6 Shows and Movies to Watch If You’re Craving a New “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”
This month marks the two-year anniversary of when “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” showed up on Netflix, decluttering homes (and minds) of viewers across the country. More than just a TV premiere, it was a pop culture moment that highlighted the joy of decluttering and organizing, along with the idea that you should thank your home for all that it does (2020 was a testimony to that).
While there’s yet to be a second season of “Tidying Up” (although Kondo does have another show in the works, premiere date TBD), there are some shows and movies out there that can hold you over, as well as serve as home inspiration.
From documentaries on minimalism to makeover shows that aim to get rid of unnecessary stuff, here are six shows and films that all have something in common: emphasizing the importance of cultivating a happy home through selecting what you bring into it.
The Minimalists: Less Is Now
Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemu, also known as The Minimalists, are all about spreading the word of “less is more” through books, film, podcasts, and—the home base—their website. Their latest project is the newly released Netflix documentary “The Minimalists: Less Is Now,” which highlights the founders as well as everyday people who found minimalism at some point in life—and now reap the benefits of living out their lives through mental memories, not physical sentiments.
The film is filled with tips that viewers can try themselves to reduce their inventory, but one of its biggest and most important takeaways: it’s never too late to start being a minimalist.
Streaming on Netflix
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things
While you’re already on a high from The Minimalists, check out their other film “Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things.” Released in 2016, this documentary hyper-focuses on the human behavior to compulsively consume products that aren’t needed, which ultimately leads to a loss of control—and how minimalism can be the solution.
The documentary showcases the power of minimalism through telling the stories of those who converted to a new way of living—and how we have to resist what we’re convinced we need to only make room for things that truly bring us joy.
Streaming on Netflix
Design for You
While “Design for You” isn’t about decluttering, it’s focused on bringing items into your home that are meaningful and authentic—a selection process that’s important to shaping a happy living space. South African TV personality Pilani Bubu takes viewers through interviews with some of South Africa’s top crafters and designers that had plenty of advice on executing design features that you won’t want to swap out tomorrow.
Streaming on Amazon Prime
Kim’s Rude Awakening
“Kim’s Rude Awakening” is similar to “Tidying Up” in the sense that it helps families who need to declutter and organize their lives, but by no means does it hold the same calm energy (quite the opposite, actually). Kim Woodburn and Mike Chalut star in this comical home show, where they visit Canadian households that they whip into neat shape through megaphones, dramatic attire, humorous challenges, and tough love.
Going along with the comedic theme, Woodburn and Chalut even have a tea time segment when they chat over tea about what needs to be done for each family they’re helping. But the outcome of each episode is a serious and meaningful one: happy families who can move forward beyond the mountainous clutter.
Streaming on Amazon Prime
Clean House
If you want energy that’s less comedy-focused but still has the drama, turn your attention to “Clean House.” Hosted by Niecy Nash and in later seasons Tempestt Bledsoe, each episode helps a family in need of some serious decluttering by bringing in the proper experts—from organizers to yard sale experts and designers.
This home makeover show is filled with relatable scenarios and doable organizing tips that you can incorporate into your own lives—or, just watch unfold on TV.
Streaming on YouTube TV
Hack My Life
There’s nothing like a good hack that can be done with what you already have. Hosted by TV personality Kevin Pereira and comic Brooke Van Poppele, “Hack My Life” is a show that’s all about solving problems without cost and time. For example, you can double your closet space by slipping a soda can tab over a hanger to create another built-in hanger, or you can even out a lopsided keyboard by propping it under by placing binder clips underneath it.
Sure, these tips aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing when it comes to design, but they solve problems without having to buy more things. And that’s a win.
Streaming on Amazon Prime