How the KonMari Method Helped Declutter a Busy Family Home in 4 Days
- Sue Spencer
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
When Hannah first reached out, she and her husband were facing a challenge many busy families will recognise: how to declutter and organise a family home when you both work long hours and weekends are filled with children’s activities.
As their children grew, so did the slow build-up of outgrown toys, clothes and 'just in case' items. Their home hadn’t quite kept up with the way their lives were changing.
With a rare week off before the school holidays, Hannah and her husband decided to use the time to tackle the clutter and create a calmer, more organised home.
Before you start decluttering, think about how you’d like to live
Before we touched a single item, we talked about what daily life actually looked like for their family. What did they do regularly? What felt frustrating? Where were the little “speed bumps” in their home that slowed them down or added stress without them even realising?
We then flipped the conversation and started to imagine how life could feel in an ideal home. What would make everyday easier for the family? What would help their home support the way they live?
This is the foundation of the KonMari Method. It isn’t about having less for the sake of it. It’s about creating a home that supports the life you’re living now - not the one you used to have (or the one you feel you should).
For Hannah's family, that meant having space to sit down together, being able to find what they needed easily, and creating systems that worked with their busy schedules rather than against them.
The KonMari approach asks a simple question: does this spark joy? We weren't just letting things go - we were choosing what to keep based on how it made them feel. Does this support the life we want? Does it feel good to keep it? If yes, it stayed.
Decluttering by Category: How the KonMari Method Works for a Family Home
Over four focused days, we worked through clothes, books, games and toys, bedding and linen, kitchen items and paperwork. This wasn't random room-hopping - we followed the KonMari category order for a reason.
The KonMari method moves through categories in a deliberate sequence: clothes, books, papers, komono (everyday items), and finally sentimental things. Starting with easier decisions builds confidence for the more emotional ones later on.
One of the biggest shifts for Hannah came from working by category rather than room by room.
You only make each decision once.
When you declutter by room, you often make the same decisions repeatedly - clothes in the bedroom, more clothes in the spare room, bags tucked away elsewhere.
This is one of the most valuable decluttering tips I can share with anyone wanting to declutter a family home: gathering everything in one category means decisions are clearer and far less draining.
You can finally see how much you own.
Laying everything out shows you the true volume of stuff. Duplicates become obvious, and it becomes easier to focus on what feels right to keep.
As we moved from clothes through to books, toys, kitchen items and paperwork, Hannah and her husband's confidence grew visibly. By the fourth day their decisions came more quickly and felt more certain.
A Small Space That Made a Big Difference: Decluttering a busy family hallway
One change that really summed up what we had achieved happened in the hallway.
A small hall table, the kind many busy families have, had slowly become a landing zone for life. School letters, shopping returns, bags for the car, items the children had outgrown but hadn't yet been passed on.
It wasn't a huge mess, just everyday accumulation. But it created a quiet friction every time they walked past.
If your hallway feels similar, take a look at my simple hallway organisation tips to keep on top of clutter.
Once it was cleared and everything was given a home, even a temporary one for things on their way out, the entrance felt calmer and more welcoming.
It's something I see time and again when working with families to declutter their homes. When you keep surfaces clear, the whole house feels calmer. Not because it looks perfect, but because the mental noise disappears.
The Real Results of KonMari Decluttering
By the end of four days, Hannah's home looked very different. But when we talked about what had changed most for them, it wasn’t about wardrobes or cupboards.
It was this: "The clear kitchen table means we have played family games twice in the last 4 days!"
That's joy, KonMari-style. Not a perfect home, but a home that makes space for connection.
Their home had finally caught up with their lives.
Life After Decluttering: An organised home for a busy family
Hannah and her husband have a home that supports their family life rather than adding to the pressure. They can find what they need, enjoy time together and no longer feeling constantly behind - I was delighted to receive this lovely Google review from them.
— Hannah
Ready to start? 4 Tips to begin decluttering your family home
If Hannah's story has inspired you to organise your own home these are my top 4 practical tips to help you get started:
Imagine your ideal day-to-day life: Before touching a single item, take time to think about how you want your home to feel and function. What would make mornings easier? Where do things always pile up? This will guide your decisions around what to keep and discard.
Start small with one category, not one room: Choose either clothes (eg: tops, jeans etc), books or toys and gather everything in one place. You'll see the volume of what you own, identify duplicates and only need to make decisions about that type of item once.
Ask "does this fit our life now?": This is the time to choose the things that fit your current lifestyle - not the life from 5 years ago, or the one you think you 'should' have - it's ok to let these things go.
Give everything a home: Every item needs a designated place - this makes it easy to tidy up and prevents the clutter from creeping back in.
These tips will get you moving in the right direction, but if, like Hannah, you find it difficult to find the time (and motivation) to declutter your home yourself, working with a professional organiser may make a difference.
We can achieve more in a few days than you might do in months of weekends. I'll keep you motivated, help you get unstuck when decisions are difficult, and use my experience to create systems that work for your family.
Curious about how it works? Find out what to expect when you work with a professional organiser.
Ready to declutter your home with the KonMari Method?
If you're ready to make your home work better for you, working with a professional organiser can make a real difference. As a KonMari Consultant based in Winchester, I help busy families across Hampshire, Surrey, Wiltshire and London create calm, organised homes that support their lives.
What would reclaiming just one space in your home make possible for you?
Hi! I’m Sue, a professional home organiser and KonMari Consultant based in Hampshire, UK. Trained by Marie Kondo. I specialise in rightsizing - helping growing families and empty nesters organise their homes to fit their lifestyles, without moving.
We declutter and organise to clear space and time, so they can get on with what really matters: enjoying life.
Are you ready to start living A Life More Organised?
Get in touch for a friendly, no-obligation chat about how I can help
m: 07740 782575
I'd love to keep in touch - why not follow me on Instagram or join in the conversation in my Facebook group
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