POPSUGAR UK

If You Think the Marie Kondo Folding Method Doesn't Work With Kids, Let Me Stop You Right There

10/01/2019 - 07:45 PM

The other day, I was talking to a friend about Marie Kondo (as we all were [1]) and how the best gift that woman gave me was teaching me to fold clothes so they stack vertically in drawers rather than in a pile. My friend's reply: "Oh, I know! But does she realise it's impossible to do that with kids?!"

Stop. It. Right. There.

On the contrary, there's no better place to put her folding method into practice than with kid clothes!

Most parents are well aware of how a once-tidy dresser drawer can turn into a jumble of crumpled shirts and pants with one visit from their child.

Still, I see the disconnect. Most parents are well aware of how a once-tidy dresser drawer can turn into a jumble of crumpled shirts and pants with one visit from their child. Why go to all the trouble of carefully folding tiny sweaters and tinier leggings only to have them destroy it all in a matter of hours?

That was my mentality when I first did the KonMari method a few years ago. I employed her philosophy to every aspect of my home, except anything to do with my then-2-year-old daughter. I considered them exempt: who was I to determine what sparked joy with a toddler, and at that point, I was satisfied with bins of barely folded clothes that I'd just reach into when getting her dressed.

But, recently, that now-4-year-old got her first official dresser, and it needed some type of organisation. I tried stacking the clothes traditionally, but that inevitably meant that every time she'd rip the bottom shirt out from the bottom of a pile, the six shirts stacked on top of it would go flying onto the floor.

So, on a desperate whim, I switched it up and folded her items in thirds before stacking them vertically, like they were in a little clothing filing cabinet. Take a look:

Shirts and Sweaters

Pants, Leggings, and Skirts

As you can see, these aren't unattainable, pristinely folded, expertly aligned sets of colour-coordinated clothing straight out of some magazine ad. These are drawers of readily accessible clothes presented in a functional way for parents and kiddos alike.

And here are the immediate benefits I noticed:

  1. My daughter was able to get something out of her dresser without unwittingly dislodging any other garment.
  2. She wore more of her clothes. Before, she'd often rewear the same shirts that were always visible, but because this method allowed her to see every item in one glance, my out-of-sight-out-of-mind toddler had more options available to her.
  3. She was able to help with the laundry! One of her "chores" has long been to put her folded clothes into her drawers, and until Marie, I sacrificed tidiness for fostering her independence. But with the vertical style, it's easier for her to put clothes away by finding open slots and jamming the clothes in them.

This isn't to say that I follow Marie's rules to a T. My folding style is a bit off from the way she does it, but it works generally the same and is easier for my daughter – who now watches me fold her clothes and occasionally offers to help – to replicate.

I don't bother folding toddler underwear or lining up socks, but I do have designated boxes for them in her drawers. Same goes for her accessories. Her top drawer is filled with bins – one for bows, one for headbands, another for sunglasses, and still one more for mittens and gloves.

I'm sure Marie would suggest lining things up more neatly than I've done, so you can see everything from above without having to dig, but I figure this is a good start that gives both me a sense of order and my kid more autonomy over her own belongings.

So if you are somehow convinced that Marie's methods won't work for your children, I implore you to try it for just one week. Like I did with the fold, for instance, you can take some liberties and still reap amazing rewards. It won't be perfect, but I guarantee it'll be an improvement that the entire family can get behind.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/parenting/Marie-Kondo-Folding-Method-Works-Kids-45665012