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Executive Summary of the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Book Swift
In The Life Changing Magic of Tidying's Book§ S ummary W ithout I ncessant F iller T raps we summarize the key points, fundamental concepts and valuable insights FREE Bonus How to Read a Book in One Day.In this instructional manual we share two proven methods the Book§Swift team utilizes to read a book a day and extract the key concepts from books in the shortest amount of time possible.Stop Wasting Your Time - Read Less, Know More with Book§Swift. Scroll up and buy now with 1-Click.*Please Note : The original is a wonderful and well-written book which is short and concise in itself. So if you have the time, we highly recommend you read the original. If you simply don't have the time or would like to quickly revise the main concepts, this summary will serve you well. It was solely written due to the large amount of requests we received for it! This is an Executive Summary of the original title and is NOT the original book itself.
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First published June 1, 2015
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January 15, 2018
This book was a mind changer and made me realize how much of my stuff did not “spark joy” and should be thrown out. It’s a quick read but it look me a few days to finish because after every chapter, I couldn’t wait to try her tiding techniques and quickly put it into gear. Prior to reading this book, I was already an organized freak but after learning the Kon Mari style, it seemed I was an organized hoarder. To the naked eye, my house is super clean and neat but the closets were stuffed with clothes and mementos that should’ve been thrown out years ago. It’s been a week since I put the method into practice and I must say that I’m super pleased with the results. Don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say you’ll spend much more time immersed in your hobbies than cleaning and organizing your stuff.
February 6, 2021
1/Why Can’t I keep my house in order? Most people don’t know how. If you tidy up in one shot, rather than little by little, you can dramatically change your mind-set. If you use the right method and concentrate your efforts on eliminating clutter thoroughly and completely within a short span of time, you’ll see instant results that will empower you to keep your space in order ever after. Tidying is just a tool, not a final destination. Putting things away creates the illusion that the clutter problem has been solved. Tidying up by location is a fatal mistake (should tidy by category). Effective tidying involves only two essential actions: discarding and deciding where to store things. Of the two discarding must come first. Tidying is a special event, don’t do it everyday. You will need to put stuff back where it belongs.
2/Finish Discarding first: Tidy in the right order. Do not even think of putting your things away until you have finished the process of discarding. Think in concrete terms so that yo can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space. The moment you start focusing on how to choose what to throw away, you have actually veered significantly off course. We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of. Take each item in one’s hand and ask: Does this spark joy? If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. Always think in terms of category, not place. People have trouble discarding things that they could still use (functional value), that contain helpful information (informational value), and that have sentimental ties (emotional value). When these things are hard to obtain or replace (rarity), they become even harder to part with. The best sequence is this: clothes first, then books, papers, miscellaneous, and lastly, momentos. It is extremely stressful for parents to see what their children discard. To quietly work away at disposing of your own excess is actually the best way of dealing with a family that doesn’t tidy. The urge to point out someone else’s failure to tidy is usually a sign that you are neglecting to take care of your own space. What you don’t need, your family doesn’t either.
3/Tidying by Category works like magic: What things bring you joy if you keep them as part of your life? Clothing order: tops, bottoms, clothes that should be hung (jackets, coats, suits), socks, underwear, bags, accessories, special event (bathing suit, uniforms), shoes. Put all on the floor and go through one by one asking the joy question. Down grading to loungewear is taboo. By neatly folding your clothes, you can solve almost every problem related to storage. The key to folding is to store things standing up rather than laid flat. Never tie up your stockings. Never, ever ball up your socks. Arrange books on the floor into these categories: general or pleasure, practical or reference, visual or photography type books, and magazines. The criterion is, of course, whether or not it gives you the thrill of pleasure when you touch it. In the end, you are going to read very few of your books again. The moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it. Papers: You should dispose of anything that dos not fall into one of three categories: currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or must be kept indefinitely. Make sure you keep all such papers in one spot only. Never let them spread to other parts of the house. Lecture papers: It’s paradoxical, but I believe that precisely because we hang on to such materials, we fail to put what we learn into practice. Presents are not ‘things’ but a means for conveying someone’s feelings. Change should go into your wallet. Sentimental items: No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel ere and now are more important. By handling each sentimental item and deciding what to discard, you process your past. Photos are enjoyed more when in an album. As you reduce your belongings through the process of tidying, you will come to a point where you suddenly know how much is just right for you. The fact that you possess a surplus of things that you can’t bring yourself to discard doesn’t mean you are taking good care of them. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Believe what your heat tells you when you ask, does this spark joy?
4/Storing your things to make your life shine: designate a place for each thing. Pursue ultimate simplicity in storage. Store all items of the same type and don’t scatter storage space. If you live with your family, first clearly define separate storage spaces for each family member. Everyone needs a sanctuary. 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 the effort needed to get them out. If you are aiming for an uncluttered room, it is much more important to arrange your storage so that you can tell at a glance where everything is than to worry about the details of who does what, where, when. When choosing what to keep, ask your heart; when you are choosing where to store something, ask your house. Rather than buying storage make due for now, wait until you have completed the entire process and then take your time looking for storage items that you really like. The best way to store bags is in other bags. Transform/decorate your closet into your own private space, one that gives you a thrill of pleasure. Appreciate your belongings.
5/The Magic of tidying dramatically transforms your life: At their core, the things we really like do not change over time. Putting your house in order is a great way to discover what they are. We realize that letting go is even more important than adding. The lives of those who tidy thoroughly and completely, in a single shot, are without exception dramatically altered. One of the magical effects of tidying is confidence in your decision making capacity. When we delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future. The question of what you own is actually the question of how you want to live your life. With less clutter, we do not need to search as much when we lose something, which is actually a stress reliever. Life becomes far easier once you know that things will still work out even if you are lacking something. Marie believes that tidying is a celebration, a special send-off for those things that will be departing from the house, and therefore I dress accordingly. In essence, tidying ought to be the act of restoring balance among people, their possessions, and the house they live in. Make your parting a ceremony to launch them on a new journey. If you can say without a doubt, ‘I really like this!’ no matter what anyone else says, and if you like yourself for having it, then ignore what other people think. It’s a very strange phenomenon, but when we reduce what we own and essentially detox our house, it detox effect on your body. Pour your time and passion into what brings you the most joy, your mission in life.
2/Finish Discarding first: Tidy in the right order. Do not even think of putting your things away until you have finished the process of discarding. Think in concrete terms so that yo can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space. The moment you start focusing on how to choose what to throw away, you have actually veered significantly off course. We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of. Take each item in one’s hand and ask: Does this spark joy? If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. Always think in terms of category, not place. People have trouble discarding things that they could still use (functional value), that contain helpful information (informational value), and that have sentimental ties (emotional value). When these things are hard to obtain or replace (rarity), they become even harder to part with. The best sequence is this: clothes first, then books, papers, miscellaneous, and lastly, momentos. It is extremely stressful for parents to see what their children discard. To quietly work away at disposing of your own excess is actually the best way of dealing with a family that doesn’t tidy. The urge to point out someone else’s failure to tidy is usually a sign that you are neglecting to take care of your own space. What you don’t need, your family doesn’t either.
3/Tidying by Category works like magic: What things bring you joy if you keep them as part of your life? Clothing order: tops, bottoms, clothes that should be hung (jackets, coats, suits), socks, underwear, bags, accessories, special event (bathing suit, uniforms), shoes. Put all on the floor and go through one by one asking the joy question. Down grading to loungewear is taboo. By neatly folding your clothes, you can solve almost every problem related to storage. The key to folding is to store things standing up rather than laid flat. Never tie up your stockings. Never, ever ball up your socks. Arrange books on the floor into these categories: general or pleasure, practical or reference, visual or photography type books, and magazines. The criterion is, of course, whether or not it gives you the thrill of pleasure when you touch it. In the end, you are going to read very few of your books again. The moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it. Papers: You should dispose of anything that dos not fall into one of three categories: currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or must be kept indefinitely. Make sure you keep all such papers in one spot only. Never let them spread to other parts of the house. Lecture papers: It’s paradoxical, but I believe that precisely because we hang on to such materials, we fail to put what we learn into practice. Presents are not ‘things’ but a means for conveying someone’s feelings. Change should go into your wallet. Sentimental items: No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel ere and now are more important. By handling each sentimental item and deciding what to discard, you process your past. Photos are enjoyed more when in an album. As you reduce your belongings through the process of tidying, you will come to a point where you suddenly know how much is just right for you. The fact that you possess a surplus of things that you can’t bring yourself to discard doesn’t mean you are taking good care of them. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Believe what your heat tells you when you ask, does this spark joy?
4/Storing your things to make your life shine: designate a place for each thing. Pursue ultimate simplicity in storage. Store all items of the same type and don’t scatter storage space. If you live with your family, first clearly define separate storage spaces for each family member. Everyone needs a sanctuary. 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 the effort needed to get them out. If you are aiming for an uncluttered room, it is much more important to arrange your storage so that you can tell at a glance where everything is than to worry about the details of who does what, where, when. When choosing what to keep, ask your heart; when you are choosing where to store something, ask your house. Rather than buying storage make due for now, wait until you have completed the entire process and then take your time looking for storage items that you really like. The best way to store bags is in other bags. Transform/decorate your closet into your own private space, one that gives you a thrill of pleasure. Appreciate your belongings.
5/The Magic of tidying dramatically transforms your life: At their core, the things we really like do not change over time. Putting your house in order is a great way to discover what they are. We realize that letting go is even more important than adding. The lives of those who tidy thoroughly and completely, in a single shot, are without exception dramatically altered. One of the magical effects of tidying is confidence in your decision making capacity. When we delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future. The question of what you own is actually the question of how you want to live your life. With less clutter, we do not need to search as much when we lose something, which is actually a stress reliever. Life becomes far easier once you know that things will still work out even if you are lacking something. Marie believes that tidying is a celebration, a special send-off for those things that will be departing from the house, and therefore I dress accordingly. In essence, tidying ought to be the act of restoring balance among people, their possessions, and the house they live in. Make your parting a ceremony to launch them on a new journey. If you can say without a doubt, ‘I really like this!’ no matter what anyone else says, and if you like yourself for having it, then ignore what other people think. It’s a very strange phenomenon, but when we reduce what we own and essentially detox our house, it detox effect on your body. Pour your time and passion into what brings you the most joy, your mission in life.
September 5, 2017
Couple of good advises can be found, but nothing exiting...
January 2, 2016
Kondo's concepts of decluttering and simplifying our homes is a revelation in our consumer society. Her observations on what our dwelling spaces should be is enlightening.
But while Kondo encourages readers to only keep things that inspire joy, she doesn't assess functional items that are necessary for living. There are many items that we own that may not spark joy, but are vital to our survival depending on where or how we live. For instance, winter coats don't spark joy for me, but it is necessary that I own them in a northern climate.
Overall, I think I employing her principals would inspire joy for those who like a tidy home but have trouble sustaining it.
But while Kondo encourages readers to only keep things that inspire joy, she doesn't assess functional items that are necessary for living. There are many items that we own that may not spark joy, but are vital to our survival depending on where or how we live. For instance, winter coats don't spark joy for me, but it is necessary that I own them in a northern climate.
Overall, I think I employing her principals would inspire joy for those who like a tidy home but have trouble sustaining it.
July 8, 2016
This amazing book by MARIe KONdo (see where Konmari came from?): The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying. Okay. The title seems a bit, uh, presumptuous, egotistical, dare say – altruistic. You may ask, “This book on keeping my house tidy will change my IMG_9508life?” We see what looks like hyperbole from other Asian-looking books. Perhaps those with Buddhas and golden temples may also scream (ever so quietly) life-changing claims, such as “Breathing, a life-changing perspective.” But, alas, this blog isn’t to criticize golden Buddhas, as breathing, er, is a life saving quality to embrace. Yet, good ole Marie Kondo, in her sweet and quiet – and somewhat extreme way – did change my life. We have all heard it before, “If you haven’t worn it for six months throw it out,” and we toss out certain items, but then the sentiment kicks in and we realize that we only wore it twice so it still has some life left in it. Even though it doesn’t quite fit right today maybe someday it will look on us how it looked in our mind’s eye when we saw it. That is not the Konmari approach, though. Her approach is just a slight paradigm shift.
“Does this spark joy? If it does, keep it. If not, throw it out.” (page 47) This approach, although simple, is empowering and frees us from sentiment or allows us to embrace sentiment. Either, yes or no. I’m telling you, my four-year-old daughter had the easiest time with this approach as she doesn’t have as much nostalgia as us adults. HIMG_7673er ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ was quick and fast. I had more sentiment to her stuff than she did and actually kept some stuff she said ‘no’ to (grimace – that’s the mom in me). And she actually likes to keep her stuff tidy (well, as tidy as a kid can keep things) after this experience.
But the Konmari Method isn’t just the simple prescription of the question of joy. There is actually a formula. A way to ultimately and practically change your life. You have to do it in one go, or one set time. It took me three days to do it the first time. And I only have a 750 sq. ft. apartment, but I went through every nook and cranny. I have spoken to others who have read the book and tried the approach, but tried to split up the time. Maybe the kitchen one day and a month later the bedroom, but then kind of trailed off. Marie knows what she is talking about as she very strictly says to do it altogether. There’s a reason for this. It’s like (well, it actually is) doing a cleanse and doing it over a couple of days is much more beneficial for us and realistic for us to complete. If we take a weekend and schedule it, then we are actually scheduling rather than getting around to it ‘one day’. Yes, it will take some time, but afterwards cleaning your house on a regular basis is much easier and just keeping it tidy is easier. Plus, you save time in the long run as you know where everything is and where everything goes. Okay, saying all this, if you don’t keep it up, your house can start to go back to crazy land. That’s what happened to me as I became intensely busy and after several months I had to re-set. But this time it only took me six hours to Konmari (yes, I am using it as a verb) my house AND do major deep cleaning. Now, everything – even my files – are all nice and organized. I think every quarter I may need to do this, but at this time I also bagged up more stuff (as did Bella – we did have a yard sale, as well to share our former treasures with others and to have a lesson in the costs of goods), and it is just a regular process that will become easier and easier.
There is also an order to this Method. Marie gives you a breakdown of which room to tidy and in which order. She even gives you a technique on folding clothes, hanging them up in the closet, and storing them. There are ways to use boxes so your stuff doesn’t scatter in drawers and ways to arrange your vegetables in your refrigerator so you see them and eat them. The only thing missing is that I don’t feel like she really goes into depth for kitchen storage and cabinets like she does for clothing. Maybe it’s because Japanese have way cuter, hIMG_7675igh-tech appliances compared to our American clunky ones, or that they have way smaller kitchens so just can’t store as much. Also, I don’t feel like she wrote very much about tidying with children, but that’s probably because she doesn’t have kids. That might be a great second book. Just saying. But, I still do love this book and it did make a very real impact!
So, how did this change my life? Well, simply being able to relax more in my house and to feel organized is huge. I primarily work from home so I require a tidy space. Also, this has changed my perspective on consuming, especially clothes. I don’t shop a lot anyway, as it is super hard to shop when you have a little one, but I do only shop at places where I know they have quality products. For clothes, I shop at Etcetera (the prices and styles are awesome and I know the owner and want to support her), and at Stilettos (they have good quality clothes and carry limited amounts). I only buy what fits amazingly and what is comfortable. After listening to Andrew Morgan on the Rich Roll podcast, I would also like to start looking at more ‘fair trade’ clothing stores online. I am veering away from quantity to quality and understand now that having fewer clothes, but those that actually fit right and don’t fall apart, is better than having a bunch of clothes that you can’t find in the closet. But, I would like to really examine where products originate from. Has the process for making them been caught up in the system of slave labor and sweat shops? I am so looking forward to watching The True Cost by Andrew Morgan and have it in my Netflix queue for the next movie I watch. I really believe that tidying is life-changing when done right, as it relates to environmental and Eco-friendly ways of living. It may sound strange, but when you are asking the question, “Does this item I am about to buy spark joy?” you really start thinking about many things: Is it comfortable? Does it have a purpose? Will it last? Do I actually like it? Will it be used? How was it made? Will it benefit others if I buy it? The fewer things you have and the fewer things you purchase, you ultimately have more respect for them and simultaneously demand more service from them. So that is how it has changed my life. With the American consumer industry – we IMG_7741just buy and throw away and buy more. Things are cheap so it’s okay if they fall apart, right? No, not at all. Things still cost money and that money is your time. For me, I learned how I was disrespecting myself and others by buying indiscriminately, and then crying about my credit cards (because all those $3.49 trinkets and $.99 bullshit adds up pretty quickly). What tidying your house can do for you, can somehow lead to social justice empowerment in the strangest, yet most logical way. I know some of you just want to be able to see your bed and don’t want a social agenda. I get that. But, we all care about where our money goes and relish that moment of clarity when our house is in order. I’m just saying – you can get that and more.
(see www.hollyrustick.com/blog) Refer to blog for vlog and pictures!
“Does this spark joy? If it does, keep it. If not, throw it out.” (page 47) This approach, although simple, is empowering and frees us from sentiment or allows us to embrace sentiment. Either, yes or no. I’m telling you, my four-year-old daughter had the easiest time with this approach as she doesn’t have as much nostalgia as us adults. HIMG_7673er ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ was quick and fast. I had more sentiment to her stuff than she did and actually kept some stuff she said ‘no’ to (grimace – that’s the mom in me). And she actually likes to keep her stuff tidy (well, as tidy as a kid can keep things) after this experience.
But the Konmari Method isn’t just the simple prescription of the question of joy. There is actually a formula. A way to ultimately and practically change your life. You have to do it in one go, or one set time. It took me three days to do it the first time. And I only have a 750 sq. ft. apartment, but I went through every nook and cranny. I have spoken to others who have read the book and tried the approach, but tried to split up the time. Maybe the kitchen one day and a month later the bedroom, but then kind of trailed off. Marie knows what she is talking about as she very strictly says to do it altogether. There’s a reason for this. It’s like (well, it actually is) doing a cleanse and doing it over a couple of days is much more beneficial for us and realistic for us to complete. If we take a weekend and schedule it, then we are actually scheduling rather than getting around to it ‘one day’. Yes, it will take some time, but afterwards cleaning your house on a regular basis is much easier and just keeping it tidy is easier. Plus, you save time in the long run as you know where everything is and where everything goes. Okay, saying all this, if you don’t keep it up, your house can start to go back to crazy land. That’s what happened to me as I became intensely busy and after several months I had to re-set. But this time it only took me six hours to Konmari (yes, I am using it as a verb) my house AND do major deep cleaning. Now, everything – even my files – are all nice and organized. I think every quarter I may need to do this, but at this time I also bagged up more stuff (as did Bella – we did have a yard sale, as well to share our former treasures with others and to have a lesson in the costs of goods), and it is just a regular process that will become easier and easier.
There is also an order to this Method. Marie gives you a breakdown of which room to tidy and in which order. She even gives you a technique on folding clothes, hanging them up in the closet, and storing them. There are ways to use boxes so your stuff doesn’t scatter in drawers and ways to arrange your vegetables in your refrigerator so you see them and eat them. The only thing missing is that I don’t feel like she really goes into depth for kitchen storage and cabinets like she does for clothing. Maybe it’s because Japanese have way cuter, hIMG_7675igh-tech appliances compared to our American clunky ones, or that they have way smaller kitchens so just can’t store as much. Also, I don’t feel like she wrote very much about tidying with children, but that’s probably because she doesn’t have kids. That might be a great second book. Just saying. But, I still do love this book and it did make a very real impact!
So, how did this change my life? Well, simply being able to relax more in my house and to feel organized is huge. I primarily work from home so I require a tidy space. Also, this has changed my perspective on consuming, especially clothes. I don’t shop a lot anyway, as it is super hard to shop when you have a little one, but I do only shop at places where I know they have quality products. For clothes, I shop at Etcetera (the prices and styles are awesome and I know the owner and want to support her), and at Stilettos (they have good quality clothes and carry limited amounts). I only buy what fits amazingly and what is comfortable. After listening to Andrew Morgan on the Rich Roll podcast, I would also like to start looking at more ‘fair trade’ clothing stores online. I am veering away from quantity to quality and understand now that having fewer clothes, but those that actually fit right and don’t fall apart, is better than having a bunch of clothes that you can’t find in the closet. But, I would like to really examine where products originate from. Has the process for making them been caught up in the system of slave labor and sweat shops? I am so looking forward to watching The True Cost by Andrew Morgan and have it in my Netflix queue for the next movie I watch. I really believe that tidying is life-changing when done right, as it relates to environmental and Eco-friendly ways of living. It may sound strange, but when you are asking the question, “Does this item I am about to buy spark joy?” you really start thinking about many things: Is it comfortable? Does it have a purpose? Will it last? Do I actually like it? Will it be used? How was it made? Will it benefit others if I buy it? The fewer things you have and the fewer things you purchase, you ultimately have more respect for them and simultaneously demand more service from them. So that is how it has changed my life. With the American consumer industry – we IMG_7741just buy and throw away and buy more. Things are cheap so it’s okay if they fall apart, right? No, not at all. Things still cost money and that money is your time. For me, I learned how I was disrespecting myself and others by buying indiscriminately, and then crying about my credit cards (because all those $3.49 trinkets and $.99 bullshit adds up pretty quickly). What tidying your house can do for you, can somehow lead to social justice empowerment in the strangest, yet most logical way. I know some of you just want to be able to see your bed and don’t want a social agenda. I get that. But, we all care about where our money goes and relish that moment of clarity when our house is in order. I’m just saying – you can get that and more.
(see www.hollyrustick.com/blog) Refer to blog for vlog and pictures!
December 27, 2017
Overall, solid advice for tidying and creating a home that brings you happiness. Although I found the idea of asking myself “does this bring me joy” a bit silly, I do think it actually works. I pared down my clothing and shoes to about half or even more than what I had initially, and let go of a number of books. I’m still not done with the entire apartment, but I’m already feeling lighter and happier with the results.
The folding method is also pretty genius. I’m saving so much space in my drawers and finding that I’m having the opposite problem than before—having too much space.
What didn’t resonate with me is speaking to my belongings and thanking them...not on the bandwagon that they have feelings ;)
The folding method is also pretty genius. I’m saving so much space in my drawers and finding that I’m having the opposite problem than before—having too much space.
What didn’t resonate with me is speaking to my belongings and thanking them...not on the bandwagon that they have feelings ;)
September 16, 2018
The spirit of your house may thank you, the garbage collector won’t.
January 5, 2019
Loved it. Really helpfull and structured.
May 23, 2019
Konec jsem už dost přeskákala, bylo to moc ezo, ale nějaké triky jsem si z té knihy odnesla.
January 9, 2016
This book will change your life if you tend to be a collector of things - or if you just own too much stuff. I'm not easily sucked into fads, so I approached what I read with a huge dose of skepticism. I followed all but one of Marie's rules - my clothes were dumped on the bed and not the floor because...knees.
My home has always been clean, but I had no idea how cluttered the drawers, cabinets, and closets were and how that affected me. There is no judgment in the book - only encouragement. Follow the rules. Putting all of my books in one place tired me out enough that as I touched each one, I realized there were some I simply did not care about enough to put back on the shelf.
Sorting craft and sewing supplies was an even more daunting task. My daughters and I had shared a very large room and with three people accessing supplies, it meant that supplies were scattered throughout the room and other rooms in the house. Following the method in the book required that I locate and sort like items at one time. The end result was worth every minute of effort it took to locate, sort, give away, throw away, and store the remaining supplies.
It is obvious the book was initially written in Japanese and then translated, but it didn't bother me while I was reading the book like it might have if the book had been fiction and the awkward translations were interrupting the flow of the story. Marie's enthusiasm for her method comes across and it is apparent that she has met with resistance from her clients because she seems to address everything doubters might throw at her.
I read the book over two days, but only because I started the book at around 11:00 p.m. on the evening that I purchased it for my Kindle. It is a very fast read. Months later I tried the audio book and could only listen to a few minutes. The reading of the book seemed to accent the awkward translations and the reader had odd timing that interrupted the flow of the book.
My home has always been clean, but I had no idea how cluttered the drawers, cabinets, and closets were and how that affected me. There is no judgment in the book - only encouragement. Follow the rules. Putting all of my books in one place tired me out enough that as I touched each one, I realized there were some I simply did not care about enough to put back on the shelf.
Sorting craft and sewing supplies was an even more daunting task. My daughters and I had shared a very large room and with three people accessing supplies, it meant that supplies were scattered throughout the room and other rooms in the house. Following the method in the book required that I locate and sort like items at one time. The end result was worth every minute of effort it took to locate, sort, give away, throw away, and store the remaining supplies.
It is obvious the book was initially written in Japanese and then translated, but it didn't bother me while I was reading the book like it might have if the book had been fiction and the awkward translations were interrupting the flow of the story. Marie's enthusiasm for her method comes across and it is apparent that she has met with resistance from her clients because she seems to address everything doubters might throw at her.
I read the book over two days, but only because I started the book at around 11:00 p.m. on the evening that I purchased it for my Kindle. It is a very fast read. Months later I tried the audio book and could only listen to a few minutes. The reading of the book seemed to accent the awkward translations and the reader had odd timing that interrupted the flow of the book.
June 26, 2016
I found it disappointing: it's not that the tips are not good, it's just that they were not new to me. Most of it seemed just plain common sense.
I was drawn to this book when I saw on a picture that the author puts her clothes vertically in drawers, like I've been doing for years, so I was hoping I would find other ideas that would suit me.
Plus, though I'm all for decluttering, I was upset that she always urges readers to throw so much away. What about donating to others in need and not wasting?
I was drawn to this book when I saw on a picture that the author puts her clothes vertically in drawers, like I've been doing for years, so I was hoping I would find other ideas that would suit me.
Plus, though I'm all for decluttering, I was upset that she always urges readers to throw so much away. What about donating to others in need and not wasting?
February 13, 2016
Este libro me ha abierto los ojos ante la cantidad de cosas que guardamos en un momento de lucidez, para más tarde quedar relegadas en el olvido. El ser humano tiende a acumular, pero no siempre eso nos llena realmente. Debemos reaprender la lección, y al igual que adquirimos nuevos objetos, saber desprendernos de los que ya no nos dicen nada (seguro que te viene a la mente más de un "detallito" que te sobra). Libro muy útil para poner en orden tu casa, y seguidamente tu vida.
February 12, 2016
Yes, it really is life-changing - if you can make the time to do it!
Finished my "clothes" section at the end of August - needs revisiting now, but it stayed tidier for a LOT longer than any other method.
Finished my "clothes" section at the end of August - needs revisiting now, but it stayed tidier for a LOT longer than any other method.
November 1, 2015
Interesting concepts, though I'm not sold on thanking my possessions, I am always willing to give thanks to the Giver. As a long time organizer, I already use many of these concepts, but I did like the 'spark joy' criterion for keeping items. I'll give it a try.
February 1, 2016
You think you know how to 'tidy up' until you read this book! Some interesting tips amidst a completely different technique for organizing all your necessities and 'stuff'. I look at my possessions differently now. Do they Spark Joy?
September 22, 2016
I enjoyed Marie's message and philosophy, but not so much the vehicle through which it was delivered. Really feels like a "you're popular, so write a book and people will buy it" sort of thing. The whole book could have been pared down to a few chapters.
September 11, 2015
Kooky ideas anthropomorphizing objects, but liked a lot of the good tips for tidying up and organizing. Eager to apply some of it!
October 27, 2015
silly...but if you need a guide, I guess this will move you forward!
May 9, 2016
This book has changed my life. I like many of the principles taught in this book.
September 20, 2016
Some tips were good, but most were not very helpful for someone whose 'joy' is in learning new things.
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