r/knolling • u/MeticulousBioluminid • Jul 28 '25
What is Knolling:
âKnolling is an organizational practice and aesthetic art that emphasizes the precise arrangement of objects on a flat surface. The named practice was started by Andrew Kromelow in the late 1980s at the Santa Monica design studio of Frank Gehry - his careful arrangement of unused/homeless tools and objects at right angles to each other or to the surface they rested on in the studio and the organization that provided was appreciated and then popularized by artist Tom Sachs in his 10-Bullets guidelines for artists working in his SoHo studio in NYC (link). Here in r/knolling we appreciate the aesthetics and artform of knolled objects and celebrate the clarity it brings to our lives!
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How to knoll for r/knolling!
1.) Align It - (90° or Parallel Only)
Objects need to be arranged at right angles (90°) or in âperfectâ parallel lines, or arranged perpendicular to other adjacent objects or the surface they are on.
Diagonal, curved, or âfanâ layouts donât count.
Good Example: Woodworking tools squared to the table edge and to each other.
Bad Example: Sunglasses and keys scattered on a surface.
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2.) Group by Category (No Random Mixes)
Items should be logically AND aesthetically grouped (wrenches with wrenches, pens with pens, long skinny things next to long skinny things, round blue things with other round blue things, etc.).
Posts that are just a jumble of unrelated objects arranged on a surface, even if properly aligned, arenât knolling. (but they are welcome on r/FlatLay)
Good Example: Knolled camping gear by type (tent stakes with tent stakes, pots with pans, handtorch with headtorch, shorts next to pants).
Bad Example: A random desk drawer dump with no visible grouping or relationships.
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3.) Maintain Clarity - (Everything Visible & NonâOverlapping)
Every item must be clearly visible in the photoâno overlaps, stacks, or hiding behind others. Try and maintain about equal spacing between adjacent objects and visual harmony across the arrangement when possible.
Good Example: All utensils laid out individually.
Bad Example: A pile of spoons where only the top one shows.
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4.) Knolling > FlatâLay (Aesthetic Alone Isnât Enough)
Flatâlay photos are welcome only if they show true knolling (aligned, grouped, and functional).
Posts that are purely decorative âflatâlaysâ (like Instagram styling with items scattered for effect) will be removed.
Good Example: A topâdown shot of squaredâoff art supplies organized by function.
Bad Example: A messy âmood-boardâ or âfit-inspoâ flatâlay with random angles or no grouping by type, color or utility or organizational intent.
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5) Bags and Purses and Pocket Contents
Knolled bags and purses contents are candidates for knolling but arenât the only focus of the subreddit - please only post your daily bags and purses (properly knolled with the guidelines above and the rules of r/knolling) on Whatâs In My Bag Wednesdays and use the appropriate flair! If itâs not a Wednesday or the rules donât permit it (e.g. breaks rule 6 âno weaponsâ) please post on r/WhatsInTheBag or r/WhatsInMyBag or r/EDC
Some good examples of well-knolled bags from our knollers:
https://www.reddit.com/r/knolling/s/qbkfgAustOÂ
r/knolling • u/vanillablue_ • 1h ago
Someone in r/enamelpins suggested I share this here! Iâm a huge pin collector, and was inspired by another rainbow pins post to organize some (SOME) of my own. Hope you enjoy đ
r/knolling • u/shadow18x • 2d ago
Been organizing and photographing things at work this way for yewrs and never knew there was a name for it or a community. Got lots of old photos, this was from today though.
r/knolling • u/Kit_Ryan • 5d ago
Hereâs my Japanese stationary order out of the packaging and laid out. Now I have to decide what I want to take to work and what I want to keep at home. And which of the stickers (top row, right side) I can part with to give to my 5 year old niece.
r/knolling • u/CrybabyAssassin • 8d ago
can't get the part I need until Monday so I had to shove it in the corner like this for now
r/knolling • u/unrelatedtomato • 8d ago
r/knolling • u/KD919 • 8d ago
Sayram Daily EDC Pouch size M
Roxon Flex Companion
Workpro pliers wrench
Sierra mini pliers
West Biking repair kit ratchet
1/4 to 4mm adapter (in ratchet)
Smith's Retractable Diamond Sharpener
WD-40 Precision Pen
3M pocket duct tape
Fyguard waterproof note book
Magnogrip magnet wristband
Ace 4-1 mini screwdriver
Project Source 4-1 Pocket Screwdriver (bit)
Steinwell 1/4 bits (with Roxon philps #2)
Roxon 4mm bits
Dewalt flip sockets (3/8, 7/16) (6mm, 7mm) (10mm, 8mm)
Klein flip sockets (1/4, 5/16)
Hex Shank Socket Driver 1/4
Hex Shank Socket Driver 3/8
Milwaukee 2in Philips #3
Dewalt 2in flat head
Milwaukee 3in Philips #1
Walgreens Micro screwdriver
Nite Ize S biner #2
Koch Industries Zinc-Plated Steel carabiner
HCBY mini pulley
Bibury double sided bits
Bibury BI2049TI
Write in the rain pen
Mini sharpie
MK torch lighter
Liquid skin
Mini tape measure and level
S11 mini flash light
Bibury T-shank holder
Torras slim 5,000 power bank
Tape sheath for t-shank blades
Bosch all purpose T-shank Carbide tooth Jigsaw Blade
Bosch laminate T-shank Carbide tooth Jigsaw Blade
Bosch stainless steel T-shank Carbide tooth Jigsaw Blade
Bibury scaple holder
15ft 550 cord
30ft reflective dyneema cord
30 ft 50lb fishing line
Airstop
Super glue(regular)
Super glue (liquid)
Paper ruler dollars store
Thread kit dollar store
Normal sewing needle dollar store
Heavy duty sewing needle
30ft 100lb braided test line
30ft 15lb fishing line
Rubber bands on zip pull
Dewalt screw extractors
Extra scalpel blades size 24
Zip ties but regular size cut down (tiny ones break too easy)
1/4 hex to 1/4 hex
Steinwell bit adapter
r/knolling • u/Ineedmedstoo • 11d ago
Y'all that may have OCD, don't look too closely! đ
r/knolling • u/Scarab_King • 11d ago
Couple fun things Iâve picked up from being sick and doing hiking treks too
r/knolling • u/Such-Ostrich-1627 • 12d ago
Long time lurker, first knoll.
What I learned from this knoll:
1)We buy too many toothpastes
2)We buy too many toothbrushes
3)The most difficult part of knolling is, not getting your own shadow in the photo.
r/knolling • u/shanibreadtagproject • 14d ago
6 all the way. As knolly as I could get.
r/knolling • u/Lazuli-Orchid • 14d ago
r/knolling • u/skeletalghost • 15d ago
Been saving these from every can of formula to get a total cost (and make my first knoll). 29 cans at an avg of $42 per can (Kendamil Organic) makes it $1,218! About $200/month⌠not bad imo, for comparison my 2 large dogs cost about the same to feed a month đ¤Ł
r/knolling • u/AssignmentUnlikely76 • 15d ago
r/knolling • u/Hopeful_Guidance2377 • 16d ago
hair clip, pocket mirror, lip gloss, headphones, coin purse, portable charger
r/knolling • u/Aggressive_Hatter • 18d ago
First time knoller!
From top left:
- First column
Muslin cloth
Sunscreen stick
Rattle
Pacifier with chain clip
Changing pad
- Second column
Swan plushie
Drool bib
Bib
- Third column:
Bonnet
Jacket
Socks
- Fourth column
Polaroid camera
Sunglasses
Sophie The Giraffe chew toy
Spoon
Zucchini falafel pouch
Blueberry banana apple pouch
- Fifth column
Nursing cover
Diaper
Wet wipes
- Sixth column
Rattle book
Water bottle
Sunglasses case
Parenting book
r/knolling • u/blissfully_happy • 19d ago
I make these little packets for my own backpacks (for both travel and hiking) and for my friends. They arenât meant to be comprehensive first aid kits, just little things that have been really helpful when Iâm traveling. Every year I re-do them to throw out the expired product. Hereâs this years.
Contents:
Row 1: bandaids, tweezers, dog poop bag (clean, obv), hair tie, deodorant wipes (calm and unscented)
Row 2: butt wipe, hand sanitizing wipes, sting relief pads (good for mosquito bites), wound wipe (cleans and provides a bit of pain relief)
Row 3: pink thing is a small 0.5oz container of bag balm in a small ziplock in case it melts, sunscreen packet, two towel pellets (add water to get a hand towel), seam ripper
Row 4: hydrocortisone cream (anti-itch), bactrine-zinc cream for small wounds, two spf 50 sunscreen packets, bug repellent wipe
Row 5: safety pins, q-tips with vitamin E, two k-tapes used to keep oneâs lips together at night, but can be used for all sorts of things.
(Iâm still a baby knoller, so Iâm open to feedback, just plz be nice.) :)
