I have made it through quite a bit of the process of tidying, my tidying festival, as she (Marie Kondo) calls it. One of the things that has made me more successful in this method than others is the order things are tidied. Kondo recommends starting with clothes, books, papers, and then miscellaneous household (komono) by category. For once, it seems as though I am actually keeping my space clean. Furthermore, as the process continues, it is getting easier to sort out the things that bring me joy.
Take, for instance my make-up. I now store it in a portable cart from Ikea, so that I can apply it at one of 4 mirrors I have. Even within my cart storage, I sorted into sub-categories like lips, eyes, powders, & my travel set on the top level.
The middle level holds extras, make-up remover, & brush cleaning supplies.
The lower level holds my hair styling tools (because I don't use them much).
How does this fit with my space staying clean? It's easier to access, I can push it out of the way easily, I can use it where it is, it's easy to see, things have somewhere to rest while I'm applying them, etc.
Since I already sorted the stuff in my closet, my clothes don't overwhelm the space and the make-up cart can live in the closet without being a big pain. I now fold most of my shirts, dresses, and skirts, which considerably reduces the hanging space necessary to accommodate clothes in general.
I also added a shelf to make better use of the space. It looks low budget because it is. (Don't judge!) In addition, there is a set of drawers, baskets, a bookshelf, and a stool. Best of all, I can see all my lovely shoes!!!! (We'll, not all of them.)
Kondo's method, when fully embraced, allows for well-designed, efficiently used spaces making the home more enjoyable
