but I wanted to dig even deeper into file folding and organizing clothes because it is the area I receive the most questions about!

Table of Contents

Click on the links below to be taken to a specific part of the post.

  • Choosing the Clothes that Spark Joy
  • Benefits of KonMari -ing Your Clothes
  • File Folding Clothes
  • How to Fold a Shirt
  • How to Fold a Long Sleeved Shirt
  • How to Fold Camisoles
  • How to Fold Pants
  • How to Fold Shorts
  • How to Fold Socks
  • How to Fold Underwear
  • How to Fold Bras
  • File Folding Video
  • Marie Kondo Folding FAQs
  • Does KonMari folding make the clothes more wrinkled?
  • How do you keep the clothes from falling over when using the file folding technique?
  • With KonMari folding, how do you tell the difference between similarly colored shirts?
  • Doesn't file folding take a really long time?
  • How do you know what to hang and what to fold?

Choosing the Clothes that Spark Joy

Marie Kondo has a very specific order that she has her students go through when tidying their items, and clothing is first on the list!

Before we even get into folding anything though, Marie instructs her students to do a thorough decluttering of their clothes, keeping only what "sparks joy."

To do this, she says to gather up every single article of clothing you own and put it in one big pile. (If you happen to own a huge amount of clothing and putting it all together in a pile doesn't seem realistic, try taking out every article from one category of clothing at a time-- all of the tops at once, all of the dresses at once, all of the pants at once, etc.)

Decluttering Clothes with the KonMari Method

Psssttt...Our Tidying Checklist is a great tool for helping the tidying process go quickly and easily! Snag it below!

Free Printable Tidying Checklist for Marie Kondo's KonMari Method

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Yes, please!

Seeing my clothes all together at once was helpful when I went through the KonMari process myself because it showed me just how much clothing I owned! It also made it easier to compare pieces and figure out what I truly loved and what was ready to be discarded.

To decide if an item sparks joy or not, Marie recommends handling each item. Even it it seems difficult to pinpoint exactly what "sparks joy" at the beginning, as students get further and further into the tidying process, making decisions gets easier and easier!

Discarding items can be tough, particularly if the items are still in good shape. Marie advises students to be grateful that the clothes served a purpose in the past-- even if it was only to show you what you didn't love!-- and then let it go. (And if it's in good shape, it can be donated and will be able to spark joy for someone else!)

Benefits of KonMari -ing My Clothes

Even if it feels challenging, keeping only items that I truly love really does pay off in the long run! I recently did a mini KonMari session with my clothes because my closet and drawers were starting to feel cluttered, and even though I am the furthest thing from a clothes horse, I ended up being able to donate a large trash bag full of items.

After paring down my items, I've found that I actually wear more of my clothing because every single item in my closet and drawers fits comfortably and is reflective of my style.

Organized Closet After Using Marie Kondo's KonMari Method

Getting dressed in the morning is quicker because I don't have to look through all of the "meh" clothes to find something I actually love.

And my closet has stayed much neater since my purge because there is plenty of room for everything, and I'm motivated to keep it looking nice!

File Folding Clothes

Once I have discarded any clothes that do not spark joy, it's time to figure out the best way to store the clothes that I have left.

Marie Kondo recommends folding as many clothes as possible-- using the file folding method that she is famous for-- simply because clothes folded with the KonMari Method take up much less space than hanging clothes.

No matter which article of clothing we're folding, the goal is to get it into the shape of a small rectangle so that it can stand on its own.

Shirt Folded Using Marie Kondo's KonMari Method

Before I discovered file folding, I used the more traditional stacking method to store my clothes in drawers, and they looked like this:

Messy T-Shirt Drawer Before Photo

The drawers weren't terrible, but when I changed to KonMari folding, I loved that I could see every single article of clothing in the drawer.

Boys' t-shirt drawer, Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

File folding also allowed me to fit more items in each drawer, which especially came in handy in my boys' room. Connor and Caleb share one small dresser, so the only possible way to fit all of their clothing items in such a limited space was by file folding -- it was a total game changer!

The KonMari Folding Method

Because file folding can feel confusing to execute, I created super short videos of the most common type of clothing items below, along with explanations for each type.

How to Fold a Shirt with the KonMari Method

How to Fold a Shirt with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the shirt out flat, with the front side facing up.
  2. Fold one side of the shirt across the center.
  3. Fold the sleeve of the shirt back.
  4. Fold the other side of the shirt across the center, stopping a little before the edge.
  5. Fold the other sleeve back.
  6. Fold the top of the shirt toward the bottom of the shirt, stopping a little before the edge.
  7. Fold the folded edge of the shirt over toward the bottom.
  8. Fold over the shirt once more to create a small rectangle.
  9. Stand the shirt upright.

How to Fold a Long Sleeved Shirt with the KonMari Method

How to Fold a Long Sleeved Shirt with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the shirt out flat, with the front side facing up.
  2. Fold one side of the shirt across the center, with the sleeve laying flat.
  3. Fold the sleeve back across the folded portion of the shirt, laying the sleeve flat.
  4. Fold the sleeve so that it lays along the folded portion of the shirt.
  5. Fold the other side of the shirt across the center, stopping a little before the edge and letting the sleeve lay flat.
  6. Fold the sleeve back across the folded shirt, laying the sleeve flat.
  7. Fold the sleeve so that it lays along the long rectangle that you have created with the shirt.
  8. Fold the top of the shirt toward the bottom of the shirt, stopping a little before the edge.
  9. Fold the folded edge of the shirt over toward the bottom.
  10. Fold over the shirt once more to create a small rectangle.
  11. Stand the shirt upright.

How to Fold Camisoles with the KonMari Method

How to Fold a Camisole with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the camisole out flat, with the front side facing up.
  2. Fold one side of the camisole across the center.
  3. Fold the other side of the camisole across the center, stopping a little before the edge.
  4. Fold the camisole in half, including the straps, leaving a small gap between the end of the straps and the bottom of the camisole.
  5. Fold the folded edge of the camisole over toward the bottom.
  6. Fold over the camisole once more to create a small rectangle.
  7. Stand the camisole upright.
  8. I like to store my camisoles in the narrow SKUBB boxes from IKEA.

How to Fold Pants with the KonMari Method

How to Fold Pants with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the pants out flat, with the front side facing up.
  2. Fold the pants in half widthwise, with the pant legs stacked.
  3. If the seat sticks out, fold it over against the legs of the pants.
  4. Fold the ankles of the pants up toward the waist, leaving a gap before the waistband.
  5. Fold the folded edge of the pants over toward the waistband.
  6. Fold over the pants once more to create a small rectangle.
  7. Stand the pants upright.

How to Fold Shorts with the KonMari Method

How to Fold Shorts with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the shorts out flat, with the front side facing up.
  2. Fold the shorts in half widthwise.
  3. If the seat sticks out, fold it over against the legs of the shorts.
  4. Fold in half, folding the waist of the shorts toward the leg openings.
  5. Stand the shorts upright.

How to Fold Socks with the KonMari Method

How to Fold Socks with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the socks out flat, with both socks facing the same direction.
  2. Stack one sock on top of the other sock.
  3. Fold the toes of the socks toward the middle of the socks.
  4. Fold over socks once more to create a small rectangle.
  5. Stand the socks upright.

How to Fold Underwear with the KonMari Method

How to Fold Underwear with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the underwear out flat, with the back side facing up.
  2. Fold the bottom of the underwear up toward the waistband.
  3. Fold one side over to the center.
  4. Fold the other side over.
  5. Roll the bottom of the underwear up toward the waistband.
  6. Turn over so that the waistband is at the front.
  7. IKEA SKUBB boxes work well for storing underwear.

How to Fold Bras with the KonMari Method

How to Fold Bras with the KonMari Method
  1. Start by laying the bra out flat, with the back side facing up.
  2. Fold in each side of the bra's band.
  3. Fold down the bra straps into the cups.
  4. Turn over and store with the front of the bra facing up.
  5. When storing multiple bras, nest them inside one another.

File Folding Video

If you're looking for even more examples of how I fold different types of clothes in our household, this video I made a few years ago can help!

(Note: You may notice that the techniques I use in the video vary slightly from the ones shown above. I filmed this video after I had read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but before I read Spark Joy, which explains the exact folding technique in greater detail. The end result is still the same, though-- all clothes end up folded in a small rectangle.)

Click here to subscribe to the Abby Organizes YouTube channel!

Marie Kondo Folding FAQs

I've been file folding for several years now, and every time I share a photo of our KonMari -ed drawers on the blog or social media, I seem to get the same questions, so I wanted to be sure to answer the most common ones here!

Clothes Folded Using File Folding and the KonMari Method

Does KonMari folding make the clothes more wrinkled?

One of the most common questions I get about folding t-shirts using the KonMari Method is, "Does it make the shirts more wrinkled?"

I have actually found the opposite to be true. My shirts seem less wrinkled with this method than when I was stacking them all up in a big pile.

T-Shirt Drawer Organized with KonMari Folding

As I fold, I am sure to pull the clothing taut so that everything is nice and smooth, which keeps wrinkles from forming.

Since I am not piling items on top of one another, they don't get smushed in the drawer, which also helps them come out wrinkle-free when we're ready to wear them.

How do you keep the clothes from falling over when using the file folding technique?

My clothes and the boys' clothes are small enough that when I fold them into a small rectangle, they are able to easily stand on their own without falling over.

Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Sometimes, even if they're small, shirts that are dri-fit material are harder to get to stand up because the material is so slippery. In that case, I try to file them in the drawer next to the sturdier cotton shirts to give them a little extra help standing up.

Clothes File Folded in a Drawer Using the KonMari Method

Men's clothing items, like Donnie's, are larger, which can sometimes be a little more difficult to get them to stand up on their own. I typically do an extra fold in his shirts to make them smaller, which helps.

To help keep Donnie's clothes upright so the drawer stays neater, I also use drawer boxes for added support. My favorite boxes are the SKUBB boxes from IKEA, which come in three different sizes.

The SKUBB boxes work perfectly for Donnie's t-shirts...

Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

...and I use them for a little extra support in my sock drawer as well.

Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

For Donnie's shorts and athletic pants, I needed a box that was a little larger, and I found these ones, which ended up working perfectly.

Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Expandable drawer dividers like these would work to help keep items upright too!

With KonMari folding, how do you tell the difference between similarly colored shirts?

Since many times with the file folding method, the design of the shirt will end up on the inside, many people worry that they won't be able to easily tell which shirt is which.

This hasn't really been a problem for us at all; I am familiar enough with the color and texture of our clothing items to be able to know which is which.

Little Boy's t-shirt drawer, Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

If I have a few shirts that are similar, I can easily peek in the side to see which design is on the front without messing up the fold, and it is still quicker than sorting through a pile of stacked t-shirts to find the one I want.

If you had a bunch of t-shirts that were the same color and material and it was becoming a problem, you could always tweak the KonMari fold so that the design ends up on the outside to make it easier to tell them apart-- you won't get put in "KonMari jail," I promise! 🙂

Doesn't file folding take a really long time?

When I first started using the KonMari folding technique, it did take me longer than my previous "stacked" method of folding; however, now that I have been doing it for years and years, I am just as fast at file folding as I was at the traditional fold.

Boy's pants and shorts drawer, Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Plus, I actually save a good amount of time when I'm getting clothes out of the drawer because I can see everything at once rather than having to search through piles for the clothing item I'm looking for, so overall, using KonMari folding is actually saving me time.

How do you know what to hang and what to fold?

Marie recommends folding as many clothes as possible, but she does make a few exceptions.

In The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, she says, “My standard is this: hang any clothes that look like they would be happier hung up, such as those made with soft materials that flutter in the breeze or highly tailored cuts, which protest at being folded” (page 78).

I typically hang all of my non-tshirts, so blouses, collared shirts, vests, blazers, and cardigans. (I do fold my sweaters so they don't get nubs on the shoulders!)

Organized Closet After Using Marie Kondo's KonMari Method

I hang all of my dresses and skirts as well.

Dresses in Closet Organized with the KonMari Method, Marie Kondo

For the longest time, I hung my jeans, but I recently started folding them instead, and I'm really liking the change so far!

Jeans File Folded in a Drawer with the KonMari Method

Marie instructs that clothes should be hung by type (all jackets together, all suits together, all dresses together, etc.) and then by length, with longer items on the left, sloping up to shorter items on the right. This is because, as Marie claims in The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, "Lines that slope up to the right make people feel comfortable" (page 79).

Again, I don't follow this rule to an absolute "T," but I like to at least make sure that all of my clothes are grouped by category so I can easily find what I'm looking for.

Related: File folding also works perfectly for packing! See how to pack an organized suitcase.

So that's file folding and clothes according to the KonMari Method! I hope that this post was able to answer some of the most common KonMari questions and give you some ideas for organizing clothes in your own home!

If it was helpful for you, don't forget to pin the image below so you can come back to this post and reference it later!

The Filing Method of Folding Clothes, aka the KonMari Method

You can learn more about the KonMari Method and see how we've used it in our home in these posts:

The Ultimate Guide to the KonMari Method

File Folding and Organizing Clothes with the KonMari Method (You're here!)

The KonMari Method: Organizing Books

How to Organize Paper with the KonMari Method

Organizing Komono (Miscellaneous Items) with the KonMari Method

The KonMari Method: Organizing Sentimental Items

The KonMari Method: One Year Later

[Psssttt… Don’t miss our top 100 tips for organizing every single room in your house!]

Have you tried the KonMari Method in your home? I'd love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments!

Sources

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up Book 

Spark Joy Book

SKUBB Boxes

Target Bins for Organizing Donnie's Pants and Shorts

Thank you so much for following along! Have a wonderful day!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

The images below are from a previous version of this post.

Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Little Boy's pants and shorts drawer, Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Boy's pants and shorts drawer, Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Home Organization - The KonMari Method of folding clothes helps us keep our dresser drawers neat, tidy, and uncluttered! filing method of clothes folding, declutter, decluttering, clothes organization, organizing clothes, kids' clothes organization, IKEA SKUBB boxes, Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Filed Under: KonMari Tagged With: clothes organization, filing method, folding clothes, konmari method, the konmari method

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Free Printable Tidying Checklist for Marie Kondo's KonMari Method

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Comments

  1. Brittany L Wise says

    August 01, 2017 at 5:24 am

    The boys' drawers looks great! We are in the stage of "I'll fold it myself.." and it looks like a small train drove through their drawers 🙂 Someday--- we'll get back on track and have some order ( & less wrinkly tops for toddlers). Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 01, 2017 at 2:32 pm

      Lol! Oh yes, that is a fun stage! Atleast they're trying to be helpful, right?!? 😉

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  2. Paula says

    August 01, 2017 at 10:21 am

    Love this thank you I will try this method

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 01, 2017 at 2:34 pm

      Hope it works as well for you as it has for us! We love it! 🙂 Hope you're having a wonderful week, Paula!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
    • Sheila says

      December 29, 2019 at 1:57 pm

      After trying your method I was amazed how much I could get in one drawer! Thank you

      Reply
      • Abby Lawson says

        January 15, 2020 at 1:26 pm

        Yay! So glad it is working well for you, Sheila! I love it!

        ~Abby =)

        Reply
  3. Jessica of Watt Where How says

    August 01, 2017 at 12:31 pm

    These folding tips are super helpful--especially for traveling. Definitely space and iron savers for sure! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 01, 2017 at 2:35 pm

      So glad they were helpful for you, Jessica! Have a fabulous Tuesday! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
      • Bonnie says

        August 05, 2017 at 11:34 am

        I like you method but my concern are the wrinkles that result from folding them. How do you keep the wrinkles out?

        Reply
        • justagirlabby says

          August 07, 2017 at 10:35 am

          Hi, Bonnie! In my experience, my shirts are less wrinkly than when I was doing the traditional folding and stacking my shirts on one another. Let me know how it works out for you if you try it!

          ~Abby =)

          Reply
  4. Gabrielle says

    August 01, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    I have a dresser like the boys! I've had it my entire life and I'm 22! I have a drawer full of college shirts, drawer of camis/tanktops/sportsbras, one for pj's, and then top for normal bras,socks,undies. My mini closet came with two shelves so thats where my sweatpants, jeans, and shorts go.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 01, 2017 at 2:36 pm

      It is a great dresser! Works well for them! 🙂 Hope you're having a great week, Gabrielle!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  5. Shirley says

    August 02, 2017 at 5:29 am

    Thanks for the video Abby. I am going to reorganise my drawers after breakfast. I have been "rolling" my clothes but I'm sure your method will free up more space.
    Love the colour of the boy's dresser!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 02, 2017 at 3:03 pm

      Hope you like this method, Shirley! It has worked wonders for us! Let me know how it goes! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  6. Adrienne Johnston says

    August 02, 2017 at 7:58 pm

    Brittany Wise, my daughter is getting into the "I'll do it myself" phase. Maybe she could master this method though! ? This is genius! Can't believe I haven't ever seen it before. Thank so much for sharing, Abby!

    Reply
  7. Shirley says

    August 03, 2017 at 2:05 pm

    Abby ,This method saves an awful lot of space.I am 3/4 way through. I have found so many clothes that I'd forgotten about..I now have separate drawers for PJs, tops, trousers etc. It is so much easier to see what you have got now-I intend to keep this method up. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 04, 2017 at 9:51 am

      Yay! So glad to hear it has been helpful for you, Shirley! It really is a great method! Have a wonderful weekend!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  8. Nicole says

    August 05, 2017 at 10:11 am

    I have been folding my clothes like that since the 90s. I discovered it worked so much better in small dressers in even smaller NYC apartments! I have no idea where I first saw it or just figured it out on my own lol.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 07, 2017 at 10:36 am

      It really does work so well! You were KonMari before KonMari was cool! 🙂 Have a great day, Nicole!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  9. Angie R says

    August 05, 2017 at 2:17 pm

    Ok the type A in me needs to know how long this takes and also, wrinkles??? Aren't they much more wrinkled?

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 07, 2017 at 10:17 am

      Hi, Angie! It may seem like it takes longer at first, but once you get used to it I don't think it takes longer at all. And just think how much time you'll save in the long run with your drawers being so organized! 🙂 A lot of people ask about wrinkles but I think it's the same or even less wrinkled! Let me know if you try it out!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  10. Diana says

    August 05, 2017 at 5:52 pm

    We have been folding this way for 2-3 yrs also. SO worth the time! What I love most is: when u can look in the drawer & see every shirt u own, you start noticing over time which ones you NEVER grab out to wear. Makes it so easy to donate them & clear space because you KNOW you never wear it!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 07, 2017 at 10:10 am

      Yes! All great points! It has worked so well for our family, too! 🙂 Have an awesome week, Diana!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  11. Gina says

    August 06, 2017 at 5:27 pm

    Love it! Any suggestions for folding bulky sweaters?

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      August 24, 2017 at 7:50 pm

      Hi, Gina! I fold them the same way I fold my other shirts and put them in a deep drawer in my closet. If they're too bulky, after I fold in the arms, I will fold them into thirds from there instead of in half and then in half again, if that makes sense. I hope this helps!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  12. Kristina says

    September 04, 2017 at 3:47 am

    Hi Abby! What do you recommend for deep dresser drawers? My husband and I share one dresser and about half the drawers are twice as deep as a typical drawer.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      September 05, 2017 at 10:39 am

      Hi, Kristina! I have a super deep drawer in my dresser, and I just use it like the other drawers even though there would be room for a second layer of items. Stacking items might be tough because it makes the items underneath kind of a pain to get to. If you need to use the extra space, I would put items you use less often in a lidded bin on the bottom, and then use an open bin on the top (I like IKEA's SKUBB boxes: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30300281/) so that you could easily remove the top layer of clothes to get to the items underneath. I hope this helps!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  13. Tess says

    October 09, 2017 at 10:43 pm

    As you start to wear items & the row of filed clothes gets shorter or smaller, doesn't the row fall over?

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 10, 2017 at 9:00 am

      Not really. They kind of lean back against each other, which keeps them from falling. If I have a bunch of the dry fit material shirts together (as opposed to cotton), they will fall more easily because of the slippery material, but the cotton ones stay up well. In my husband's drawer, I added the SKUBB boxes within the drawer to help them stay upright because his shirts were larger and more prone to falling over, and they have helped.

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  14. Amanda says

    October 26, 2017 at 6:44 pm

    Oh! I've been folding like this for years, I didn't know it had a name. It's hard to keep tidy with boys though... They are so rough.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 26, 2017 at 8:36 pm

      See, you're a trendsetter! 🙂 haha! I put my boys clothes away (mostly because I'm too much of a perfectionist and want them to look nice LOL) but yes. They can certainly make it more challenging!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  15. Karen Hobson says

    February 13, 2018 at 1:11 pm

    I definitely need to work on my folding and organization skills with clothes. I do fold our clothes but nothing like what you showed...and my sock and undies drawer is a mess. Wouldn't want you to see any of them. Lol

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      February 13, 2018 at 7:33 pm

      This method isn't for everyone but it has worked wonders for us! Definitely worth a try! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  16. Suzanne Phelps says

    May 13, 2018 at 9:46 am

    Where do you store pyjamas and windcheaters?

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      June 06, 2018 at 10:31 am

      I had to look up the word "windcheater"! Lol. It looks like what we would call a "jacket," and we keep those in the coat closet in our mudroom. I keep my pajamas folded in a drawer. I hope this helps!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
      • Suzanne Phelps says

        June 06, 2018 at 7:12 pm

        It's what you guys call a sweater/sweatshirt, lol.

        Reply
        • justagirlabby says

          June 07, 2018 at 8:00 am

          Oh got it! 🙂 My sweatshirts are hanging up, and my sweaters are in one of the drawers in my closet.

          ~Abby =)

          Reply
  17. Mary-Anne J says

    June 02, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    You’ve inspired me to fold and store our clothes like this. Looks so neat and organized. Doing away with a little but of chaos like this, helps with our wellbeing also.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      June 04, 2018 at 7:40 pm

      It really does, doesn't it? Happy organizing! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  18. Alisha says

    July 02, 2018 at 2:09 pm

    I'm in the process of becoming more organized and I think you just saved my life

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      July 02, 2018 at 8:57 pm

      Yay! So glad it was helpful for you, Alisha! Happy organizing! <3

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  19. Miranda says

    May 21, 2019 at 3:43 pm

    This is our method in my house as well!! And then my 1 year old throws all her clothes throughout the room!!!?

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      May 21, 2019 at 8:34 pm

      1 year olds are great at that, aren't they?!? 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  20. Sarah | The Teacher's Wife says

    May 21, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    Yes, to all of this!! I won't ever go back to the stacking method - I've been doing this for years too. This method is also amazing for packing a suitcase!

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      May 22, 2019 at 3:06 pm

      Agree! And you are so right-- it's perfect for packing! Hope you're having a great week, Sarah!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  21. Cherelle | The Inspired Prairie says

    May 23, 2019 at 10:19 pm

    I haven't read this book yet, but I'm getting more and more intrigued the more I hear about the KonMari Method. I love the way the clothes are folded, I think I'm going to start doing that even before reading the book! I'm horrible at folding nicely, so your pictures help so much, thank you Abby!!

    -Cherelle

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      May 28, 2019 at 10:33 am

      So glad they were helpful for you, Cherelle. I hope you love KonMari as much as we do! 🙂 Have a great week!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  22. Rosanne says

    May 26, 2019 at 12:07 pm

    I am going to show my boys how to do this type of folding as they are headed to college in the fall where space is tight! Perfect timing! 🙂

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      May 28, 2019 at 10:37 am

      Yes! The KonMari folding would be PERFECT for tiny dorm rooms. I wish I knew about it when I was in college! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  23. Newbie says

    July 13, 2019 at 3:14 am

    Hi thanks for the handy one-stop shop for folding! The closets in my country don't have a lot of drawers but have shelves instead. What does Marie suggest for that? (We don't usually use dressers, just all-in-one closets where there are hanging spaces and shelf spaces, so clothes are normally stacked in/on the shelves).

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      August 28, 2019 at 5:54 pm

      Hi there! If you wanted to use this method with shelves, I think Marie would suggest adding bins to the shelves to help corral your items. If you didn't want to use bins, you could stick with the stacking method. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  24. ora says

    August 01, 2019 at 5:17 pm

    does this method work in a closet with shelves as well or only in drawers?

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      August 28, 2019 at 5:31 pm

      If you wanted to use this method and were working with shelves, you would probably need to get some sort of bins for the shelves to corral the clothing. If you didn't want to use bins, the stacking method might be your best bet!

      Reply
  25. Jia Ali says

    August 11, 2019 at 9:10 am

    This is going to help me a lot in organizing my wardrobe. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      August 12, 2019 at 10:08 pm

      So glad it was helpful for you! Hope you're having a great week!

      Reply
  26. Lindsey Quigley says

    January 09, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    THANK YOU! I was trying to find a good place with consolidated information about folding via the KonMari method, and THIS is exactly what I needed. I am currently still in the Clothes part of the first step and this is what I needed! was able to get rid of SO MANY trash bags of stuff that I knew I had enough space, but I couldn't figure out how to make it aesthetically pleasing because so many of the diagrams online (minus the videos of Kondo doing it herself) are terrible for a visual person like myself. ANYWAY, folding socks suck..

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      January 15, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      So glad it was helpful for you, Lindsey! Happy folding! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  27. Kelly Blakely says

    March 22, 2020 at 11:31 am

    Hi Abby! I love the Kon Marie foldings system too! I am currently writing a blog post about decluttering clothes and will be sharing a couple of your photos (thank you for allowing this!) and backlinks to your article. Again, thanks for this great post, it really shows how to do it perfectly. Kelly

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      March 30, 2020 at 3:13 pm

      Thanks so much, Kelly!

      Reply
  28. Saarah says

    April 18, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    Turns out I have her book! I’m gonna start using her methods on my entire bedroom so I don’t have too much stuff when I go to college!

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      April 21, 2020 at 10:42 am

      That's a great time to declutter! Best of luck in college!

      Reply
      • Saarah says

        April 21, 2020 at 11:43 am

        Thanks for the wishes!

        Reply
  29. Jennifer says

    September 21, 2020 at 9:25 am

    Hi! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 I have a question: I do not have much drawers but plenty of shelves. I want to be able to fold that way but it won't be able to stand in the shelves. If I put the clothes in a pull-out basket or box, they won't be visible. Any tip to solve this? 🙂

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      October 22, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      Hmmm... it's hard to picture your exact setup without being able to see it, but could you use clear bins? Or at least bins with clear fronts? Amazon or The Container Store both should have several options to choose from!

      Reply
  30. Adeline says

    October 30, 2020 at 11:28 am

    Hi Abby. I came across your blog last night when I search for Konmari Method Clothes. Got motivated and I did it today. Feeling so great after Konmari-ing my clothes. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      November 02, 2020 at 7:34 pm

      Yay! So glad it was helpful for you. Such a great feeling, isn’t it? 🙂

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  31. Mike E. says

    December 06, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    This is fantastic! I came across your blog while searching for garage storage and organization ideas. Absolutely love your philosophies. I have had Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up book for a while, looks like it’s time to finally read it.

    Thanks for sharing your organization successes and struggles and I’ll be sure to let you know how things go for us.

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      December 14, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      So glad it was helpful for you! Have a great week!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply

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