Nothing could have prepared me for Marie Kondo’s runaway success more than working as a cleaner.
The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up author promised to help you get rid of the biggest problem in most of the homes I worked in; stuff, rather than dirt, made my clients’ rooms dusty, messy, and far from functional.
Still, not everyone is ready to find out how much of their crowded attic sparks enough joy to stay in their home; in fact some people quite like a bit of maximalist clutter.
If you’re in the latter camp, you might want to try another approach to tidying; “knolling.”
What’s “knolling”?
You might have heard of Knoll, a cultish furniture brand that’s been around since the ’20s.
Artist Tom Sachs and now-sculptor, then-janitor Andrew Kromelow worked there together in the late ’80s, Communication Arts says.
During their time together, Sachs noticed how carefully and precisely the janitor laid out the tools on furniture makers’ benches, placing them at 90-degree angles from one another.
This habit, which allowed workers to see all their tools at once and grab them quickly became known as “knolling” ― and it stuck.
In fact Tom Sachs’ studio’s mantra later became “always be knolling,” a twist on Glengarry Glen Ross’ sales phrase “always be closing.”
Tom Sachs’ rules for “knolling,” written in his journal, include:
- Scan your environment for materials, tools, books, music, etc. which are not in use.
- Put away everything not in use. If you aren’t sure, leave it out.
- Group all ‘like’ objects.
- Align or square all objects to either the surface they rest on, or the studio itself.
It looks a lot like many Instagram “flat lays” we see today.
How can I apply that to my home?
It’s sort of like that but for your stuff. You can hang your Bialetti next to your espresso mugs, for instance; maybe your rubbish bag rolls can sit in holders above your bins.
It’s about treating your stuff as a part of your house’s furniture or decor, rather than an annoying distraction from it.
Aside from looking good and making your space more functional, it’s a gift to people like me, who lose at least one vital object a day.
It’s worth mentioning that this method and Marie Kondo’s aren’t mutually exclusive and might even inform each other.
If your coffee filter papers don’t have a place in your newfound caffeine corner because you don’t actually have the machine they belong to, for instance, you might be compelled to get rid of them ― without feeling deprived of your beloved belongings.