The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing in 2015 Reading Challenge [Closed]

Mar 23, 2017 Stacey D. rated it really liked it

While the KonMari method certainly seems daunting, I definitely believe it does have life-changing properties.

I believe that all objects in the universe carry with them both good and bad energies and I believe in personification, so Marie's recommendations in greeting one's home, thanking inanimate objects for their daily helpfulness and usefulness, etc., make perfect sense.

I think that the world is in such bad shape partly because our rampant greed and excesses (material goods, overeating, sex ...more

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Jan 26, 2018 QueenToMyHusband rated it liked it

This book was just not for me. It had some good points, especially when it comes to de-cluttering things. However, I think it is sometimes unwise to discard something just because it doesn't bring you joy or you haven't used it in X amount of years. For instance, I haven't used my camping tent in several years, because I don't want to go camping with an infant/toddler. It doesn't fit in any of her categories either. When I hold it, it doesn't bring me particular joy. But it would be foolhardy to ...more

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Jun 22, 2015 Loralee rated it did not like it

Don't waste your time on this book by a bat crazy author. ...more

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Jan 09, 2016 Renee rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

I read this book during the process of purging a large American home before a move overseas. The book is a quick read, and makes a lot of sense. I am essentially being forced to follow Kondo's instructions to tidy all at once, because we have a deadline. Without the deadline, I certainly wouldn't be going through my house at the pace I am. The main criticism against this book is her insistence of talking to her home and possessions. I don't plan to take this up anytime soon, but I agree that bei I read this book during the process of purging a large American home before a move overseas. The book is a quick read, and makes a lot of sense. I am essentially being forced to follow Kondo's instructions to tidy all at once, because we have a deadline. Without the deadline, I certainly wouldn't be going through my house at the pace I am. The main criticism against this book is her insistence of talking to her home and possessions. I don't plan to take this up anytime soon, but I agree that being more mindful of my possessions and home is completely necessary to the process. I would phrase this mindfulness more in the language of thankfulness toward God and acknowledgment of the work my husband and I have done to earn what we have. I especially appreciate Kondo's suggestions about how to think through the things that need to be released as having already served a specific purpose.

My personal critique is that Kondo's doesn't live with 3 small children. I am not autonomous in the purging decisions for my house. I have 3 children, who I fear I am turning into hoarders because I am (necessarily) curtailing their possessions. This requires a balance of stealth, tantrum-baring, and mean mommy discipline. It's hard to get to the larger purging projects, when I spend chunks of my time separating children from dearly beloved items like the plastic drink cup from the restaurant we went to last week. True story oft repeated. I almost cried when she described her calm, fluid, rational actions upon returning to her home after work. While she starts water for tea, changes her clothes, and unpacks her purse, I generally enter my house only after coaxing multiple people out of the vehicle, up the stairs, and to the bathroom while carrying grocery bags, library books, empty restaurant cups, and mail, if not an actual person. I would love to read a (comical...obviously) version of a mom with lots of littles going through this process. I know steps 1, 4, 7, 12, and 35 would all involve the repeated process of recycling school papers and trashing cheap plastic toys while the kids aren't looking. ...more

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