Domakihub Declutter Your Home the KonMari Way, by Category
A category-by-category tidying method that keeps only what earns its place.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
The KonMari method, created by Japanese organising consultant Marie Kondo, is a tidy-once-properly approach that sorts your belongings by category rather than by room. The video above walks you through the philosophy and the order of categories; this article gives you the practical steps to follow at home. Whether you are decluttering a family flat in Athens, resetting a holiday rental between guests, or organising an office or hotel storeroom, the same logic applies: gather everything, decide what stays, and give the rest a home.
Why category beats room-by-room
Most people declutter one room at a time, which hides the real problem: the same type of item lives in several places at once. You tidy the bedroom wardrobe, then find more clothes in the hallway, the laundry, and a suitcase under the bed. KonMari fixes this by having you gather every single item of a category into one pile before you decide anything, so you finally see how much you actually own.
Working by category also makes each decision faster. When all your clothes or all your books are in front of you, comparisons are obvious and duplicates jump out. The method moves through five categories in a deliberate order, from easiest to hardest: clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous items (komono), and finally sentimental things.
The 'spark joy' test, made practical
The famous KonMari question is whether an item 'sparks joy' when you hold it. For clothes and decor that feel intuitive, but for a Greek home full of practical and seasonal things it helps to read it more broadly: does this item earn its place because it brings you pleasure, or because it genuinely serves a purpose you still have? A winter coat, a passport, or a good kitchen knife can stay even if it does not make your heart flutter.
Hold each item, decide in a few seconds, and thank the things you let go before they leave. The goal is not an empty, minimalist box of a home, but a space where everything you keep has a reason and a place.
The KonMari method, step by step
- 1
Commit and picture your ideal home
Decide you will tidy properly once, not in endless small bursts. Spend a few minutes imagining how you want the space to look and feel, whether it is a calm family living room or a guest-ready rental. This vision is what you will measure each item against, and it keeps you going when the piles get big.
- 2
Start with clothes
Gather every piece of clothing in the home into one pile, including coats, shoes, and anything stored in other rooms or suitcases. Pick up each item, keep what you wear and love, and set the rest aside to donate or discard. Fold keepers so they stand upright in drawers, which lets you see everything at a glance and stops the back of the drawer becoming a graveyard.
- 3
Move on to books and papers
Take all your books off the shelves and into one stack, then keep only the ones you truly want to reread or reference. Do the same with papers, with a stricter rule: discard almost everything, keeping only documents you must (contracts, warranties, tax and legal papers). For a rental or office, file the keepers in a single clearly labelled spot so they are never scattered again.
- 4
Tackle komono, the miscellaneous items
This is the largest category: kitchen tools, bathroom products, cables, cleaning supplies, decor, and everything in the junk drawer. Work through it in sub-groups (kitchen, bathroom, electronics, and so on) rather than all at once. Bin duplicates, expired products, and chargers for devices you no longer own, and you will reclaim a surprising amount of space.
- 5
Finish with sentimental items, then assign a home to everything
Leave photos, letters, and keepsakes for last, when your decision-making muscle is strong. Keep what genuinely matters and let go of the rest without guilt. Finally, give every item you kept a fixed, designated place. Tidying stays effortless only when everything has a home to return to, which is exactly what makes a property easy to keep guest-ready.
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FAQ
- How long does the KonMari method take?
- For a full home, Marie Kondo describes it as a one-off 'event' that can take weeks rather than a single afternoon, because you process every category thoroughly. A small flat or a single holiday rental can often be done over a few focused weekends. The payoff is that, done properly, you should not need to declutter on this scale again.
- Does 'spark joy' work for practical and seasonal things?
- Yes, if you read it sensibly. Functional items like documents, tools, and winter clothing earn their place by being genuinely useful, even if they do not delight you. The question is really whether each item still serves a real purpose or brings you pleasure, and anything that fails both is a candidate to let go.
- Is KonMari suitable for rentals, offices, or hotels?
- It adapts well. The category-by-category sort is excellent for storerooms, linen cupboards, and supply drawers, where duplicates and expired stock pile up unseen. Assigning every item a fixed home is also what makes a space fast to reset between guests or shifts, so staff always know where things belong.