Miscellaneous items (komono) are not just one category. They are everything that doesn’t fit into clothes, books, papers, or sentimental items.

Unlike clothes or books, komono is:

• Scattered: You can find it everywhere: in the bathroom, kitchen, car, or hallway.
• Mixed: Different things are placed together, like a screwdriver next to a hair tie.
• Easy to ignore: We stop noticing these items because they blend into our daily life.

They don’t live in one place, but spread across your home.

“Komono is where clutter hides without being noticed.”

That’s why, before you start picking things up, you need a clear way to approach it.

Don’t Start with Items. Start with Structure

Komono doesn’t work like clothes, books, or papers. If you try to gather all miscellaneous items in one place, you’ll quickly feel overwhelmed. There are just too many different types of things: a hammer, a kitchen tool, a makeup item, and more.

Instead, start with a checklist. A checklist gives you:

• Clarity: You know exactly what you are looking for.
• Direction: You have a roadmap so you don't get lost.
• Control: You decide when a session starts and ends.

Create Your Komono Checklist

This is the most important step. In fact, the checklist itself solves most of the problem.

When you break komono into clear subcategories, you are already organizing your thinking. And once your thinking is clear, your actions become easier.

In The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo suggests a specific order for sorting komono. Based on her guidance, I’ve adapted it to fit my own apartment.

You can use this as a starting point and adjust it to suit your space:

1. Skin Care, Makeup & Hair

These are personal care items used daily for hygiene, grooming, and appearance. This category can include items from different family members and is often spread across bathrooms and personal spaces.

• Skincare: cleansers, creams, serums, sunscreen, shaver  
• Body care: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, deodorant
• Makeup: foundation, lipstick, mascara, nail products, Makeup brushes and tools
• Hair items: combs, brushes, hair ties, clips, styling products
• Hair tools: hairdryer, straightener, curling tools

2. Accessories

These are items you wear or carry to complete your outfit or daily look.

• Jewelry (necklaces, rings, earrings)
• Watches
• Belts
• Hats and scarves
• Bags, wallets, purses
• Hair accessories (clips, bands)

4. Valuables

Important items that require extra care and should always have a clear, safe place.

• Passports, ID cards
• Credit cards, cash
• Bank documents
• Important papers
• High-value jewelry (if stored separately)

5. Electronics & Accessories

This category includes both your devices and all the small items that come with them. These are often the most tangled and easy to accumulate.

• Devices: phones, tablets, cameras, headphones
• Cables, chargers, adapters
• Batteries, memory cards
• Kitchen electronics (blender, toaster)

6. Household Items (Stationery, Tools, Equipments)

These are practical items you use for daily tasks, work, fixing things, or small hobbies.

• Pens, pencils, notebooks
• Office supplies (tape, scissors, staplers)
• Tools (hammer, screws, nails)
• Cleaning tools (broom, mop, bucket, brushes)
• Sewing kits, craft supplies
• Small decor items, souvenirs

7. Household Supplies (Consumables)

These are items you use up over time and need to restock regularly.

• Medicine and first aid
• Cleaning products, detergents
• Tissues, paper goods
• Spare bulbs, candles

8. Kitchen Goods & Food Supplies

Everything related to cooking, eating, and storing food.

• Pots, pans
• Plates, bowls, cutlery
• Cup, mugs, glasses
• Cooking tools (spatulas, whisks)
• Food containers
• Spices, sugar, seasonings, baking ingredients
• Dry food (spices, tea, coffee, baking items)

9. Others

This is a flexible category for anything that doesn’t clearly fit into the groups above.

• Spare change
• Random small items
• Leftover things you’re unsure about

Work One Subcategory at a Time

The key to avoiding burnout is to work in slices. Pick one subcategory from your checklist, let’s say "Electronics & Accessories". Now, go through every single room, drawer, and every bag in your house and gather only electronic devices, and accessories.

By focusing on just one clear slice of your home, you aren't decluttering the "whole house", but just the "Electrical category", which feels totally doable.

Evaluate: Joy vs Function

Now comes the decision part. Instead of just asking: “Does it spark joys?”, you hold each item in your hand and ask:

• Does it serve a real purpose?
• Do I actually use it?

With komono, function matters more than emotion.

Decisions should feel quick and light. If a pen doesn’t work, throw it away. If you have five umbrellas but only two people in your house, keep the two best ones and let the rest go.

Thank and Let Go

Before you discard an item, take a moment to acknowledge the item and appreciate its use. It doesn’t have to be long or dramatic, just a quick and simple thought:

“You were useful when I needed you.”

This small step creates a sense of closure. It helps you let go without guilt.

Store with Intention (Not Just Organization)

Once you have finished a subcategory, it’s time to put things in. Storage is not about hiding things; it’s about making them easy to live with.

• Group by Category: All "Tools" should live together. All "Stationery" should live together. Never split a category into two different rooms if you can help it.
• Use Boxes: You don't need fancy containers. Shoeboxes or small smartphone boxes are perfect for dividing drawers.
• Keep Items Visible: If you can't see it, you won't use it (or you'll buy a duplicate).
• Keep Items Upright: Whenever possible, stand items up instead of stacking them. Stacking creates a "grave" where the items at the bottom are forgotten.

What If an Item Feels Emotional?

Sometimes you’ll pick up a "miscellaneous" item like a keychain from a vacation or a pen from a late grandfather, and it will feel heavy if you just decide if it’s useful or not.

If an item triggers deep memories or emotional processing, don’t try to decide right away. Set it aside and move it to your sentimental category. Komono is meant to be quick and practical. Save that kind of reflection for the very end of your KonMari journey.

Expect to Miss Things (And That’s Okay!)

You may notice something during or after decluttering as you go through your checklist.

Some items may not seem to belong to any of your subcategories. You might also come across things later, like a small item hidden in a coat pocket, that didn’t appear in your first round.

That’s completely normal.

Your checklist is just a starting point. As you move through each subcategory, you will naturally discover items that don’t fit your original system or didn’t appear at first.

When that happens, you can either create a new subcategory or set those items aside and handle them after finishing your main checklist.

Don’t aim for 100% perfection. Aim for 80% clarity.

Once your main checklist is done, your home will already have a clear structure. So when these items appear later, you’ll know exactly where they belong. Just process them then and move on.

Decluttering komono is not just about cleaning. It’s about building awareness.

When you know exactly where your passport is, or when your chargers are no longer a tangled mess, daily life feels lighter. These are small, quiet changes, but they make your life easier and calmer over time.

Start with your checklist today. Which subcategory feels easiest for you to begin with?