Portland’s First Certified Konmari Consultant Will Help You Tidy Up Your Life While Self-Isolating

The world might be a mess right now, but that doesn't mean you can't clean your small corner of it. Devin VonderHaar can help. As Portland's first certified konmari consultant—the organizational method devised by decluttering guru Marie Kondo—the 30-year-old former counselor is trained in the art of tidying up. We asked her for advice on getting your shit together, one closet at a time.

Start small.

Pull every single item out of your closet, category by category. It's important to start with smaller categories to avoid getting overwhelmed and start that feeling of accomplishment that will keep you going through your entire closet declutter. Start with jewelry, belts, hats, shoes—anything that will be easy to accomplish in 15 to 30 minutes.

Check your joy.

As you go through each item you own, notice the feeling you get when you hold it. For some people, joy feels like a rising energy in your body, a tingling sensation, a warmth in your heart space. Start paying attention to how your body reacts instead of your thoughts.

Create systems.

Find bins or bags you can use for any discards for sale or donation, another for items that need repairs, one for returns, and one for trash. Make sure you label them, and set a deadline for when they should all be dealt with. It's crucial they be kept in a completely separate area to avoid them sneaking back in your closet.

Store like with like.

Keep all your sweaters together, all jeans together, all workout wear together. When everything is in one location, you save time looking for it. If you don't have enough room in your closet for seasonal wear, be sure to keep all winter and summer clothes in their own bins so you can switch them out easily.

Use what you have.

When you've gone through all your items, store them using what you have. First maximize the built-in shelving and hanging areas your closet provides. Pay attention to the fabrics to decide when to fold or hang. Linens, chiffons and satins are best hung up so as not to wrinkle. Most sweaters, jeans and T-shirts are all best stored folded konmari style.

See themodernminimalist.biz for a free konmari checklist and for information on scheduling a virtual consultation.