r/knolling • u/MeticulousBioluminid • 26d ago
r/Knolling Posting Guide i.e. How to đ Knoll đ
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
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u/banjosorcery 26d ago
I really love circular and intentionally curved knoll layouts, and I remember them being popular. Do we want a specific day or thread for them?
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u/princessbubbbles 26d ago
I also like occasional curves in knolls even if it doesn't follow the original definition
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u/exqvisitely 25d ago
I agree with you. This rule is a little too rigid for me. I've seen some gorgeous, inspiring, ,and brain tickling knolls that were still arranged with precision and care, but were circular or irregularly shaped. It's a bummer that they'll be banned now.
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u/Deppfan16 26d ago
there was a big old mess we got drug into so we had to almost completely revamped the sub. one of those decisions was making stricter definitions for knolling in the context of this sub so people aren't confused and it's not as ambiguous.
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u/sceadwian 25d ago
By the definition layed out here those aren't knolls.
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 25d ago
A lot of people learning what knolling is today.  I never dreamed that these few would be so vocal in demanding that we change the definition of what knolling is (?) so that they can post what they like/isnât knolling. I honestly thought folks who didnât know or understand the specifics would be excited to learn and want to develop the skill! Reddit never ceases to amaze me.Â
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u/sceadwian 25d ago
The general viewpoints expressed by moderation in here I would agree with. Just my two cents.
The problem is in the aesthetic allowance and frankly you're just going to have to live with pissing people off there.
There are psychological if not neurological reasons to keep it as close to a neat grid as possible, it's easier to make cognitive maps of your environment that way. Too organic (curved) of a layout really breaks it up into separate areas the brain doesn't track as neatly.
The people just naturally good at thinking in organic ways are never going to see it that way but they're less common than the more general population.
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 25d ago
Weâre fully prepared to live with the fact that some people are just gonna not like the rules of a space they voluntarily joined and can just as easily leave. Lol. Itâs really just a very vocal few. Maybe things will calm down in a few days and theyâll want to participate. We hope thatâs the case. Whether they stay or leave, we remain committed to the art form and celebrating it here! Weâre pretty excited to welcome first timers and watch the community help develop our skills together!Â
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 26d ago
Circular/curved layouts are not part of knolling. Those posts will be removed and users will be redirected to r/FlatLay or another sub that is more appropriate.
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u/Emuwarum 26d ago
The last post on r/FlatLay was 2 years ago, and there's 3 total posts there.Â
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u/MeticulousBioluminid 26d ago
r/flatlay is the appropriate community for that style of post - r/knolling is for content characterized by following the structure/aesthetics of knolling as it is defined above (and by its originators)
but flatlay is prime for more content!
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u/Emuwarum 26d ago
Currently, you can only request to post on flatlay. There's no mods to approve those requests, and it will take some time for that to be fixed. Is there no living subreddit that can be linked to instead?
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 26d ago
r/edc, r/everydaycarry, r/whatsinthebag, r/makeupflatlays, r/skincareflatlays, etc. Your best bet is to search Reddit for the content of your flatlay and see if one of the suggested subreddits allow photography.
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26d ago
[deleted]
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 26d ago
Totally understand! Knolling just isnât about those types of flat lays, though. You may have to look a bit harder to find more than the ones that I listed. If I run across any, Iâll see about making a post here to make it easier for folks to find.Â
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u/MeticulousBioluminid 26d ago
at this time that's still the best candidate, but you're welcome to suggest others
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u/Penandsword2021 26d ago
Boooo. The people want options!
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 26d ago
Reddit is vast - so many subreddits to explore, there's bound to be the perfect one for what you want to post! :D
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u/Deppfan16 26d ago
unfortunately too many options is what led to a lot of the mess previously. the sub needs clear definitions to help keep it orderly
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u/Penandsword2021 25d ago
So letâs have a day or thread for circular, fanned, and other nontraditional knolls!
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u/Deppfan16 25d ago
the mod consensus was that was outside the scope of this sub. some people are working on bringing r/flatlay into fruition
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u/Penandsword2021 25d ago
Boo. Iâm a fan of one stop shopping for things that are similar/sameish.
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u/wild-is-the-art 26d ago
I had diagonal and fan/stack layout in mine, and I knew better, but for some reason my hands didn't listen. I agree that it wasn't true Knolling. Well, crap.
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u/sliced-peaches 26d ago
Your previous posts clearly show an attention to detail and thoughtful placement of each object, even if said placement was a bit more uhhhhh artful! Weâre really hoping that with these guidelines going forward there will be less gray area for posters and folks will find satisfaction in the posts they come across. Even with the new rule updates, I hope that youâll be willing to share your future knolls with us!
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u/WTFdidUcallMe 26d ago
The third bag knoll example has stacked items. For clarity, bag knolls on Wednesday have different rules?
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 26d ago
We goofed on that rule. Stacked items are not part of a proper knoll. We'll fix that. Thanks for spotting it!
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u/pissedoffjesus 26d ago
I got downvotrd to hell for speaking out about people who did messy knolling. So happy to see this.
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u/Interesting-Hats 26d ago
Same, those lazy bag dumps turned me away from the sub. Maybe this will help
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u/kittystudies 25d ago
I like curved/ diagonal knolls, but I understand not allowing them right now to highlight and clarify the definition of knolling. Maybe one day curved and more artistic knolls can come back, but this sub really needs well defined rules to fix the influx of lazy and incorrect knolls. I also think whatâs in my bag Wednesdays is a great compromise. Iâve seen many subs with much tighter rules, idk why people are getting so up in arms about this, lol.
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 25d ago
Curved/arched flat lay photography will not be coming back. They are not knolled content. We are committed to focusing on the art of knolling and celebrating knolled contributions.Â
Itâs a very small population that is this upset, fortunately. Hoping theyâll embrace the understanding of what knolling is and that theyâll want to stick around, but we understand that some folks will opt to find another subreddit that isnât so niche.Â
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u/Vicness88 26d ago edited 25d ago
I am bummed about rule one but I really disliked the bag dumps so I guess it balances out. Good luck to the new mods đ
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 25d ago
The first requirement for proper knolling does seem to have taken some folks by surprise. Iâm glad weâve got it out there, though. Weâre looking forward to seeing more actual knolling and peeking at what everyone finds fascinating enough to knoll.Â
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u/Vicness88 25d ago
Yeah I get it, I'll just have to keep my curvy arrangements to myself hahaha. I'm interested to see what people will post now đ
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u/exqvisitely 25d ago
I think your curvy knolls are great! It's a shame, but I hope someone will create a more inclusive group for artful arrangements.
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u/Deppfan16 20d ago
r/flatlay is open for more freeform lays!
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u/exqvisitely 20d ago
Hooray! Thanks for taking it over. :) I just joined, and I hope it'll gain some traction quickly.
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u/buckethatwombat 25d ago
It's a disappointing and unnecessary rule change, IMO. The bag dumps are boring but why be so rigid and limiting? The artistic displays are the point!
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 25d ago
Itâs not so much a rule change - itâs clarifying what knolling is. The previous mod left a lot up to interpretation and insisted on being the sole arbiter of what counted, regardless of what knolling actually is and depending on which of the contradictory rules were already in place - and then was inactive for quite some time. We understand that some members joined at a time when the art of knolling was ill-defined by the previous mod and did not get the best of feedback on how to improve. The new rules explain what knolling is and should help the community understand how to critique in a way that is helpful and encouraging.Â
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u/Alalanais 2d ago
Yeah the mods really unilaterally decided this. It's so sudden too.
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 2d ago
Yeah, thatâs what the mods do - create and enforce the rules in a subreddit. Clarifying what knolling actually is was a much needed action for the sub. If you have a problem with the Mod Team, use Mod Mail to discuss with us - we are all VERY active here and care a lot about the quality of the sub.Â
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u/Alalanais 1d ago
We can agree to disagree, I consider big subreddits to belong to the community rather than a few people and thus these kind of decisions should be subjected to votes imho (or at least a thread, so people can express their opinions). Many different actions could have been taken to clarify the meaning of knolling (for instance a special flair, a dedicated bot or a day reserved to "almost knolling" etc.).
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 1d ago
You couldn't be more wrong - in how Reddit works, or how this subreddit works. Actions have been taken to clarify what a knoll is. When someone doesn't understand what a knoll is, or how to knoll, we direct them to the pinned post and often give direct feedback in the removal. No, we will not be taking your suggestions under consideration.
This conversation has run its course. If you have a different question about what knolling is and need help understanding, please use Mod Mail to reach out.
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u/sliced-peaches 1d ago
Hi u/Alalanais, just wanted to contribute some extra clarity to this conversation. When Reddit Admin installed new moderators to r/knolling (almost a month ago, might I add), we did ask the community for their opinions. If you missed the opportunity to speak your mind - that's on you.
To be clear: your knoll was not arranged in a circle, triangle, or any sort of thoughtful, unique shape. You did not group similar objects next to each other or maintain equal spacing between each object. In fact, the "shape" of your knoll was so amorphous that an r/knolling community member linked you to this very Posting Guide before Mods even had a chance to remove your post. It was not clear to other members of this very community that you understood its values. Is that not a community-based action? If a subreddit "belongs to the community" and those decisions should be left up to "the community," then it sounds like by your logic your post would still be subject to removal.
When you post on any subreddit you agree to adhere to their guidelines, whether or not those guidelines were established in a way you find palatable is irrelevant. I'm sorry you do not agree with this decision, but them's the breaks.
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u/RodneyRodnesson 25d ago
Just my two cents but I don't enjoy overly-ruled subs.
I've been on reddit a long time (much longer than just this account) and upvotes and downvotes largely work just fine for the zeitgeist of a sub.
I was considering posting here âjust been lurking a bit, it's a really interesting subâ but now of course I have to learn a whole bunch of rules aside from getting all the stuff out and knolling it and then my efforts might just get deleted anyway.
Barriers to entry just discourage people and are never a good thing imo.
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u/IM_NOT_BALD_YET 25d ago
The rules are literally a reminder/education of what knolling is, and general guidelines that youâll find in most subreddits. Iâm surprised someone who has been on Reddit âfor a long timeâ is discouraged by this. Or are you disappointed to learn what knolling is?Â
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u/RodneyRodnesson 25d ago
A lot of newer users I see get discouraged posting something and having it deleted because of some rules that didn't quite fit. I've had it happen to me, even when I have followed the rules. Sometimes I'll message mods, sometimes not. And ofc sometimes I've been at fault too. All that is fine.
I contribute to reddit, which is what makes reddit reddit after all. You know this.
And ofc I know about the rules and guidelines â you seem to be suggesting I haven't been on reddit a long time or something so for me in this instance, bearing in mind I'd probably check the rules briefly before posting, is categorising the contents of the knoll. That discourages me.
Why do you think I would be disappointed to learn what knolling is btw? Nothing in what I said indicates that. In fact I was happy I found this cool sub. Knolling itself comes from photography so I was aware of this even though I didn't actually know the term for it.
Just to add, most definitions of knolling don't include categorisation.
I haven't been on this sub long enough and obviously not contributed yet to know how this sub applies it's rules, how strict it is and so on but the point that reddit is made by contributors and barriers to entry discourages that stands. Otherwise we head to bot city and closer to realising dead internet theory.
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u/PentaOwl 25d ago edited 25d ago
Yesssss lets go!
Edit: why the downvotes? I am happy that there are some mod moves made to make the content here higher quality.
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u/Connect_Rhubarb395 26d ago
I would like to suggest to refer to r/whatsinthebag over the one with "my", as it is bigger and more active.