Compact Living: India's certified KonMari consultant reveals how to keep your home clutter-free with the best organisers

HT Shop Now's Compact Living offers a guide to tackling everyday clutter. This is backed by expert insight, and picks that work in busy family homes in India.

Simple home organisers and Rachna Kacker in action. (Rachna Kacker (Messmerize India))

By Neha Ravi Khandelwal

Neha Khandelwal
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.

Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.

A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.

Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.

Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.

Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."

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I organise and then reorganise my home far more often than I would like to admit. Yet the calm never seems to last. With two kids and a large joint family, things quietly pile up faster than I can clear them. The clutter is not dramatic, just constant. One drawer spills into another, cupboards feel fuller every month, and the cycle starts again.

That is when I reached out to Rachna Kacker, founder of Messmerize India and one of the few certified KonMari Consultants in India. For the uninitiated, a KonMari Consultant is a certified professional trained by Japanese organising consultant Marie Kondo's organisation. With years of practical experience across Indian homes, Rachna's approach is grounded and realistic. I asked her the question that had been bothering me for years. Where does clutter really begin, and what is the right way to deal with it so the effort actually lasts?

“Clutter usually builds up in spaces that store a little bit of everything and don’t have clear categories. The only way to create lasting change is to declutter category by category, take everything out so you can see what you truly own, and then build simple systems every family member can maintain.”

That conversation sent me online, too. I looked at organisers I already use, newer options with strong user reviews, and a few quietly functional pieces that tick every box without much attention. From that mix, I narrowed down a shortlist of must-have organisers suited to each clutter-prone area.

Top organisers for the cluttered zones in your home

Drawers and small storage units

These are usually the first places clutter hides because they feel small and harmless. Over time, they turn into catch-all zones where random items quietly pile up without notice.

Identifying the clutter
Chargers, loose papers, cosmetics, keys and stationery end up sharing the same space. With no clear category, items overlap, get forgotten, and make even simple tasks feel annoying.

How to declutter
• Empty the drawer fully and sort items by clear categories
• Use shallow organisers so everything stays visible
• Assign one purpose to each drawer and stick to it

1. JD FRESH Polypropylene Set of 20 Drawer Organiser/Unbreakable Drawer Organizers/Dressing Table Organizer/Multi-Purpose Storage Boxes/Drawer Divider Tray for Kitchen/Bedroom/Office -(Clear Transparent)

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2. HIRNAYA Multi purpose 3 Tier Drawer Organizer, Expandable Junk Drawers Organizer, Foldable Smart Organizer, Collapsible Shallow Storage Drawers Tray Desk Organizer for Makeup, Jewelry, Office Storage

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Every product review clearly lists the Pros and Cons, giving you a balanced view.

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3. Drawer Dividers Organizer with Partition Expands from

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Kids’ rooms

Children’s rooms collect clutter faster than any other space because they grow, change interests, and receive new things constantly. Without simple systems, mess returns within days of cleaning.

Identifying the clutter
Toys, books, art supplies, clothes and school items compete for space. Too many options overwhelm kids, making it harder for them to put things away or enjoy what they own.

How to declutter
• Rotate toys instead of storing everything together
• Keep storage low so children can manage it themselves
• Group similar items so clean up feels clear and quick

4. ecofynd Stuffed Animal Toy Hammock, Hanging Cotton Organizer Storage for Soft Toys, Boho Large Hang Plush Toys, Net Holder for Nursery Kids, Play Room, Bedroom, Kid Room (BH027)

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5. Amazon Basics Foldable & Stackable Clothes Organizer For Wardrobe | Set Of 10 (White), Plastic

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6. STAR WORK 25 Liters/Toy Storage Box Large Size/Toy Storage Organiser/Toy Basket Storage Box for Kids Big Size (Pack Of 1 / Multi-Color/Stakable/Wheels/Locking Lid & Handle Color may vary)

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The kitchen

The kitchen stays functional even when cluttered, which is why excess often goes unnoticed. Over time, cupboards fill up while daily routines continue without questioning what is actually needed.

Identifying the clutter
Duplicate tools, mismatched containers, unused gadgets and extra groceries slowly take over shelves and counters, especially when multiple people use the kitchen daily.

How to declutter
• Remove duplicates and items unused for months
• Create clear zones for daily and occasional use
• Keep systems simple so everyone follows the same flow

7. Kitchenwell Round Multi-Purpose Rotatable Trolley Storage Organizer Kitchen Storage Rack Design Fruits & Vegetable Onion Cutlery Dish Rack (Matt Black, Round - 3 Layer)

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8. Allkartz Pots and Pan Organizer Rack for Kitchen | 8 Tier Pot Rack with 3 DIY Methods Adjustable Rack Pan Holder for Kitchen Storage | Pot Stand for Kitchen Organizers Kadai Tawa Storage Pot Lid Pans

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9. DIVYA 2-Layer Microwave Stand, OTG Stand, Microwave Oven Platform Rack, Kitchen Storage Shelf (Walnut Brown & Black Pipe,Alloy Steel;Engineered Wood, Tiered Shelf) (Black) (Large)

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(Compact Living is a series where design student and HT Lifestyle expert Neha Ravi Khandelwal shares ideas for smarter, clutter-free homes. For this feature, the expert suggested the broad categories. The final product selections were made independently by the editorial team. Listings are not ranked in any order of preference or priority.)

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Decluttering and organising your home: FAQs

How often should you declutter your home?

A full declutter works best once or twice a year. Smaller resets can happen seasonally or when routines change. Regular edits stop clutter from quietly building back up.

Should you declutter room by room or category by category?

Category based decluttering is far more effective. It shows you how much you actually own and makes decisions clearer. Rooms can wait. Categories bring faster and longer lasting results.

What if other family members are not on board?

Start with your own things. Visible change creates curiosity, not resistance. Simple systems also make it easier for others to follow along without feeling forced or corrected.

How do you stop clutter from returning?

Clear categories, easy storage and realistic systems matter more than perfection. If putting something away feels effortless, the habit sticks and the space stays calmer for longer.

The author of this article holds a Master's Degree in Interior Design and has spent over a decade in research, teaching, and designing homes from scratch.

Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, concerning the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.