Marie Kondo shared the one thing she regrets throwing away

The organization expert wishes she didn't get rid of a gift from her sister

Marie Kondo helping a woman to organize clothes
(Image credit: Alamy)

Marie Kondo is synonymous with ruthless decluttering, space-saving folding methods and all-round tidiness. She has made the world consider whether their belongings truly 'spark joy,' single-handedly inspiring millions to try new organization ideas and simply get rid of their stuff.

When asked if there's anything she regrets letting go of, the organization guru revealed that she wishes she had held onto a pair of scissors once given to her as a gift.

Japanese food and scissors

(Image credit: Getty)

Marie Kondo explained in an interview that the item she most regretted decluttering was a pair of small kitchen scissors for preparing her children’s food, given to her by her younger sister. 'I thought I would never use them, so I gave them away to another mother,' Marie laments. 

'But now that my children are getting older, I sometimes think those scissors would be much easier to use than a knife!' She comments that the lesson to be learned here is that it's important to find out how an item works if you're not sure, rather than just passing it on.

Generally speaking, it's rare that we end up regretting anything we give away - and if you do make a real mistake, most items can be replaced. Have you ever put clothes and miscellaneous items away in storage and totally forgotten about them? Exactly. 

Marie Kondo

(Image credit: Alamy)

Marie has helped people across the globe to organize their homes and get on top of mess with her four books and Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. The KonMari method encourages you to declutter by category rather than room - getting rid of clothing, books, papers, miscellaneous and sentimental items.

food scissors being used

(Image credit: Getty)

We know we couldn't maintain her methodical and minimalist approach ourselves - she recommends keeping no more than thirty books, after all. But there's just something about Marie Kondo that inspires you to look at how to declutter your wardrobe once and for all. 

The mere mention of her name can motivate us to tidy up our chest of drawers, clear out the clutter building under the bed or look at new kitchen storage ideas to restore order in our cabinets.

Unless it's your birth certificate, driver's licence or another important document, the chances are you can let it go.

Millie joined Real Homes in early 2021 as a homes news writer. When she isn't writing about trends, makeovers and houseplant care, she spends her free time making tweaks to her rented flat in North London. Her next project is a very basic armchair reupholstering job to help create a cosy reading nook in her living room. She loves browsing antique centres, tending to her small front garden, and is never without some fresh flowers at home.


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