Marie Kondo is a professional organizer from Japan.  And her new Netflix show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo“ is an odd level of popular right now.  Here are five of her top tips for knocking out the clutter and organizing your home . . .

1.  Take inventory.  One of the first things she has people do is dump ALL their clothing in one spot.  Because once they see how much they have, it’s easier to get rid of stuff.  It works with other things too, like books and old electronics.

2.  Declutter in a specific order.  Clothes are a good thing to start with, because they’re relatively easy to let go of.  Then you can move on to things like old paperwork.  And sentimental stuff comes last, because you need to get used to letting go of stuff first.

3.  Look at each thing and ask yourself if it “sparks joy” in you.  Hold each item in your hand, then decide if it really brings you joy.  And if it doesn’t, get rid of it.  If you’re honest about it, you’ll end up surrounded by ONLY the stuff that makes you happy.

4.  Make sure every item has a home.  Don’t leave your shoes by the door OR in your bedroom OR under the table.  Any of those spots are fine, just choose ONE of them and be strict about it.  It’ll help avoid clutter, and you’ll always know where everything is.

5.  Respect your stuff.  In each episode, she has people kneel on the floor and silently pay respect to their home.  And every time they get rid of something, they thank it for its service, because it makes it easier to let go.