the life-changing magic of tidying by marie kondo

“A dramatic reorganization of the home causes correspondingly dramatic changes in lifestyle and perspective. It is life transforming.”

This book has been a long time coming; I have put off tending to this book for the longest time. Clearly, I’ve discovered this book through social media and the internet because we all know that everyone has  talked about it, add in when the minimalism trend became in then it boomed even more.

At first, I thought it is a book just about tidying and decluttering but obviously, it offers more than that. I came to understand it more and more as I was reading it and I actually have found myself nodding to this and that, muttering to myself that “Yep, that’s me.”, “Yes, I do that too.”, and “I am so guilty of that.” I got interested about it for this very reason that she said “You, on the other hand, have been led to read it, and that means you probably have a strong desire to change your current situation, to reset your life, to gain happiness, to shine.” And also this “…one of the magical effects of tidying is confidence in your decision-making capacity.” because “If we have confidence in our decisions and launch enthusiastically into action without any doubts holding us back, we will be able to achieve much more.”

While I was reading, Marie Kondo struck me as someone who is obsessed with cleaning and organizing starting from a very young age. She has like dedicated her entire life to tidying, studying it, teaching it and putting it into practice. Then comes her theories and it actually all made sense, her techniques all has bases and when you really think about it, it all are pretty simple. I got to say she really knows her stuff.

These are the tips that I’ve learned based on KonMari’s method:

1. The major rule is to ask yourself whether your things sparks you joy or not. If it is something that gives you joy then keep it, if it is not then discard it. She said to “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge to discard the rest.”

2. Remove everything from the closet, drawer, cupboards or whatever it is that you want to tidy and put them all to the floor. That way you’ll see and touch/hold every item, making the process of deciding what to keep and what to discard easier and more effective.

3. Do not get victimized by the thought that you might need it one day or that you might read or reread it later because she emphasized that that is more likely not going to happen. (This has to be my favourite tip of them all because this is me every time.)

4. I completely agree when she said that it’s better to tidy up in one fell swoop rather than doing it gradually because that way you can instantly see and feel its effects. “If you tidy up in one shot, rather than little by little, you can dramatically change your mind-set. A change so profound that it touches your emotions will irresistibly affect your way of thinking and your lifestyle habits.”

See? This book does not only offer you the tips and tricks on how to declutter your space but also gives you the psychology of it. She have went on and on about the positive things and the positive effects that you’ll get in a tidied and organized home not just environmentally but also physically and mentally which is the best thing. Although I got a little weirded out when I got to the part wherein she talks to her house and her things, thanking them for serving her their purpose, for doing their work which I am not completely against to if you do that. I am also really grateful for the stuff that I have that’s why I use them with care as much as possible as my way of showing my gratitude to them for making me feel beautiful and for making my life easier and convenient.

Now, I totally get it why this book has become so handy for the people who support the minimalism lifestyle. Don’t underestimate this book; you’ll get a lot from it. This is another must have as a physical book for me; I really want a copy of it.

“…tidying can transform your life.”

If you want to organize your place and/or your life as well, then you’ll find a lot of tips and motivation in here because her tips doesn’t only apply to things, it can also be applied to your life too. You’ll feel really inspired at the end of this book because I did. No wonder that this has become a total hit. I, of course, recommend for you read it.