How to Marie Kondo Your Knitting
Embracing the popular Marie Kondo Method doesn’t mean chucking your stash.
When the Japanese Life-Changing Art of Tidying Up, or the KonMari Method was introduced to the west by its namesake, Marie Kondo, knitters shared memes about their stash being off limits. And I get it. But bringing order and organization to your yarn storage can be both uplifting and energizing.
What is the KonMarie Method?
It’s a simple method for identifying and purging your home of goods that you no longer need, and for organizing and storing those that you would like to keep. Marie Kondo’s method became popular and proven after the tsunami wreaked havoc on many Japanese. When faced with the loss of their possessions and the need to replace them, her methods for identifying what is not just essential but important, were embraced by many.
If you follow along on my Instagram, you might have seen that I’ve watched the Netflix series and started implementing some of her methods in our house. In my dresser alone, just simply by embracing her method’s for folding shirts, I gained two whole drawers. And in a small 60’s ranch home, that’s important.
If you haven’t watched the Neflix show or read the book, I would recommend it. Mari Kondo exudes joy and has a lot of great information to share. While we weren’t as cluttered and overwrought by our stuff as some of the families she’s helped in the show, her methods have had a great impact on our home.
So how do you Marie Kondo your yarn stash?
First, take a deep breath. The KonMari method doesn’t tell you to just get rid of your stuff. Yes, it does help you recognize the things that you don’t use, that no longer serve a purpose, and that don’t bring you joy. But that’s not the sole emphasis of the method. Mari Kondo works to help you recognize the things that are in your life and that do spark joy for you so that you can utilize them, store them, and keep them in good condition.
Rest assured that I’m not going to tell you to chuck half of your yarn stash. In this series of posts, we’ll walk through your knitting materials and supplies. Yes, there will be some things that you let go, but this will make room for the things you do use and enjoy, and create an improved means of storage.
If you’re standing in front of your collection, the thought of organization can be daunting. Rather than look at the whole of your knitting supplies and tools, we’ll break it into categories. This follows in the footsteps of the KonMari method.
Marie breaks the home into clothing, books, paper, komono (miscellaneous items), and lastly, sentimental items.
While knitting would fall into Marie’s Komono category, let’s break ours down a bit further.
1. Tools: needles and notions
2. Patterns: paper, books, and even downloads
3. Yarn: your stash
4. WIPS
6. Finished Items
In the following blog posts, we’ll take a look at an organized approach to decluttering and organizing your supplies and tools. In doing this myself, I felt refreshed and re-energized. My creative energy soared and I’m using yarns that have been hidden at the bottom of my stash for a while; much the same way that I’m now wearing shirts that were buried in my drawers and bins thanks to this life-changing method.
