The Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Here is the 2014 book by Marie Kondō:

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

Here's what a good friend of mine has to say about it:

She’s a celebrity and Google will give you a lot to read about this. It’s weird how a such a simple book has affected my perspective on a lot of things. But I won’t do everything the author recommends… she’s a bit too extreme for my taste.

She says exactly that : that things want to make us happy, if we forget them in a drawer, it means we are in fact unhappy with it and the thing is unhappy too. She says she speaks to her socks and thank them for protecting her feet all day, and she noticed items become more « vibrant » if stored properly (she sees organizing as a way of giving a home to each belonging, so they can rest and then give you some good energy). Well, I still don’t speak to my socks, but I’m now folding them differently and I do like it better.

I do think things carry a special energy. When I’m knitting something for someone, I like to think that my hands are putting some love into the yarn and that this energy will keep the person warm.

Here are a few quotes :

« When you come across something that you cannot part with, think carefully about its true purpose in your life. You’ll be surprised at how many things have already fulfilled their role. By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you will be able to truly put the things you own, and your life, in order. In the end, all that will remain are the things that you really treasure. »

« Just because you dispose of something does not mean you give up past experiences or your identity. Through the process of selecting only those things that inspire joy, you can identify precisely what you love and what you need. »

« 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 fear for the future. […] It’s important to understand your ownership pattern because it is an expression of the values that guide your life. The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life. […] The process of facing and selecting our possessions can be quite painful. It forces us to confront our imperfections and inadequacies and the foolish choices we made in the past. »