![]() I don’t know if I’m ready to commit to that quite yet, but certainly, I plan to do at least my closet and bookshelves and then take it from there. Kondo says that for her method to work, it has to be a concentrated effort over a few months, and a rather severe cutting back on the items you own. She’s also clearly a fervent advocate of living clutter-free, which to be honest, I can’t get as excited about. ![]() I often throw things out when I’m stressed, only to realize later on that there are documents that would have been useful to keep. (Kondo says it’s because they deserve to rest, I see it as keeping the fibres from loosening up/wearing out.) I also caution against throwing out all documents as she advises. ![]() ![]() For example, I have no intention of thanking my socks for their work in holding my feet (sorry socks), but I see the benefit of not balling them up. Her approach can sometimes be a bit intense. Part of me misses having those things around - old school projects, old toys - yet another part of me has come to understand that while the items themselves may be gone, the memories they represented remain and cannot be taken away as easily. This feels particularly relevant since as an immigrant, I’ve had to leave behind a lot of things when I moved. She says that a gift’s purpose is to be received, a book’s purpose is to impart information, and so on, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about letting them go. For example, gifts from loved ones that you can’t actually use, or photos of scenery you can barely even place. She also cautions against holding on to items that may have already served their purpose and no longer spark joy. It’s all about trusting yourself to know what is worth keeping. So Marie Kondo’s advice to use the “spark joy” criteria in deciding whether or not to keep a particular item makes so much sense to me. That friend’s advice was a game changer, inspiring me to trust my own instincts and try the most offbeat combinations just because. He made clothes a lot more interesting, and I learned how fun it can be to adapt my personal style to multiple situations. His advice has stuck with me since: “If you try it on and it doesn’t excite you or make you feel amazing, it’s not worth it.”īefore that shopping trip, I often bought clothes simply because they were practical, thinking only if they fit and not if they made me feel amazing. I’d always enjoyed shopping but when it came to certain kinds of clothes, such as those for work, I had a very utilitarian approach which, to be honest, wasn’t much fun. Every time my eyes didn’t light up instantly when I tried something on, he immediately recommended I return it to the rack. This actually reminds me of a shopping trip with a friend a few years back. Sure, it’s sometimes hard to look at a pair of socks and ask yourself whether or not it actually sparks joy, but certainly, when organizing my bookshelves (and piles of books that no longer fit on the shelves *ahem*) or my closet, this piece of advice makes a lot of sense. That seems a pretty good rule of thumb when de-cluttering. My main take-away from both books is that you should get rid of anything you own that doesn’t spark joy. I read Life-Changing Magic on audio, and Spark Joy is a useful companion volume, with a lot of visuals that I’ll use as a reference when I actually start implementing some of her tactics. Spark Joy is basically an illustrated guide to implementing the methods espoused in The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Marie Kondo’s books on tidying up is a bit intense and sometimes unintentionally hilarious, but actually also full of really good tips for de-cluttering your life. ![]()
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