Remember when Marie Kondo, the Japanese organization guru and author of the bestseller “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” took the world by storm with her Netflix show, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo?”

Using what she has dubbed the KonMari Method, Kondo emphasized surrounding yourself only with items that “spark joy” in your home — and discarding the items that don’t.

It’s still solid advice.

Professional local organizers continue to abide by similar guidelines to achieve an organized life. Here are their tips for for a happier, less cluttered home.

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Getting Started

Stephanie Pace, owner of Neat Method Pittsburgh — a local lifestyle service that specializes in organizing homes and offices — says decluttering your space isn’t so daunting if you take it one step at a time. For example, there’s no need to revisit your entire wardrobe from 2016 by emptying all your drawers and closets at once.

“It can get really overwhelming if you decide that you’re gonna tear apart your whole closet today. You’ll get about halfway through, and by the time you’ve pulled everything out, you’re exhausted,” she says.

Instead, set aside a little time each day to tackle one section of your closet.

“I would say start with your shoes first, sort them, purge them, figure out which ones you need to take to the cobbler, and the next day, maybe do your blouses,” she says. “Just take it step by step — don’t beat up on yourself if you’re not done within the expected time that you want to be done, because real life comes into play.”

Working step-by-step is effective even in extreme cases. Vickie Dellaquila, owner of Pittsburgh-based Organization Rules, has been a professional organizer for more than 20 years. She has helped families struggling with hoarding, chronic disorganization and inability to declutter due to serious illness. Dellaquila says that, along with a commitment to tidying, it’s important to define a vision and goal.

“Define what [decluttering] means. Does that mean I want to go through my whole house? Does it mean I want to go through my bedroom? My closet? My time?” Dellaquila says. “It’s making sure you want to do that, and have the energy to do it … It’s about really scheduling time with yourself, to make a commitment to do something.”

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The Big Sort

The experts agree the next step in the process is sorting by category. Dellaquila calls this the “big sort.”

“Basically you’re putting all financial items together. All healthcare items together. Big categories,” she says. “You have to make a big mess before you get there.”

Amelia Meena, owner of New York-based Apple Shine, Organization+Design, which partners with The Container Store to create custom design solutions, recommends clients start organizing in one of three areas — the hardest, the easiest or the biggest impact.

She defines the hardest as the most tasking area, physically or emotionally, to organize, such as going through a loved one’s former belongings or decluttering a place that has become so disorganized you don’t know where to start.

The easiest is an area, such as your desk or your closet, where you know what needs to be done to organize it, the issue is finding the time to do it.

The biggest impact involves organizing an area that would benefit you or your entire household. Examples include a kitchen counter or table that has become a dumping ground or a playroom strewn with toys.

“People need to recognize organization is not a cookie-cutter task,” Meena says. “You have to approach it based on your views and life habits and needs and how you or your family reacts to that.”

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A popular category Dellaquila recommends is organizing seasonal clothes; utilizing weather-tight bins in garages and basements can expand storage options for Pittsburghers living in tight spaces. For those without basements or garages, the same effect can be achieved by employing high shelves and space under the bed.

When something that holds sentimental value is taking up too much space, invest in memory bins.

“A lot of things, if it holds sentimental value but you’re not physically wearing it anymore, it doesn’t really need to take up space in your closet,” Pace says. “You can put it in a memory bin and stick it in the garage or up in the attic.”

Meena particularly loves Our Clear storage boxes. Sold at The Container Store in Pittsburgh, the transparent, stackable boxes come in a variety of sizes (Meena’s favorite is the “Deep Sweater” size) — and they’re cheap. Depending on size, the price per box ranges from $1.38 to $24.98.

“The height and weight of them fit on almost all shelving and they’re just super affordable,” Meena says.

Baskets are another go-to for decluttering with style. Pace often uses baskets to help clients get organized because they work in any room.

“Baskets are your best friends. You can get them of all shapes and sizes,” she says. “If you just keep them categorized, they can be amazing for staying organized. There’s not a single space in anyone’s house that I wouldn’t use lifestyle baskets in.”

Another one of the more disorganized categories is paper and bills, according to Dellaquila. Similarly to the “big sort,” she recommends categorizing bills and papers into like types. From there, she utilizes an accountant or IRS.gov, which offers advice on how long certain bills and documents should be kept and when they’re safe to throw away.

“You can go through and start sorting that financial category, down into bank statements, retirement information, savings, anything like that,” Dellaquila says. “Then you can decide, based on either IRS.gov … or if you have somebody who does your taxes, asking them … how much to keep of those items.”

Keys For Keeping It Decluttered

Maintenance of organizational habits are an imperative part of keeping a home decluttered, according to Dellaquila. She recommends creating a quarterly or biannual schedule for sorting and purging.

“You have to maintain it. So you’ve got to go in every few months. I think it’s good to either do it quarterly or maybe every six months, and let go of some of these things that are older,” she says.

If decluttering your entire house seems overwhelming, prioritize the kitchen. Pittsburgh’s older homes are notorious for their cramped kitchens, so Pace says a tidied cooking space can do wonders for homeowners. Even just tidying up just one area of your home can help ease stress.

“Pittsburgh kitchens are so tiny, because back in the day, it was just one person in the kitchen, but everybody wants to open up their space now and have an island and have everybody living in that area,” she adds.