Learning From Literature

The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Cover of The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art Of Decluttering And Organizing by Marie Kondo is a self-help book published in 2010. 

When you put your house in order, you put your affairs and past in order, too, positively affecting all other aspects of your life, including work and family. With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house spark joy, Kondo advises all – whether you find it challenging to tidy, tidy but suffer rebound, or want to tidy but don’t know where to start.

Kondo has spent 80% of her life dedicated to the subject and helping others with the process. None of her clients have “rebounded,” she has a 3-month waiting list, her public conferences sell out overnight, and she also has a waiting list to get on the waiting list! Overall, she estimates that the number of things her clients have discarded easily exceeds 1 million.

Purchase the book by clicking this link!

Enjoy!

Table Of Contents

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Why Can’t I Keep My House In Order?
  • When it comes to tidying, we are all self-taught
    • We’re not trained as part of our upbringing (unlike cooking, etc)
  • Put your house in order all at once
    • Rebound occurs when people believe they’ve tidied thoroughly but really only sorted & stored halfway
    • You will see instant results
  • Tidying is 2 acts:
    • Deciding whether or not to dispose of something
    • Deciding where to put it
  • Tidiness of your room reflects your state of mind
  • “Storage” is a trap
    • Putting things away doesn’t mean clutter has been solved
    • Tidy by category, not location — avoids repeating the same work in many locations
  • 1 reason so many fail is because we have too much stuff
    • Excess is caused by ignorance of how much
  • Tidying is a special event – not for everyday
    • When your house is in order, “tidying” is reduced to simply putting things where they belong (eventually an unconscious habit)
Finish Discarding First
  • Don’t even think of putting things away until you have finished discarding
  • 1st — identify your concrete goal
    • Picture the lifestyle your ideal space would give you
  • Think in terms of category, not place
    • Many same-category items are stored in 2+ places (clothes, toiletries, etc)
  • 2nd — Begin with categories that are easier to make decisions about
    • clothes → books → papers → miscellaneous → mementos
  • 3rd — only selection criteria: Does It Spark Joy? (when held)
    • If so, keep – If not, discard
    • Consciously think for a while on each object (need quiet space to think)
  • Don’t let your family know the details of your discarding
    • Parents instinctively want their kids to keep things & not be in scarcity
  • To truly cherish things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose
Tidying By Category
  • Gather every object in the category within the entire house → lay them on the floor (yes, even books & papers) → handle each item one-by-one and consciously think if you feel a spark of joy when touching it
  • Clothing
    • Don’t demote to “loungewear” → discard it
    • Usually left with ~1/3 to 1/4 of original pile
    • Majority should be folded into simple, smooth rectangle (solving storage problems)
    • Hang clothes that look happier hung up – by category
  • Books
    • The moment you first encounter a book is the best to read it – to avoid missing that, keep your collection small
    • Don’t start reading – criteria is whether you feel spark of joy when you grab it
    • You’re going to reread very few of books
  • Papers
    • Dispose anything not in 3 categories – currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or keep indefinitely
    • NOT sentimental things like letters, cards, etc
  • Miscellaneous (in order)
    • CDs, DVDs
    • Skin Care Products
    • Makeup
    • Accessories
    • Valuables (passports, credit cards)
    • Electrical Equipment (cameras, cords)
    • Household Equipment (stationary, sewing kits)
    • Household Supplies (medicine, detergents, tissues)
    • Kitchen/Food Supplies (spatulas, pots, blenders)
    • Other (change, figurines)
    • Hobby Subcategory (if you have many items related to specific activity)
  • Sentimental Items
    • No matter how wonderful they used to be, we cannot live in the past – we need the joy now
    • Don’t send to your parents’ home – usually never retrieved
    • By consciously handling & deciding what to discard, you process your past
  • Photos
    • Remember – purpose is to show a specific event / time
  • Clients almost never realize how much they had until they began tidying
  • Get rid of excess immediately
    • Friends / Those In Need
    • Recycle
    • Donation Shop
  • By reducing, you revitalize your relationship with your belongings
Storing
  • Designate a spot for every single thing
    • Keeping tidy becomes second nature
    • Item without a home → increases chances for clutter
  • Pursue storage simplicity
    • Store items of the same type in the same place
    • Don’t scatter storage space
    • Clearly define separate spaces for each family member (1 per person)
  • Clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong
    • Therefore storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away (not to get them out)
  • When you’re choosing what to keep, ask your heart – when you’re choosing where to store something, ask your house
    • No need for commercial storage items like dividers, narrow shelves, etc
    • Wait until you’ve completed the process & then take time looking for storage items you really like
  • Transform the home into a sacred place with pure energy
    • Eliminate excess visual information
  • Appreciate your belongings
    • Use your closet as a private space (mementos, etc)
The Magic Of Tidying Transforms Your Life
  • Things we really like don’t change — putting your house in order is a great way to discover what they are
  • Letting go is more important than adding (read Essentialism)
  • 2 Reasons We Can’t Let Go
    • Attachment to the past
    • Fear for the future
  • How you want to live your life determines what you want to own
  • “Detox” our house → detox effect on our bodies
    • Discarding books & documents → minds tend to become clearer
  • Tidying is the act of restoring balance among people, their possessions, and the house they live in
  • Pour time & passion into what brings you the most joy – your mission in life

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