How to ‘Marie Kondo’ your Uni House
Is it time to tackle the clutter in your student accommodation?
The latest series we’re all binge-watching on our friend’s second cousins’ Netflix is ‘Tidying with Marie Kondo’. If you’re the only person who hasn’t seen it, the programme is all about getting your life in order though tidying.
As a student in shared accommodation, you’ve only got a limited amount of space to live in. It could be that you’ve got tidying down to a tee with your ‘little a day’ philosophy. Or maybe you’re a self-confessed hoarder who always seems to have the messiest room.
Either way, applying Marie Kondo’s philosophy of only owning items which ‘spark joy’ in you and organising them effectively, will change your tidying game forever. So, here’s how to do it…
1. Dividing your possessions into categories (think clothes, books, stationery)
2. Taking a category at a time, decide which items bring you joy. If it doesn’t bring you joy, why are you letting it clutter your uni room?
3. Reorganise your room so that your selected possessions are visible and easy to access.
Having taken these steps, your room will be a calmer, tidier place, perfect for working, relaxing and entertaining: film night in my room anyone?
When it comes to reorganisation, the furniture in your rented property may not quite lend itself to the Marie Kondo philosophy of organisation. Here are a few purchases that you could make to store some of those hard to organise items which are responsible for our clutter.
Hair Appliances
You might just learning how to tame your new on-trend ‘lob’, or you’re a boy who’s embarrassed to tell his mates that he blow-dries and straightens his fringe. Either way, hair dryers and tools can be awkward to store. Rather than leaving them on the floor by the mirror, invest in a stylish basket where you can easily access them and be put away, without looking quite so messy.
Cotton Storage Basket, H&M, £17.99
Toiletries
Sharing a bathroom with housemates may mean that you can’t store all of your toiletries in the bathroom. If you’re storing fake tan, cleansers and moisturisers in their room, storing them all upright and together will make them both accessible and leak proof!
Curver Basket Gray, Wilko, £2
Makeup
We’re all guilty of hoarding make up for much longer than is hygienically advisable – did you know that you should change your mascara every 2-3 months? Storing your makeup in a way that makes everything visible will help you keep on top of what you own, ensuring all your products are in date, so won’t have to keep splashing out on things you don’t need.
Rotating Makeup Organiser, Amazon, £18.99
Shoes
The Kondo philosophy is that if you store things so that you can see them, you’re more likely to use everything you own.
For those shoe addicts who’ve spent more of their student loan on trainers than textbooks, hanging this over the back of your door, or maybe the side of your wardrobe, will help you declutter and ensure you maximise your collection’s full potential.
24 Pocket Over Door Organiser, Amazon, £9.99
Store Cupboard Food
At 5’3, it’s always been a challenge for me to see beyond the first shelf of my kitchen cupboard. It’s something of a mystery what old tins and spices lurk at the backs of the top shelves. Rather than shoving everything into your cupboard, try using one of these kitchen organisers. It’s designed to make sure that none of the tins of tomato soup your mum bought go forgotten again.
Kitchen Organiser, Wilko, £4
With a little investment and imagination, our student houses can be Kondo worthy in no time. We know what we’ll be doing whilst we wait for her next Netflix series!
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Tidy the f*** up, or else. 😂 #repost #funny #tidyingup #tidyingupwithmariekondo
If you’re feeling brave, you can also share these tidying ideas with your housemate who is doing a PhD in being generally too messy for a shared house!
There’s also some good decorating ideas, once you’ve freed up some lovely space in your student house.
Main blog image courtesy of Tobin.