1-Sentence-Summary: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up takes you through the process of simplifying, organizing and storing your belongings step by step, to make your home a place of peace and clarity.
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Some books just strike exactly the right nerve at exactly the right time. Marie Kondo‘s surely did. Published in late 2014, The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up has already sold 6 million (!) copies worldwide. Using a single question as the center of her tidying process (“Does this spark joy?”), she’s swept the world off its feet and the clutter out of our homes.
I already discovered the power of decluttering in 2013, and in hindsight, I can agree with a lot of what Konmari (her nickname) says. Tidying up isn’t just about being a neat freak. It’s much more than that. It’s a spiritual experience, and you’re not just cleaning your house, your mind and body detox right with it.
If you haven’t cleaned up in a while, here are 3 lessons to keep in mind for your next spring cleaning:
- Move from easy to hard items when considering what to keep.
- YODO – you only declutter once (if you do it right).
- Ask yourself a few simple questions for each item.
Are you ready to make your home a home again? Let’s switch to declutter mode!
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up Summary
Lesson 1: Go from easy items to more difficult ones when figuring out what to keep.
What decluttering comes down to is examining your relationship with each and every single item in your home. Each relationship is different. Your history with your coffee maker has begun at a different point in time than your relationship with that postcard a friend sent you, and so on.
Do you know how thinking of some people instantly reminds you of the happy and exciting times you shared together? Possessions are the same, which makes some more worth keeping than others.
However, some relationships with things are more complicated than others. That’s why it’s best to start with easier categories of more functional items, like clothes, books, technology, documents, and other miscellaneous items. Most of these serve a clear purpose and don’t hold as many complex memories as your more sentimental items.
Save photos and memorabilia for the very end, because by then you’ll already be in decluttering mode and figure out what to do with these special memories a lot faster. Keep those where you distinctly remember creating or getting them – those are your longest lasting memories, which you can re-live over and over, and gratefully let go of the rest.
Lesson 2: YODO – you only declutter once (if you do it right).
Most people don’t even get started on decluttering, simply because they think it’s a lifetime job. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Marie Kondo says you only have to tidy up once – if you do it right – to leave a lasting impact on your life.
It takes her around six hours on average to clean a client’s house, and she’s a pro, so you should probably take a weekend to give yourself enough time. In fact, if you make it a special event, tidying up goes from tedious task to fun and life-changing experience.
Once you’ve thrown a thorough cleaning party, you’ll not only have the biggest part behind you, but also emerge with a new mindset. Chances are, you’ll buy a lot less in the future, to keep your space neat and clean, which makes future clean ups simple and easy.
For example, I threw out 75% of my clothes, all of my video games, DVDs and BluRays, some of my books and most of my old school supplies and notes in 2013. I felt so free afterward that the last thing I wanted was to fill up all those empty shelves again with the same clutter, so I’ve never had to do another big clean out since then.
Now it’s mostly just tossing an item here and there, while my space remains forever organized 🙂
Lesson 3: Don’t overcomplicate tidying up, just use a few simple questions.
But how the hell do you even decide what to keep and what to toss? This is where most people overcomplicate things, but not you. Not after you’ve read this, anyway.
Konmari suggests a few simple questions which you can use, moving from a rational to a more emotional approach, depending on the item and the complexity of the relationship you have with it.
Start with these:
- What is the purpose of this object?
- Has it fulfilled its purpose already?
- Why did I get this thing?
- When did I get it?
- How did it land in my house?
For example, a DVD that’s still in its packaging has likely not fulfilled its purpose yet, but if it’s been sitting on your shelf for a year, chances are it’ll be better off in someone else’s hands.
But, for some things, rational reasoning won’t win over your powerful gut reaction to keep them. When you find you’re emotionally attached to an item, switch to examining how it contributes to your happiness:
- Does this thing make me happy when I see it/hold it?
- Do I see/hold it on a regular basis?
For example, gift cards are nice messages from friends and loved ones, bringing you joy and happiness. But even though you keep them around, you probably never look at them again. You’ve received the message, and therefore you can now let them go.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up Review
I love all things Japan, and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is no exception. Konmari carries a spiritual sense of minimalism and simplicity into your life. If you haven’t done a big cleaning event in the last 5 years, do one! If this book is what it takes for you to make it happen, or you can’t find the courage yet, go for it.
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Who would I recommend The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up summary to?
The 16 year old, who lives in a cluttered house, and tends to follow his parents’ example, the 29 year old fashion blogger, who often can’t decide what to wear the next day, and anyone who can’t remember the last time they did a proper spring cleaning.
Last Updated on June 15, 2023
