Hey, Marie Kondo—I tidied up my stuff with these storage pieces from The Container Store
Here's where I'm storing everything that sparks joy
Credit:
USA Today / Robert Deutsch / The Container Store
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Okay, Marie Kondo. I listened to all your tips for tidying. I used your KonMari method, and I tossed out everything that didn't spark joy. Now, what do I do with the stuff I have left?
Read more: Want to get organized? Marie Kondo's tips for decluttering
Marie, in your book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, you told me there was no need to buy commercial storage items. You said I should use shoe boxes to get organized. But I notice you're now marketing your own line of storage products—Hikidashi, you call it—and I don't want to wait till your joyful, blush-colored boxes hit the market. Plus, my things must be bigger than yours, because they just won't fit in a shoe box.
So, sorry, Marie. I turned to one of my favorite retailers, The Container Store for all the storage I need. Everything I have left at home sparks joy. Here's what I'm buying to organize it:
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1. An itty bitty dresser
These dresser frames are narrow enough to fit into a tiny closet like mine. I can choose from drawers of many sizes to store my clothing.
You've said that I should fold everything vertically. Once I did, I needed a set of drawers to store those folded clothes. My closet is not exactly spacious, but you said I should keep a little dresser there. Luckily, I discovered this drawer frame. It gives me lots of flexibility in terms of adding the drawers I need. Best part—this frame is small, only 17-1/4 inches—so it will fit perfectly into my teeny tiny closet.
Get the Elfa Drawer Frames for $25.20 to $40.60
2. Drawers to customize the dresser
This mesh drawer fits perfectly into the dresser frame.
Yes, I'm buying the perfect drawers to fit the frame. I can't imagine making them out of shoe boxes. With these, I can decide how deep I want them to be to make the most of the storage space in the frame. And these are mesh, so they'll keep my clothes aired-out while they're waiting to be worn.
Get the Cabinet-Sized Elfa Drawers for $11.20 to $17.50
3. Pretty baskets for towels and other linens
Pretty baskets like these are perfect for storing linens.
Marie, you say you use baskets for storing your towels. I'm down with that. But I'll also need one for sheets, and maybe an extra one for the living room throw blankets. Oooh, and a couple for my son's room...
Get the farmhouse storage bin for $19.99
4. This modern shelf for books
No need to hide them in the closet. You can keep your books in plain sight, with this vertical bookshelf unit from The Container Store
A lot of my books still spark joy, so I need a new bookshelf that sparks joy, too. This one, which stores books vertically, is a great statement piece, and it doesn't take up much floor space. Sorry, Marie—it's too cool to hide in my closet.
Get the floating bookshelf for $199.99
5. A fun way to organize bras
Spark joy with bras by arranging them by color in this organizer.
Not sure why you've been checking my underwear drawer, Marie, but since you want me to organize my bras by color from light to dark, I need one of these bra organizers. I want my bras to look like they do at a fancy lingerie shop. Or maybe I just like the name.
Get the Boobie Trap Bra Organizer for $29.99
6. These dividers that keep dresser drawers in line
Men and women can use drawer dividers keep folded clothes neat. Slide them into dresser drawers, or put them on a closet shelf
It turns out my husband is way ahead of me on clothing organization. He keeps his underwear and socks neatly folded in drawer boxes from The Container Store. Marie, I know you're after me to keep everything folded and visible. Obviously, I need to order some of these for myself.
Get the Drawer Dividers for $14.99 to $19.99
7. Clear shoe boxes so I can view my shoes
Clear shoe boxes let you see your shoes. The Container Store's shoe boxes are so inexpensive, you can buy one for each pair of shoes
All of my shoe boxes have actual shoes in them, though I can never figure out which shoes are in which box. It's clear that I need some that I can see through to organize my ballet flats, kitten heels, and running shoes. These fill the bill, and they're so inexpensive, I can afford a case of them.
Get the Our Shoe Box for $1.99
8. Organization for under the bathroom sink
There's never enough room to store everything in the cabinet under the bathroom vanity. This unit can hold a lot in a small space, plus it's adjustable to make room for pipes.
Marie, my bathroom vanity is my disaster zone. Though everything there doesn't spark joy, I need it to clean myself and my bathroom. I have bottles of shampoo and body wash, disinfectant wipes, toilet bowl cleaner, and lots of stuff I don't recognize. And there's a big pipe in the middle of the cabinet. What should I do about that? I'm dealing with it by buying an under-sink organizer that I can adjust to accommodate the space. The six shelves and two pull-out bins will get it all in order.
Get the Iris Expandable Under Sink Organizer for $39.99
9. Bonus points for tidying up my car
Your car needs organization and storage, too, because the glove box isn't big enough to hold everything you carry. The seat caddy has room for it.
I don't know what you drive around with, Marie, but I picture your car as pristine and white as your wardrobe. My car, on the other hand, is full of stuff. It's not sentimental, believe me, it's just everything I need for survival on the road. In addition to random snacks from Trader Joe's, I carry my window scraper, phone charger, water bottle, gym gear, and a warm blanket, in case I get stuck in a snowstorm. Do I get extra credit for keeping it all organized? I'm buying a car organizer that sits on the seat, and I can belt it in so it stays in one place.
Get the Express Portable Seat Car Organizer for $14.99
It's been nice talking to you, Marie. Thanks for everything you've done to free the world from clutter. I love your book and I'm currently binging your TV show. When you, the Dueña of Decluttering, said to tidy up, I tidied up. Now I'll finally have someplace I can stash what's left.