The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: A Review (part one)

21 July 2015

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: A review

Have you read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo? She’s the Japanese “tidying consultant” whose book has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

I initially resisted reading it because I was irked by all the attention it had garnered. (It has received loads of media attention, as well as bestseller status.) But a couple of people mentioned that the advice in the book echoed much of what I write about, so I thought I’d better check it out. I was also intrigued by how it seemed to really prompt people to take action.

I bristled as I read the first couple of chapters, because the author spoke in absolutes with a “my way or the highway” attitude. She basically said that if you follow her method you will succeed and never backslide. And if you deviate from her method you’re pretty much doomed to failure.

My clients know that I don’t speak in such absolutes and that I’m all for custom, not cookie-cutter, solutions.

But I kept reading. And as I read, I found myself nodding along at many of her ideas. I’m not necessarily thrilled with the directive way they’re expressed (which could be attributed to culture differences or simply the translation), but I saw truth in much of what she wrote. For example:

  • Keep only those things that spark joy
  • Decide what to keep, not what to let go of
  • Let go of excess in order to cherish those items that are important to you
  • Don’t start organizing until after you’ve decluttered
  • Keep storage solutions excruciatingly simple

She and I deviate on a few points as well. For example, I don’t agree with these points:

  • There’s one right way to do things—the organizing method should not be changed to suit the person using it
  • You should aim for perfection
  • It’s a bad idea to declutter a little at a time
  • Storage experts are hoarders

I also felt like some of her advice, while viable for her clients living in small spaces in Japan, might not be realistic for many of my clients’ larger homes. For example, she advocates storing all like items in one area, not spreading them throughout the house. In a 5,000 square foot home, it doesn’t make much sense to me to have all your pens, for example, in one desk.

All that aside, there’s one thing I can say for this book: It does spark action. I read it on an airplane and was itching to get home to do some decluttering as soon as I finished it. I’m looking forward to trying out some of her methods, and even exploring her uber-simple paper organizing method (papers to be acted on and papers to be saved; the latter is divided into two subcategories, infrequently used papers and more frequently used papers). She made me want to discard all the old seminar notes that are cluttering up my bookshelf—because it’s true; I never look at them.

And I can’t wait to try out her signature question, “Does this item spark joy?” during the decluttering process in my own home. I’m back from my trip and today I’m going to give Marie Kondo’s advice (which she has named “the KonMarie Method”) a shot. My home is in need of some decluttering attention, so it’s the perfect chance to give it a try.

I’ll blog about the results on Thursday!

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Comments

Thanks for your review! I like hearing how someone with your expertise viewed her advice. I think you are right on with your review. It’s still sparking action around our house and thats a good thing!

Vickie Sheridan July 28, 2015 01:38 PM

That’s great, Vickie! Your husband’s taking action on the basis of the book is one of the reasons I wanted to read it! Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you found the post helpful.

Janine Adams July 29, 2015 08:07 AM

My wife is a big proponent of this book and has successfully implemented its advice in some areas of our home. However, the advice in this book did not sound all that revolutionary or new to me, as it reminded me of many of the home organizing experts I’ve seen on many popular TV shows in the past. To name but one example, a lot of what this author says reminds me a lot of Peter Walsh’s advice that I’ve seen on various shows he’s appeared on prior to this book coming out, particularly when it comes to whether an item brings you joy (to use Kondo’s phrase). However, the fact this author’s advice might not be new does not diminish its value. The greater value is the author’s ability to inspire action. All the advice in the world is useless unless there is inspiration to act on it.

Sean June 8, 2016 01:20 PM

It truly is amazing how this book has sparked joy with readers! I do agree that putting the focus on what to keep makes it easier to let go of the rest. But like you, I don’t believe that one decluttering approach fits all, and there’s nothing wrong with starting small! In fact, I believe that trying to declutter your home all at once is like trying to eat an entire cake in one bite! Thanks for a great review, Janine.

Donna Smallin Kuper October 18, 2017 01:46 PM

Donna, thanks so much! “Eat an entire cake in one bite.” That’s perfect.

Janine Adams October 19, 2017 06:00 AM

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About Janine

Hello! I’m Janine Adams — a certified professional organizer based in St. Louis, and the creator of Peace of Mind Organizing®.

I love order, harmony + beauty, but I believe that the way that you feel about yourself and your home is what truly matters.

If you’re ready to de­clutter with a purpose and add more ease to your life, you’ve found the right blog — and you’ve found the right company.

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