Quillable: The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up

Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Author: Marie Kondō

Translated by: Cathy Hirano

Rating: 8

Description:

Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo’s clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).

With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this book featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire. (From Goodreads)

What I Liked:

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a hoarder. That’s the first step, right?

Well the second step is probably reading this book and implementing it in my life.

I have a seriously hard time throwing things away. I have notes I passed in grade six stuffed in a box somewhere downstairs. I have every button-in-a-bag from every shirt and sweater I’ve ever bought (even the ones for clothing I no longer own). And I have about 394 knick knacks floating around my bedroom.

My single biggest take away from this book is the permission it gave me to throw things away.

According to Kondō we should take every single item we own into our hands (not all at once) and ask ourselves if it “sparks joy.”

If it doesn’t, out it goes!

Kondō says that the minute something comes into our possession it has fulfilled its purpose.

If it is a gift, its purpose was to show someone’s love for us.

If it is a sweater we thought was gorgeous but never wear, its purpose was to give us excitement when we bought it.

If it is a book that has sat on our shelf unread for years, its purpose was to satisfy a hope or need that we had at the time.

If it no longer brings you joy, if you no longer wear it, use it, read it, or need it, out it goes!

So slowly but surely we're emptying out our home of all the things we've accumulated but that no longer serve a purpose.

I know a lot of people didn’t like her anthropomorphizing of stuff and houses, but I thought it was lovely. My poor socks do work hard all day! They deserve a rest! Showing respect for your objects and your home can only be a good thing.

*Disclaimer 1: Okay there’s no way I’m getting rid of my books.

*Disclaimer 2: Ain’t no way I’m folding my socks. I asked them, they don’t mind.

What I Didn’t Like:

It was pretty repetitive.

She kept referencing things she did when she was growing up, like throwing away her family member’s stuff without telling them, and organizing the jeepers out of everything. She was probably the worst sibling ever.

She always said “throw it away” as her first suggestion, and then occasionally would say, “Oh yeah, or donate or sell it.” Always donate things! Also sometimes you have to keep things you don’t love because you can’t afford to buy new ones.

Extras:

She has now written a companion book illustrating how to fold and organize things!