Marie Kondo reveals her simple but clever trick for switching out your closet

Tidying guru Marie Kondo has revealed a simple tip to packing away off-season clothes to free up space in the closet, and it entails a special folding trick. 

The organizer, 35, has encouraged people to declutter their lives with her popular Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and a best-selling novel. 

She has further offered more tips and tricks to fans on her Instagram by sharing how people can change out their closets from clothes no longer fitting the current season. 

An infographic was shared this week by Kondo showing her tip for switching out clothes. 

For bulky sweaters or other clothing items, she recommended a fold that would smooth the item down into a small rectangle. 

Bulky sweaters should be divided into thirds length-wise first by folding the sleeves towards the middle of the item. Then it should be folded down into thirds horizontally to form the rectangle shape. 

Kondo then recommends packing this into a small bag where the air can be vacuumed out. This will allow for the item to be stored and take up the smallest amount of space.  

‘When folding thick garments, the best solution is to use a tight-fitting bag,’ Kondo wrote in the caption of the infographic, adding: ‘Press down on the garment to deflate it as you insert it into the bag.’

She reiterated the importance of squeezing out all the air from the bag to make it ‘compact’ when storing. 

Besides her tip for switching out closets, Kondo has previously revealed her four daily rituals she implements to keep her home clean. 

Speaking to People, Kondo said her first daily ritual is to change out of her shoes into a different pair once she returns home.  

‘When I come home at the end of the day, I wipe the soles of shoes with gratitude before storing them in the closet near the entryway of my home,’ Kondo told the publication. 

‘I then change into my house slippers.’ 

Her second daily ritual is to keep her handbag organized with special pouches and bags inside to separate items. 

‘Instead of digging in an abyss for that chapstick, organize the bag you rely on every day. Then keep it that way,’ she advised. 

It can be difficult keeping a handbag organized depending on the size and what people pack each day. But Kondo recommends storing items vertically to help with organization. 

She also purchased specialized pouches to help carry smaller items within the bag. 

The organization within her handbag is also replicated in the refrigerator with boxes and containers inside to keep food tidy. 

‘I use boxes to sort items and stand everything vertically in my refrigerator,’ she said. ‘I even use boxes inside the shelving on the refrigerator doors to keep condiments and sauces separated.’ 

Kondo’s fourth and final daily ritual happens in the bathroom. Instead of leaving shampoo or conditioner bottles in the shower, she wipes them off after use and then places them in a basket underneath the bathroom sink. 

‘This makes cleaning the bathroom easier and prevents the buildup of mildew,’ she revealed. 

The key to helping the spread of any mildew is to make sure the bottles are completely dry before placing underneath the sink.