A number one New York Times Best-Seller, Jamie and I had skimmed portions of this book on many visits to Barnes and Noble before we took the plunge and decided to purchase it. In her book, the life changing magic of tidying up: the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing by marie kondo, she lays out a methodology as well as builds a case for the necessity of decluttering our homes through pursuing simplicity in our spaces. She also has a series on Netflix right now…
Each year, Jamie and I make a concerted effort toward pursuing simplicity, and it always seems like a steady journey more than a final destination. My hunch is that this is true for most folks who pursue simplicity. One does not necessarily “arrive” as much as one deploys tools and activities to cultivate simplicity. Kondo’s book is one such tool.
If you desire greater simplicity in your home, feel like your space is becoming cluttered and chaotic, or simply want to have a framework for getting rid of and organizing your things, then definitely pick up a copy of this book.
The book contains a series of what feel like gigantic steps that can be taken to eliminate clutter. I say they feel gigantic, because the activities confront us with just how much stuff many of us tuck away into various receptacles. Her starting point for tidying up is found in our wardrobes, and her challenge is this. Take EVERY item of clothing you own, and dump it on the floor in one space. In this one act, Jamie and I were confronted pretty powerfully with the incredible amount of t-shirts and other clothing we have amassed at conferences and events over the years as well as just how much we tuck away, awaiting for the “right” occasion to wear something that just isn’t worn out yet. Kondo’s approach to clothing is one of shock and awe. First, there is a shock to seeing the sheer volume of clothing we have. And then comes the awe. She says that we should only keep items of clothing that evoke joy when we wear them. If we don’t wear them, or if they do not evoke joy when we wear them, it’s time for them to go.
Kondo goes systematically through every major area of the home including (gulp!) books with a similar methodology. For me, her book was a catalyst to take a hard look at my book collection and evaluate texts based on the joy they evoked. My temptation has always been to hold on to books in the event that I might want to share a reference in a talk I give or in something I write. As I took a look at my collection of books, I realized that many were highly unlikely to be read again, and while I found most of the books I have read to be beneficial and shaping, that benefit and shaping has largely already taken place with most of those books. And so, I have said goodbye or I have books in a staging area preparing for their farewell before they delight a new reader, as a result of this book.
Looking for a kick-start to decluttering your home and life, look no further than this book. If you have attempted and failed in the past, you may have a kindred spirit in the author. She also attempted many other paths to decluttering her life before she landed on this one, and she deploys it with others on a regular basis now. Her book is a gift to us if we are looking for ways to bring greater simplicity and less clutter into our lives.