A Goodreads user asked this question about The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing:
"Get rid of anything that doesn't spark joy." That's a cute idea, but there's chemotherapy medicine in the medicine cabinet, and it requires soul-searching to find the joy in that. I kept thinking, "Surely she'll address the hard stuff soon?!" I haven't found that part yet.
Amber I have to agree she didn't put quite enough emphasis on the "things I obviously need" category. I think she may have been treating it as implicit that…moreI have to agree she didn't put quite enough emphasis on the "things I obviously need" category. I think she may have been treating it as implicit that her services come into play where that category ends, but not everyone can clearly see the demarcation between "stuff I truly need" and "stuff that's extra." Everyone knows we need things like our meds and toilet paper, but not everyone can stop themselves from keeping piles of expired meds and extreme caches of toilet paper.

As I read it, I mentally replaced her "Does it spark joy?" test with a three-prong test: 1. Do I need it? (Really truly need it, not "might need it someday") 2. Do I use it regularly? 3. Do I love it?(less)
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by Marie Kondō (Goodreads Author)
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