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The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

(Magic Cleaning #1)

Marie Kondō (Goodreads Author),

Cathy Hirano (Translator)

3.86 · Rating details · 325,584 ratings · 30,497 reviews

Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?

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-li

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Hardcover, First American Edition, 213 pages

Published October 14th 2014 by Ten Speed Press (first published December 27th 2010)

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The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō

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Jan 17, 2015 Diane Yannick added it

There is no rating low enough to compensate for the way this book has ruined my life. Whatever you do, don't read it as it will haunt you. This is a long review but it behooves you to stick with it.

To begin, you have to touch each and every possession and ask yourself if it brings you joy. If it doesn't, it needs to be discarded. Do you know how hard it is to summon joy for beige underwear or Neosporin? Yet summon you must. I like my carrot peeler but is joy too strong a word?

It gets tougher. There is no rating low enough to compensate for the way this book has ruined my life. Whatever you do, don't read it as it will haunt you. This is a long review but it behooves you to stick with it.

To begin, you have to touch each and every possession and ask yourself if it brings you joy. If it doesn't, it needs to be discarded. Do you know how hard it is to summon joy for beige underwear or Neosporin? Yet summon you must. I like my carrot peeler but is joy too strong a word?

It gets tougher. Not only must you "apply hands" to every piece of clothing while checking for your joy response, you must fold your clothes in very specific ways in order to find each piece's "sweet spot". I never knew that "Every piece of clothing has it's own 'sweet spot' where it feels just right". This will lead to an historical moment when "your mind and the piece of clothing connect." Don't forget to thank your clothes for protecting your body. Thank your accessories for making you beautiful. "Express your appreciation to every item that supported you during the day."

Never, never "ball up your socks" as they can't get their much deserved rest that way. They need to breathe a sigh of relief. You must visit your off season clothes to "let them know you care and look forward to wearing them when they're next in season. This kind of communication helps your clothes stay vibrant and keeps your relationship with them alive longer."

Everything must be stored standing up rather than laid flat. "Stacking weakens and exhausts the things that bear the weight of the pile. Just imagine how you would feel if you were forced to carry a heavy load for hours?"

You must empty your hand bag every day."Being packed all the time, even when not in use, must feel something like going to bed with a full stomach." When you get a new phone, it is kind to text your old one with a message of thanks for its service.

Every single thing must be in its assigned place before you go to bed." Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have no fixed address?" It is equally important for our possessions to have "that assurance that there is a place for them to return to."

If we greet our house properly it will " be happy to tell me what the family no longer needs and where to put the things remaining so that the family can be comfortable and happy in this space." Not sure if you do this before or after applying hands and checking your joy response. It did come near the end of the book, if that helps.

So what do the things that get discarded for not sparking joy feel? "I think they simply want to leave. Lying forgotten in the closet, they know better than anyone else that they are not bringing you joy."

The people who tidy as this book recommend experience a change in their appearance. "Their figures are more streamlined, their skin is more radiant, and their eyes shine brighter."

Unfortunately, my eyes are crossed, I've gained 10 pounds, and I feel hives ready to pop. I had no idea when I picked up this pretty little book that it was going to necessitate my search for a live-in psychiatrist. I had NO freaking idea that I was squashing the self-esteem of my possessions. I can NOT find those folding sweet spots and everything in my drawers is in a mosh pit. My hand bag looks sad every time I walk by its nightly fullness. My socks are falling down. I'm not sure why. I hate the word joy now. I'm sleep deprived. My possessions call out to me for help but I don't know if they want me to summon joy or if they want to leave. The other day my husband heard me thanking my underwear for staying up all day. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be married. ...more

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Oct 30, 2014 Ken rated it it was ok

Shelves: finished-in-2014, nonfiction

How do I get into messes like this? Reading books that have words like "tidying" in their title, I mean. Well, there's a story behind it.

The Good Wife and I are trying to purge, to clean up after decades of marriage, kids, three moves, etc. "We've got to do something about all this stuff we keep bumping into or dusting," I keep saying, "something more than the penny ante efforts we're doing so far."

Enter a New York Times feature on THIS book, calling it the greatest thing since sliced sushi:

http ...more

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Aug 16, 2015 Ariel rated it it was amazing

"You will never use spare buttons." WORDS WE ALL NEED TO HEAR.

I really thoroughly loved this book. I've always been interested in minimalism - trying to stop material goods being the things that bring us happiness, and not owning more than we need - and picked this book up after hearing a few people around me enjoy it. I was hoping it would give me a few tips on how to lead a more clutter-free existence, and while it accomplished that, it also did so much more.

The thing that most stuck me about "You will never use spare buttons." WORDS WE ALL NEED TO HEAR.

I really thoroughly loved this book. I've always been interested in minimalism - trying to stop material goods being the things that bring us happiness, and not owning more than we need - and picked this book up after hearing a few people around me enjoy it. I was hoping it would give me a few tips on how to lead a more clutter-free existence, and while it accomplished that, it also did so much more.

The thing that most stuck me about this book was the immense respect that the author, (who feels like my friend after reading this, a gentle companion through this process), shows to all possessions. She understands that this is an emotional process, and her ideas are not about guilt. She isn't saying "You're a fool for allowing all of this garbage into your life! Get rid of it all at once!" Instead she's saying "All of these things came into your life for a reason, take your time considering them, and then thank them and let them go onto the next stage of existence." It's all so kind and loving and made me not feel guilty or fear the process.

I also really liked the structure of this book. It has a solid introduction, a clear process, a section of tips, and then a conclusion. It's very straightforward and doesn't feel complex or gimmicky. It all feels like common sense. It also had key points in bold which helped in figuring out the main thesis of different sections.

The book focuses on tidying your house, but for me (and most of the people reading this) we don't own a house, we own one room. I don't think this matters for two reasons. Firstly, the ideas and methods in this book can be perfectly applied to your space, no matter how extensive it is. It's all about creating the most positive space imaginable, and that is very achievable with just one room. Secondly, this book was very much a philosophy. It's about learning to reflect on the relationship between you and your possessions and is something I will carry with me moving forward in life. Someday I will move out of my parents house and into my own house/apartment and I am extremely grateful that I have read this book and will be able to start that journey with this knowledge.

Thank you, Marie, for sharing what you've learned, I'm very excited to start my journey of only surrounding myself with things that I love and bring me joy. ...more

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Dec 12, 2014 George Cotronis rated it did not like it

Do you like talking to furniture? Do you believe shirts have souls? Are you insane? This might be the book for you.

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Feb 05, 2015 Suellen rated it it was ok

Shelves: non-fiction, new-age

This book did not spark joy. Therefore, I am discarding it.

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Dec 26, 2014 Maggie added it

Shelves: christmas-birthday-2014

The book is short and sweet, and the author is bat-shit crazy. But. Here are two take-aways that will stay with me:
If it does not spark joy, throw it out.
And:
"My basic principle for sorting papers is to throw them all away."
Believe me - I have been throwing away (and selling, and donating to Goodwill) with a vengeance for the past few days, and tidying. I refuse to fold my socks though. Folding socks is for people with all the time in the world. ...more

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Dec 23, 2014 Sheri rated it it was ok

"Personally, I recommend hanging sponges outside, such as on the veranda."

Quite possibly the funniest line I have ever read in a book. Because she is dead serious.

Although there were several helpful sections about how to declutter and organize your home, much of this book is ridiculously funny.

This woman obviously has no children (and no life) as she speaks to all her inanimate objects daily, empties her purse EVERY SINGLE DAY, and doesn't own a dish rack, preferring instead to put all her dish ...more

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Oct 17, 2014 Kirstie rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014_read

This book just spoke to me, for whatever reason, although I can see why others might not get much out of it. No matter what the subject is, I love reading books by people that are truly passionate about the subject matter, and one thing is for sure: Marie Kondo is passionate about tidying.

Despite all of that, this book isn't really about tidying, at its core. It's about living very intentionally and allowing your surroundings and possessions to become an expression of yourself. If that last sen ...more

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Mar 12, 2019 Miranda Reads rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook

Looking for a new book but don't want to commit? Check out my latest BooktTube Video: One & Done - all about fabulous standalones!

Now that you know this one made the list - check out the video to see the rest!

The Written Review :

The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.

By no exaggeration, Marie Kondō has spent her entire life tidying.

She tidied when she was a child up until her adulthood - and over those decades, she' ...more

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Oct 23, 2014 Diane rated it liked it

Shelves: how-to, simplicity, domestic-bliss, inspirational

This review was delayed because I was busy tidying up.

Yesterday I finished this charming little book about the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing, and this morning I woke up filled with ENTHUSIASM and was ready to open up every drawer and every closet and to simplify, simplify, simplify.

Of course, such projects always take longer than you expect. I was trying to follow the spirit of Marie Kondo's guidelines, which involve handling each one of your possessions and asking: Does this spa ...more

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Jan 20, 2016 La Petite Américaine rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: Anyone who isn't the Silent Generation/Gen X/Gen Y

Shelves: sucked, japan, i-want-my-money-back, worst-garbage-i-ve-ever-read, ugh

"Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth." --Mary Schmich.

I'm trying, Mary. I really am.

Oh, screw it.

This was the most stressful book I've ever read. I haven't been thrown into such a fucking frenzy of hatred since The Book Thief, and as with The Book Thief, I'm astounded that audienc ...more

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Nov 19, 2015 Laurie Notaro rated it liked it

I laughed out loud four times reading this book. Otherwise, it's the ravings of a lunatic. Funniest moments include the author bursting into tears when she discovers a smudge of bathroom slime on the bottom of her shampoo bottle and that she believes if you have 80 rolls of toilet paper in your house, you are a hoarder instead of a Coscto member. This is a woman who has her entire bookshelf in her clothes closet; if I walk into your house and you do not have 200 books laying around that you have ...more

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Sep 11, 2015 Petra is in abeyance on hiatus, just not here much rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-reviewed-but-not-read, humour, reviewed, 2015-reviews, misc-reference

I so agree that it is life-changing magic when everything has been tidied up. But I don't need to read the book as I already have this magic. Her name is Cynthia and she comes every other Thursday morning.

Admittedly she costs a "bit" more than this book and wants a computer lesson during her time but she Fabuloso's my floors, the airing cupboard is stacked with neatly-folded linens and once in a while we go at a place (like my son's room) that lacks 'magic' and garbage-bag everything. This is a ...more

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Oct 26, 2014 Nick rated it it was amazing

Because I have such admiration for the Japanese aesthetic, I picked up this book with interest. In fact, I was delighted to discover that my lifetime habits of tidying are roughly in line with Marie Kondo's, the expert's, except for a brilliant bit of advice relative to clothes that I can't wait to try. Kondo's basic mantra is "keep things that bring you joy; discard everything else," and that is so cool that I'm going to try it, because it goes further than what I had thought, but along the sam ...more

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Oct 11, 2017 Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ rated it it was ok

Shelves: minimalism, non-fiction, 2-stars

I think the word "tidy" or "tidying" was used in the book at least a 100 times, and that's being conservative. Talk about some clutter...

Anyway, I definitely didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. And I certainly didn't enjoy this as much as The Joy of Less.

Maybe it was the fact that I had read that book prior to this or the fact that I have been reading a lot of minimalist blogs and sites that already extrapolated the best parts of this book and the KonMari Method...but I just found m ...more

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Feb 04, 2016 Stephanie *Eff your feelings* rated it liked it

Shelves: why, 2016

Edit: Apparently thntn is very upset and thinks it’s racist of this white woman not to like this book (I like Kondo as a person just fine) because the author isn’t white. Well, that’s bullshit, obviously. If thntn doesn’t like a book by an author that is of a different race than her’s... I guess that makes thntn a racist herself. It appears that I have to make a correction. I’m told that Ms. Kondo never said to get rid of hangers. I apologize. It must have been the word ‘tidy’ echoing in my brai Edit: Apparently thntn is very upset and thinks it’s racist of this white woman not to like this book (I like Kondo as a person just fine) because the author isn’t white. Well, that’s bullshit, obviously. If thntn doesn’t like a book by an author that is of a different race than her’s... I guess that makes thntn a racist herself. It appears that I have to make a correction. I’m told that Ms. Kondo never said to get rid of hangers. I apologize. It must have been the word ‘tidy’ echoing in my brain on a loud enough level that I missed it.

Forgive me.

Terrible. Ridiculous. Repetitive.

If you took the words, tidy, tided, and tidying, out of this book you would be left with a pamphlet. I have this thing called misophonia and I made the crucial error of listening to this book on audio. Repetitive stuff can really get under my skin and there were a few instances when listening to this book that I had to stop myself from throwing my phone out of my moving vehicle. “Say tidy one more time! Do it!” Crunch.

This isn’t the type of book I would normally pick up and I think I did because of something a friend mentioned. I’ve been thinking of go through all my stuff and simplifying. So much crap accumulates around a house over the years and it starts to make one feel a little anxious. I thought that maybe this book might have some helpful tips to get it done.

Nope.

This is the book broken down once all the ‘tidy’ words have been removed.

1. The whole damn house must be done in one go. (Hahahaha)
2. You have to touch each item you own and ask yourself if it brings you joy. (Riiiight)
3. If the item does not bring you joy, thank the item for it’s service (I’m not kidding) and discard it.
4. Don’t ball up your socks or tie your hose together (who does that?) because it hurts their feelings (I’m still not kidding), your supposed to put them together and roll them up like sushi and stand them in shoe boxes.
5. Fold all your clothing, no hangers of any kind EVER! Because it’s very important to touch everything you own as often as possible….but I have to touch my clothes to hang them, right?
6. Store things vertically. This means, don’t lay your shirts down flat in the drawer, but file them (I guess) like you would files in a file drawer….?.....
7. Women, always choose pretty clothing to wear even while lounging around the house or going bed. (Um, no)

Seriously, how much time does this woman have? There was more ridiculousness I’m sure, but I think I blocked it out, or I missed things whilst yelling ‘no no no no’ to block out the ‘tidies’. As a experiment, I started going through my stuff. I didn’t ask the stuff any questions. I worked diligently, though I took breaks here and there, and after two days of sorting, purging, loading up the car and running the stuff to be donated, I got trough….drum roll please….. One. Closet.

Don’t bother with this book unless you love the words, tidy, tidied, and tidying and you need a good laugh. ...more

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Jul 08, 2015 Jenna rated it it was ok

Shelves: can-i-have-those-hours-back, lifestyle

I give this one 2 stars because I took a few things from it that I think are great ideas to help me organize. But about a third of the book was spent repeating itself and when it wasn't doing that...it was just weird to me. I wondered at times if the book was satire or a memoir of OCD disguised as the middle child syndrome. Some examples that had me wondering if this was satire or not include:

1) She talked as though inanimate objects have feelings or as though they are alive so you have to say g

1) She talked as though inanimate objects have feelings or as though they are alive so you have to say goodbye to them and a nice thought before throwing them away. You don't want to hurt their feelings since they no longer bring you joy. She thinks that socks shouldn't be balled up because they deserve to rest comfortably since they are a medium being rubbed between your feet and your shoes. Poor socks.

2) When she goes to someone's house to help "tidy" (organize) she bows in the middle of the room and greets it and also thanks it for allowing her to tidy it up. Basically she and the room connect at an intimate level before she goes stripping it down to its bareness. Oh, and she wears a dress and blazer when tidying to show respect to the house (not its occupant) and thinks you should too. Sweat pants are a big no-no ladies! And don't forget to clean out your purses on a daily basis. No bloated purses for you.

3) She claims that tidying rids the body of toxins and that she sees it quite often. She claims that it clears the skin and trims the waistline. So don't be alarmed if after purging you get a pimple or your belly starts to rumble. She said that after one of her clients tidied up her space she immediately had diarrhea (yes, she went there) as though her body was purging its junk out too.

4) Once when she replaced her cell phone, she was sure to send her previous phone a text message thanking it for its service. When she did this, her phone (that always worked properly) died and never worked again. It was like it knew it's job was done.

I would have probably taken more from this book if there was less of the above type of examples. Now I just think the book is a bit kooky. ...more

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Dec 02, 2014 Lianne Downey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: very-special

I have just experienced the life-changing magic of discarding two-thirds of my clothes, shoes, and accessories! One category down, a whole house to go. It's so fun to get dressed now; all I have to do is reach in and anything I pull out "sparks joy" in my heart. After going up three sizes and then back down again within the last 2 years, you'd think I wouldn't have anything left to discard, but that wasn't true. So many items were hiding the good stuff, dragging me down with bad memories, worn o I have just experienced the life-changing magic of discarding two-thirds of my clothes, shoes, and accessories! One category down, a whole house to go. It's so fun to get dressed now; all I have to do is reach in and anything I pull out "sparks joy" in my heart. After going up three sizes and then back down again within the last 2 years, you'd think I wouldn't have anything left to discard, but that wasn't true. So many items were hiding the good stuff, dragging me down with bad memories, worn out associations, and/or poor lines and fit.

After reading a few chapters, my husband has already begun with his own clothes, and miracle of miracles, he immediately bought some new work pants in his own style, of his own choosing, the kind that "spark joy" for him. And this man hates to shop.

So, life-changing? Yes! Does the book coincide with everything I've learned in the last 40 years of studying the energetic nature of human beings and all life as we know it? Yes! Do I love this book? Yes!

Am I the kind of person who, even though I recently undertook another de-cluttering project, still lived amid stashes of things that weighed me down with guilt and obligation and insecurity? Yes! My husband and I experienced some scary poverty years early in our lives together. It's been difficult ever since to resist the urge to keep more than we need. As the youngest in our respective families, we also shared the habit of accepting whatever was given to us, hand-me-downs that might or might not have suited us. The concept of wearing, using, or keeping only items that "spark joy" makes brilliant sense to me now, and feels like wonderful liberation.

I am very excited and inspired by Marie Kondo's work, and I'm equally enthusiastic about continuing throughout the house until we are living a much smaller, less encumbered, joyously infused material existence here in our happy home. I love the way she characterizes the impact of our thoughts on our things, and vice versa. I just love her entire outlook.

Oh yes, one more life-changing aspect (already): I hated to fold things. Just like she says, after following her instructions (and watching her demonstrate on YouTube) it's become a fun game for me. Weird, but true. You have to experience this to believe it. I recommend reading the entire book before you begin any "tidying-up," though, so you get the full effect of Marie Kondo’s charismatic, inspirational advice.
...more

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May 19, 2020 Merphy Napier rated it really liked it

Shelves: four-stars, non-fiction, adult

I may not use every piece of advice in this book, but I did really enjoy it, and will be incorporating parts into my life. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook while I cleaned

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Dec 06, 2014 Mia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: japanese, psych-and-self-help, 2014

I hesitated to read this book because I thought it might not have much to offer beyond what's written on its back cover: get rid of any belongings that don't "spark joy." That is really the essence of Kondo's advice, but she has more to offer in the rest of the book too, and it's surprisingly eccentric and Japanese. No American book would advise praying to your house before tidying it, for example, or suggest that objects just want to help you and that, once released from your possession, they w ...more

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Aug 31, 2015 Laurie rated it liked it

I know a secret. If you have too much stuff and it’s bugging you then get rid of it. All of it. Well, nearly all of it. Save a few things but only the things you absolutely love, the things that spark joy within your being (you’ll know it when you feel it, says the author) and don’t bring more things into the house unless you love and/or need them. Don’t think you can do that? Well, never mind then.

This author wants you to be absolutely ruthless with your possessions and do it in one fell swoop. Don’t dilly-dally and put certain unpleasant things off. Absolutely do not waste money buying “storage solutions”. Just get rid of your stuff and you won’t have to store it or dust it or leave it there to feel bad for itself. Now, none of this is a bad thing (though the last might be a wee bit kooky) and honestly I’m all for it. I had way too much crap lying about and it was driving me crazy. Broken crap, ugly crap, gifted crap, crap that had been there so long it was invisible to me. But this book has a problem and it is a BIG one that I’m betting many of you here on this site may take issue with as well.

Step #2, you see, is books. BOOKS! Step freaking two is BOOKS. As you can probably easily imagine, I am stuck here on step #2 because, well, it’s a call to action to rid myself of my precious books! I’ve been collecting books since I was twelve years old. I have a lot of books but I’m afraid I may love them all.

#1 was clothes, shoes, accessories and that was a breeze. Who needs clothes taking up space that could hold a few books? This was easy, thought I. My closet was done in an hour or so. Everything culled, sorted and color coded and folded all nice and tidy-like. I could blow through this, thought I. A zen and clutter-free life was within my grasp. I had this. Then step #2 happened and I was instructed to rid myself of all of the books I have loved before (but may not love again) and all of the books I have not read yet. Uh oh. I was told to remove my TBR pile(s) from my life. Forever. And almost always. She’ll allow you to re-buy digitally if you are pining away and dying of sadness for it. I was instructed to touch each one and see if it sparked that apparently not-so-elusive feeling of joy within me. Trouble is they all kind of did. I suppose I am broken. I tried folks, I truly did. I took pictures and even posted them online in an attempt to humiliate myself into following through. I even went so far as removing a gigantor bookshelf, stocked three piles deep, floor-to-ceiling, from my room as well as an armoire I no longer needed. I have to admit my room looks and feels calms and free and spacious. The bookshelf now neatly resides in my basement. I pulled off all of the books and starting sorting them but it made me incredibly sad to think about tossing them out of my house where they might potentially end up in a trash/recycle bin (according to the author everything has feelings so how could I allow this? Better they be a little lonesome on my shelf than DEAD, right?!). Instead of tossing them into bags, I started arranging them by color (which she wants you to do with clothes) and then I put all but a dozen or so back up on the shelves. They look happy and pretty and they brighten the back wall of the basement. I have decided that I am keeping them. They are my one and only vice and I work hard. They are not clutter.

I think I shall pretend that step 2 was nothing but a fever dream.

After I was revived with sniffing salts I got back to business. So next comes all of the other stuff which I can easily part ways with; the paper, the stuff no one ever eats, the gadgets (my days of bread baking are over), the broken things that we’ve been thinking we’ll fix someday, the mementos, pictures and all the other useless crapola that has been residing in the basement since we moved in a million years ago. I’ve removed countless bags of trash and several car loads of “stuff” and hauled them to Goodwill and I miss none of it. It is so much easier to clean my house now. I haven’t followed this plan as written, it’s difficult when you live with several other people, so we still have some bins and crud to get to but now I'm inspired to keep at it.

This book will give you some unique tools and I do recommend it if you skip step two or perhaps save it for last, if you’re anything like me. She has a nifty way of folding clothes that helped me fit everything into a few drawers and will keep me in check if I decide I need more yoga pants. You really do see just how much of each clothing category you own when you pile them all on the bed/floor and separate them into their own little categories. She doesn’t declutter by room but by category. This stops you from getting stuck (on pictures or mementos which are left for the end) and forces you to deal with an entire category and actually finish the job so you never have to do it again. She also tells you to start with a clear vision of your end result. That bit of advice has helped me tremendously.

The author clearly has an obsession with tidying. She does not deny this. Apparently, she’s been this way since she was a wee, strange child and goes into great detail at the beginning of book about her childhood hobby of “tidying”. This makes the start a bit of a slog. I found some of her beliefs a little quirky and I will not be emptying my bag out each night so my stuff can “breathe” only to put everything back in come morning (what the?!) but if you can overlook some of the odd things she says, you’ll more than likely find something here to help you out.
...more

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Dec 04, 2014 Erin added it

Notes as i read:

Things I like:
-the idea of tidying by category
-the joy factor
-"we should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of."
-she's not very judgemental
-the sweet Japanese anthropomorphizing of objects
-her approach to clothes and thanking the objects for their service
-her order and suggestion that tidying needs to be done just once in a big swoop and in a certain order: discard first, figure out where things go after
-like the idea of seeing what you need/don't ne ...more

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Apr 02, 2015 Kats rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, non-fiction, audio, asian, kcls-audio, memoirs, self-help

What will I take away from this "life changing" book on tidying up?

1. If you name a method after yourself, you conjure up instant credibility as an "expert".
2. If you are a neurotic nutcase with an obsessive-compulsive disorder, try to turn it into a virtue, or even better, a lucrative career.
3. If you use the words "spark joy", "feel happiness" and "reduce anxiety" enough times, people will want to follow your lead and pay you good money for your advice.

and on a practical level I've learnt t ...more

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Dec 18, 2014 edh rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, adult

I've read a lot of organization books over the years, but this is a book that might actually change your relationship with your possessions. Instead of focusing on categories, fiddly buckets, or accessories from Bed Bath and Beyond, Marie Kondo asks us to reevaluate the way we relate to our homes and belongings. The question, "does this spark joy?" seems pat, but it truly liberates you to think critically why you keep something around. By the end of the book, you'll understand that we keep thing ...more

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Jan 26, 2017 April (Aprilius Maximus) rated it it was amazing

This book has actually changed my life. I'm now in the middle of category 4 out of 5 of her decluttering/tidying process and honestly y'all i have never felt so good. Thanks KonMari! ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Robin Hobb rated it it was amazing

Shelves: essential-references

The Office Kat brought this book to my attention, and it became my plane read for a trip to Australia in November 2014. Doubtless the Kat had an ulterior motive (the office is a stacked up mess) but this book offers more than tips on tidying.

The author, Marie Kondo, has made tidying up her life since she was a small child, and shares many anecdotes about her early days as a stealth clutter-control operative in her family home, as well as some of the false starts she had on her way to her tidying ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 Whitney Atkinson rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, read-in-2018

I picked up this book because so many people talk about it, but I'm not necessarily a hoarder or someone who has too many things that I need to tidy up. This was only four hours long on audiobook so I flew through it in two sittings (while cleaning my room, coincidentally). And although I don't agree with Marie a ton about thinning down on your things (ie. for sentimental items, she's like "throw them away!! it had value to you once and now it's gone!!" like, no. im keeping everything i've touch ...more

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Oct 13, 2019 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it

Shelves: 21th-century, non-fiction, self-help

Manga de Yomu Jinsei ga Tokimeku Katazuke no Mahō = The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (Magic Cleaning #1), Marie Kondō

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 Mari Method, with ...more

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Apr 27, 2017 Sheri rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2017, nonfiction

The book started out in a fairly logical and reasonable manner but quickly descends into quirky rules and instructions. I believe there are useful ideas to be gleaned from Marie Kondo’s methods and it is sort of a fun read to see what kooky thing she’ll suggest next. Read it and take what you can from it.

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Oct 19, 2020 Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile rated it liked it

When I first started this book, it felt absolutely life changing. I was already facing a looming "fall cleaning", as I had family coming to visit and I usually do a deep house cleaning before the holiday decorating starts anyway.

After a couple of chapters, I immediately spent a couple of days going through just about everything in the house and loaded up around 5 trashbags to be donated, as well as 2 large boxfuls of books, and that's not even counting all I threw away (which was also a lot!). ...more

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About Marie Kondō

Marie Kondō

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Marie Kondo (近藤麻理恵) is a Japanese organizing consultant and author. Kondo's method of organizing is known as the KonMari Method, and one of the main principles is keeping only possessions which "spark joy."

Kondo's best-seller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing has been published in more than 30 countries.

She was listed as one of the world's 100 ...more

Other books in the series

Magic Cleaning (3 books)

Books by Marie Kondō

Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story

Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life

A Journal: Life-Changing Magic, Spark Joy Every Day

Kiki & Jax: The Life-Changing Magic of Friendship

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Quotes from The Life-Changing...

“But when we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.” — 223 likes

“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” — 220 likes

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