These 9 Redditors’ Marie Kondo-Inspired Transformations are Sparking So Much Joy

Have you felt your motivation to organize and declutter start to slip away? Maybe a little visual KonMari-ing is the push you need to get inspired. Luckily, there are plenty of completed projects out there in the Reddit universe that can help you out.

Redditors who have tried Marie Kondo’s KonMari method have posted impressive before and afters on the platform to share with others. Although it’s been a minute since Netflix’s “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” came out, it’s clear from these Reddit posts from 2020 alone that KonMari enthusiasts are still utilizing the method to organize their lives—especially while we’re all staying at home more.

Thanks to our friends over at Reddit, we put together a list of the most upvoted before and afters from the r/konmari subreddit. 

Redditor Rainbowrific expressed the common issue many face when decluttering an area: convincing yourself that you shouldn’t throw anything out. But they said to remember what you saved last time you organized, then reevaluating the item if it still hasn’t been used. Rainbowrific wrote: “I’m such a pack rat for scraps of fabric in case I need it for a dolly dress, but I have to remind myself that little bits of lace aren’t worth hanging on to…”

No matter how small the area might be, cleaning it up can make a huge difference. User heyitskateeeee proved this to be true with this nightstand area, which was surrounded with clutter before they decided to KonMari it. In addition to this corner, heyitskateeeee mentioned they also tackled their book section and drawers at home—and managed to find gift cards that “definitely sparked joy!”

Thanks to different shapes, chains, and hooks, jewelry is a category that’s notorious for its difficulty to organize. But with this before and after transformation, Redditor Darthvader1897 showed that wall hooks are the way to go. And what a clever way to display watches, too.

Oh, the magic of organizing containers! Once user izuulec started using STUK boxes from IKEA, their closet transformed into a put-together haven. And of course, Kondo’s famous folding method that the Redditor used made a huge difference, too.

The KonMari method isn’t limited to helping only with home items. Storing food the right way can be a major space saver for your fridge, which Redditor Fueled-by-coldbrew showcases in their recent post. The biggest takeaways: cleaning out your food stash before going grocery shopping, utilizing extra bins for organizing purposes, and—last but not least—taking a stab at meal prepping.

Similar to jewelry, makeup is another group made up of various small items that can easily create clutter. Redditor emmychuu fixed this rummaging issue with storage boxes from T.J.Maxx, grouping like items together. And while they were at it, emmychuu got rid of old makeup that was either expired or hadn’t been used in ages (and probably never will).

That top photo of mishmoshed spices looks all too familiar. User aka_____ solved common spice drawer mayhem by filling glass containers with formerly bottled spices to create a harmonized look. Not to mention they placed stickers on top of each bottle to figure out which is which without having to rummage.

When Redditor apathetic-taco cleaned out this much-needed area, it’s apparent that many of the items were kept. However, it’s the way they reorganized the items after deciding to keep them that made all the difference.

“I basically went through each item and asked myself if it inspired joy,” apathetic-taco wrote in respond to a comment. “If it did, I put it aside. If not, i got rid of it. Then i cleaned the area thoroughly (swept, mopped, dusted) and put everything back in a more organized and acceptable way.”

If you have a closet that stores whatever doesn’t have a home, it can be hard to figure out where to start and how to map out a new organized system—but user CristinaMeows paved the way. Using baskets from Target, CristinaMeows created designated places for hardware/tools, medicine, stationery, and more.