Once you declutter your own clothes, it’s time to tackle the kiddos outfits. You may be tempted to simply do the job yourself but this is such a huge undertaking and lifestyle change that it’s better to include your kids as much as possible. Find out how to declutter clothes with kids the KonMari way to include them in this new lifestyle.

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The kids had mixed feelings in the beginning of this. The oldest knew how big of a job it would be and that was overwhelming. Our daughter just took it in stride and the youngest saw the piles of clothes and thought of them as giant leaf piles.

However, once we got started the oldest really found his stride. After we finished, he remarked surprise at how much fun it was. That’s right, he totally thought it was fun to do. Pretty awesome, right?

The youngest one loved being included in something that his older siblings were doing which I think helped his focus. He lasted a lot longer during the process than I thought he would and I credit that greatly to everyone working on the same task.

 

Now that we’ve successfully completed the task, I have some tips for how to declutter clothes with kids the KonMari way that made the process go more smoothly and easier.

 

KonMari Clothes with Toddlers

When decluttering clothes with toddlers, be prepared to do a lot of the work. This is especially true if your child has a ton of clothes. Their attention span and patience will wane as the process drags on.

 

If they start getting restless, let them expel some energy. You can either take a break during this time or mom/dad can keep decluttering while the kiddos get active.

It also helps to have older kids going through the process at the same time. My youngest was much more excited and involved because his big brother was doing the same thing. Toddlers don’t get to do what the big kids do a lot so it adds an element of excitement for them.

Lastly, while toddlers can totally fold and put away their clothes, being faced with so much at once can be overwhelming. My little one loved the novelty of the task at first, but lost focus about halfway through.

 

KonMarie Clothes with Young Kids

Young kids are better able to determine what sparks joy for them. However, clothing is not going to be the easiest item for them to determine that feeling with.

For our 6 year old daughter, we had her pick out a toy that brought her joy, a small stuffed doggy. Anytime throughout the process when she started to struggle, we had her pick up the stuffed animal and remember that feeling. She went back to the stuffed animal frequently but it really helped her discern what to keep and what to toss.

Before you get started decluttering clothes with young kids, have them pick out a toy that truly brings them joy. Have them describe what the feel when they hold it and teach them how to search for that same spark during decluttering.

 

KonMarie Clothes with Older Kids

Older kids can do this pretty much autonomously. My 9 (almost 10) year old sorted through all of his clothes on his own. We did run into a few issues where guidance was needed, listed below.

 

Let your child know it’s okay to get rid of items that they just got. For example, he got a few items for Christmas that didn’t spark joy for him but he felt guilty getting rid of them since they were brand new. In this instance he simply needed validation that it is perfectly okay to let go of the item.

Example:

• I asked him if opening the gift gave him joy and he said yes. I asked him if he knew how good it made the person who gave it to him feel and, again, he said yes. Then I told him that the item had fulfilled its purpose and brought joy to both of them. It is okay to let go of it so that it can find a home with someone who loves it.

He also struggled letting go of clothing that held some important memory for him. For example, he had a teeshirt that a penguin painted from a vacation years ago. He didn’t really want the shirt but he treasured the memory of the vacation. In this instance, we talked about whether he needed the shirt to remember the joy of that vacation. In the end, he was able to let it go with love and without regret.

 

Additional Tips

First, remember to go through the process with your clothes first. This helps for 2 reasons. One, it helps prepare the kids as they see you doing the same job you expect them to do. Secondly, it helps you prepare for helping them with the process. It’s much harder to teach something you’ve never experienced.

 

If possible, try to divide and conquer with your spouse. My husband helped our daughter while I worked with the boys. This made the process much faster.

Also, although older kids can totally do this on their own, it helps to have mom or dad there for support. Even though I didn’t have to do much for my oldest, the fact that I was there supporting and helping him meant a lot.

Lastly, I recommend allowing kids to make an unsure pile as well. This pile gets smaller as the process continues because they identify the feeling of joy more easily. Before that, though, it can be overwhelming to be forced into a decision before fully understanding.

 

Learning how to declutter clothes with kids the KonMari way doesn’t have to be difficult. Remember to have younger kids choose an item that they know brings them joy for reference during the process. Also, include the entire family. It brings you closer and also provides support so that kiddos don’t get overwhelmed during the process.

Don’t fall into the trap of doing it on your own. Not only will you burn yourself out on the decluttering process, you will miss an opportunity to see how amazing your kiddos really are. I guarantee they’ll surprise you.

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Are you ready to tackle decluttering clothes the KonMari way? If so, you are in the right place. If you need some extra motivation, definitely check out Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix. It is awesome for encouraging you to take that first step!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

 

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If you check out Does the KonMari Method Really Work you can see why I am highly motivated to tackle this project. It’s a huge undertaking but I cannot stand the status quo anymore. Something has to change and I’m getting the entire family on board.

The best way to do that is to lead by example. That makes me first to try decluttering clothes the KonMari way. What the show doesn’t point out is that most moms have a mountain of laundry waiting for them every day. I spent an entire week washing every single piece of clothing I could find. Every time it seemed like I was finished I would find more, a hamper stashed in a random room, the graveyard of socks under the couch… it was crazy.

Once you have everything washed, you can truly get started on decluttering your clothes.

Find Everything

The first step in decluttering clothes the KonMari way is to find everything. Make sure you look in every area of your home that clothes are stored. This includes coat closets, the laundry room, basement, and anywhere they might be. To help motivate people, Marie tells clients that after they go through all of the clothes, anything that they come across later is automatically a toss. That’s a great rule to impose on yourself to motivate you to truly seek out every item.

 

Pile it All Together

As you find your clothes, pile them all together in a central location. I chose my bed for this. This made it easier to put it all away after I finished.

Note:

• In the book she recommends breaking down your pile by item type, as this can make the process easier. For example starting with out of season tops is easier than starting with the ones you are currently wearing. I didn’t do this because I didn’t really need the additional help. I’m crazy motivated to get rid of stuff.

Grab Some Boxes

Before you start decluttering clothes the KonMari way, make sure that you grab some boxes. I had a stack of empty boxes behind me as I sorted to immediately place items that are being tossed in.

 

Sort Through Every Item

Now it’s time to tackle aaaaaaall of those clothes. It’s sobering to see exactly how much you have especially when you know that most of it isn’t being worn. The important part of the KonMari method is that you have to hold every item and feel if it brings you joy. This was easiest for me when I started with something that I knew I loved. That’s the feeling I looked for when holding subsequent pieces.

As you sort through every item, divide them into 3 sections. One pile for the items you are keeping, boxes for what you are getting rid of, and I added a third pile for items I was unsure about. Any time I came across an item that I couldn’t know immediately if it sparked joy, I placed it in the pile and went back to it at the end.

• Keep – Everything you’re keeping goes into a separate pile.
• Get Rid Of – Save yourself some time and energy by immediately placing items you want to get rid of in a box.
• Unsure – Place any items you are unsure about into a pile separate from the others. I think it’s important to note that this pile only had 4 or 5 items for me. This isn’t about putting off the process. It’s for genuinely difficult items.

Note:

• Marie says not to have anything on in the background while you do this. I followed that and didn’t have any music or television on. However, I went through this process with the 4 year old at home so that did affect my concentration some. Especially when he would run and jump into the pile of clothes I was trying to sort.

Second Pass Through the Keep

After I had done my initial sort of the clothes, I did a second pass through them to get rid of even more. During this I also began sorting them by type so that they would be easier to put away. In doing this, I was able to get rid of another entire box of clothes.

 

Put Them Away

Once you know what you’re keeping it’s time to put it all away. Folding clothes the KonMari way is really quite simple. Although I haven’t been doing it exactly the same way, I’ve always liked my clothes aligned vertically for easy reference and selection. This made adapting to her method of folding simpler.

 

This is seriously all of my shorts, leggings, and tank tops in 1 drawer!! How awesome is that?

 

Above is every pair of pants I own and there is empty space in the drawer, loads of it! Seriously, it is crazy exciting!

The one clothing I did not fold in her method are the socks. We are in the habit of rolling all of our socks because that’s how they need to be packed when my husband goes to drill/is deployed. While she rolls them, she doesn’t secure them because it stretches the edges at the top. I’ve never experienced that issue and love the neatness of our current folding style.

 

Shoes, Purses, and Scarves

These items I didn’t have to sort through because last year I did a hard declutter with them. I only have 3 purses and actually got my shoes down to just a few pairs with the exception of my boots which I absolutely adore. I have about 10 pairs of boots (rain boots, riding boots, heeled boots, comfy boots, hiking boots, and wedge booties) and I have ZERO guilt about keeping them.

 

This experience of decluttering clothes the Konmari way was definitely eye-opening. I learned more about my style and also some of the reasons I hold onto things that I don’t actually want. (Looking at you, sweaters mom gave me as an incredibly thoughtful gift.) I recommend starting this process first before moving on to your kiddos. The experience helps you familiarize yourself with the process and navigate some issues that will arise for your kids.

We’re already done the kids now, too, and I’ll be sharing some tips to make the process easier in the next post. We did it with a 4, 6, and 9 (almost 10) year old successfully. If we can do it, anyone can. Promise.

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