Book Review | The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo was an amazing book, and also a quick read. It really inspires you to strive to tidy up your space in order to tidy up your life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a change in their life! I have outlined the things that I took away from this book, and want to remember in order to incorporate it in my own life.
This book has inspired me to make it one of my new year resolutions to tidy up, and in return hopefully find some guidance in my life. The book explains that you need to have a specified goal; I want to live minimalistic and know where all my things are placed in my space. With this goal, you also have to change your lifestyle. I need to stop going to the store to relieve stress lol.
And why do I want to tidy up my life? I want to relax and be healthy. Why would I want to relax and be healthy? Because I want to be happy. Why do I want to be happy? Because being happy will help me reach my goals. And why do I want to reach my goals? So I can do what I was made to do. Kondo explains in her book to ask yourself why you want to tidy, and then keep asking yourself until you get to the main root. The above is what I came up with is my main root as to why I want and need to tidy up.
The Basis of Examining What You Own:
> Discard: broken things, out-of-date items, and things that haven't been used for more than a year
> Look at what you want to keep (not what you want to discard) and ask "Does this spark joy in me?"
> Keep the things that speak to your heart, and plunge the rest.
> Begin with the easiest, and end with the hardest. This is usually clothes first, books, papers, and then momentos.
The Clothes
Organize by category and not by location. You want to bring all the clothes you own, and then select which ones to discard and keep.
Think about why you bought the items and if it's still needed. If it's no longer needed, it has completed its role in your life. Thank the item for giving you joy and fulfilling its duty when you bought it. Like people, each item teaches us a lesson and relates to us in different ways so acknowledge its contribution and then let it go with gratitude.
For tidying clothes the recommended order is:
The Books
From clothes, Kondo moves onto tidying up your books. Every category should be brought out of hibernation and placed ALL on the floor in order for you to truely see or find which one sparks joy, this includes all the heavy books you may have. Again, when going through the books you'll want to ask yourself if this book moves you, if it sparks happiness. You want to keep your book collection small. Kondo suggests that, "the moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it."
The Papers
After you have chosen your small collection of books to read, you'll want to go through your papers. There are only three categories that should be kept:
The Komono
Komono is another way of saying miscellaneous items. Kondo urges us to, "keep things because you love them not 'just because'." Handle each sentimental item and decide what to discard, this allows you to process your past. You don't want to let the past "become a weight that holds you back and keeps you from living in the here and now." Putting your space in order will help you put your past in order. It allows you to reset your life and settle your accounts so that you can take the next steps forward. The basic list of ordering miscellaneous items would be:
- Dispose of your own excess and then the rest of your household will follow suit.
- It's best to clean early in the morning
- Tidy completely in a single shot so that you are not hindered with the thought of having to tidy.
Read 12/6 - 12/27
"Let your space bring you happiness! Reset your life with a new lifestyle."
This book has inspired me to make it one of my new year resolutions to tidy up, and in return hopefully find some guidance in my life. The book explains that you need to have a specified goal; I want to live minimalistic and know where all my things are placed in my space. With this goal, you also have to change your lifestyle. I need to stop going to the store to relieve stress lol.
And why do I want to tidy up my life? I want to relax and be healthy. Why would I want to relax and be healthy? Because I want to be happy. Why do I want to be happy? Because being happy will help me reach my goals. And why do I want to reach my goals? So I can do what I was made to do. Kondo explains in her book to ask yourself why you want to tidy, and then keep asking yourself until you get to the main root. The above is what I came up with is my main root as to why I want and need to tidy up.
The Basis of Examining What You Own:
> Discard: broken things, out-of-date items, and things that haven't been used for more than a year
> Look at what you want to keep (not what you want to discard) and ask "Does this spark joy in me?"
> Keep the things that speak to your heart, and plunge the rest.
> Begin with the easiest, and end with the hardest. This is usually clothes first, books, papers, and then momentos.
Think about why you bought the items and if it's still needed. If it's no longer needed, it has completed its role in your life. Thank the item for giving you joy and fulfilling its duty when you bought it. Like people, each item teaches us a lesson and relates to us in different ways so acknowledge its contribution and then let it go with gratitude.
"To truly cherish things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose."
For tidying clothes the recommended order is:
- Tops
- Bottoms
- Jackets/Dresses
- Socks
- Underwear
- Bags
- Accessories
- Swimsuits
- Shoes
Once you have gathered all your clothing in one pile, it's recommended to begin with the off-season clothes. You will want to handle each item, and your pile should go down to about one third of what you have after discarding. Also remember, "what you wear in the house still impacts your self-image."
Folding your clothes has many benefits. Folding saves space and we get to handle each item one at a time; this allows us to notice small details if it's ripped, etc. and also allows us to put our energy into our pieces of clothes. Hands heal both the body and soul. Kondo also explains the best way of folding your clothes. In words I didn't understand what she meant, but luckily I found that there are MANY Youtube videos on it. You can check out a video of Marie Kondo folding clothes at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpc5_1896ro. I never realized how life-changing the way your fold could be! Below are the drawers I organized in my home following Kondo's folding technique. I re-folded some of my drawers following her method, and it was very eye-opening! I was amazed that I was still able to fit everything in with more space than before AND I was able to see every item. Below are some of my before and after drawers following her folding styles:
I also recently did my sock draw, and it's the absolute best not having to worry about rummaging through your clothing items. Kondo advises that we should never scrunch our socks into small balls, which I have literally done my entire almost 24 years of life on this earth lol.
Another important step is arranging your items. For clothes, you'll want to categorize it by similar clothing. I somewhat do this now already. She suggests heavy items to the left and light items on the right, so it may look like Coats > Dresses > Jackets > Pants > Skirts > etc.
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I also recently did my sock draw, and it's the absolute best not having to worry about rummaging through your clothing items. Kondo advises that we should never scrunch our socks into small balls, which I have literally done my entire almost 24 years of life on this earth lol.
Another important step is arranging your items. For clothes, you'll want to categorize it by similar clothing. I somewhat do this now already. She suggests heavy items to the left and light items on the right, so it may look like Coats > Dresses > Jackets > Pants > Skirts > etc.
The Books
From clothes, Kondo moves onto tidying up your books. Every category should be brought out of hibernation and placed ALL on the floor in order for you to truely see or find which one sparks joy, this includes all the heavy books you may have. Again, when going through the books you'll want to ask yourself if this book moves you, if it sparks happiness. You want to keep your book collection small. Kondo suggests that, "the moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it."
The Papers
After you have chosen your small collection of books to read, you'll want to go through your papers. There are only three categories that should be kept:
- Currently in use
- Needed for a limited time
- Must keep indefinitely
The best to to keep it organized is to keep all papers in one spot and categorize it by:
- Needs attention- This would include your To-Do now's, and it should usually be empty.
- Needs to be saved - This would be contractual documents, etc.
- Should be saved - Other documents that should be saved.
These categories should not be split into sub-categories. She gives a helpful tip about saving lecture material- I know I'm a culprit of this. I have bags and boxes of old lecture material, thinking that one day I will review some of them. But realistically, one rarely reviews old lecture material. To make seminars useful, you have to put it into practice. Apply the learning. "It's precisely because we hang on to such materials that we fail to put what we learn into practice."
The Komono
Komono is another way of saying miscellaneous items. Kondo urges us to, "keep things because you love them not 'just because'." Handle each sentimental item and decide what to discard, this allows you to process your past. You don't want to let the past "become a weight that holds you back and keeps you from living in the here and now." Putting your space in order will help you put your past in order. It allows you to reset your life and settle your accounts so that you can take the next steps forward. The basic list of ordering miscellaneous items would be:
- CDs and DVDs
- Skincare products
- Makeup
- Accessories
- Valuables (Passport, credit cards)
- Electrical equipment (Cameras, cords)
- Household equipment (stationary, sewing kits)
- Household supplies (medicine, tissues, detergent)
- Kitchen goods or food supplies
- Other (figuringes, etc.)
- ** Any separate hobby items
Going through the list of miscellaneous items, remember to save only those that bring joy! If you feel bad for giving or throwing something away, note that presents are a means for conveying someone's feelings. "Don't feel guilty for parting with a gift. Just thank if for the joy it gave you when you first received it."
Live in the present. "No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now are more important."
Also remember that our parents' house or sister's closet is not "some infinitely expanding fourth dimension" that you can send your things to. Organize what you have in your own space, and get rid of the excess no matter how hard it might be to let go of items that no longer bring you direct joy.
You will want to sort your photos now right when you get it printer. This way, the photos will be in order when you are older to look back on and enjoy an album full of photos when you're old.
"The quickest and most effective way to put your things in order is to reduce your stock and relieve yourself of the burden of excess." Through tidying, you'll see what your true values are and what's really important to you in your life. Remember to consistently focus on what inspires joy, not reducing or efficient storage methods. By focusing on joy, it will show you the true pleasure of tidying. Selecting things that bring you joy allows you to see precisely what you love and what you need.
The Storage Space:
You will not want to start storing items until you have eliminated the excess. You will want to keep storage methods as simple as possible by keeping in mind what is being stored. "Pursue ultimate simplicity in storage so you can tell at a glance how much you have." You want to organize with what you have first before buying new storage devices, if needed. Shoeboxes can be especially useful in storage and organization. Shoeboxes can store socks, washroom items, writing tools, etc. There are 2 rules in storage:
When you are storing items, you do not want to stack them because this is hard on the things on the bottom and can increase clutter. Vertical storage is best because you can see what you have and see when you are accumulating too much. The best way to store bags is to put them in other bags.
To keep your space clean and tidy, empty your purse everyday when you come home. "Create an environment where your bag can have a rest too." You will want to designate a place for your purse usuals. You want to make your home a sacred space, "a power spot filled with pure energy". A place to relax! You will also want to eliminate excess visual information--words and tags on items. Get rid of the "noise". "Appreciate your possessions and you'll gain strong allies" Thank your items for doing their roles.
The Effect of Tidying:
The true magic of tidying is that "you learn to choose your belongings properly, you will be left only with the amount that fits perfectly in the space you currently own." You gain confidence in your decisions. Asking yourself "What sparks joy?" will naturally hone your decision making skills. "People who lack confident in their judgement, lack confidence in themselves too." The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life and what you want to be known for.
By taking a look at the things you own and what sparked joy, you may find your true passions in life. "Letting go is even more important than adding." Tidying allows you to learn that you can do without certain items you've discarded. Everything you own wants to be of use to you; if it's not, then it would be happier freed.
Greet your house every time you come home to it. Ask your home for help in creating a space where you can enjoy a happier life. Show respect for the house and its' content. Eventually "you will start to feel your house respond to you when you come home and feel where it wants you to tidy." Tidying gives us the very important opportunity to express our appreciation to our home for all it does for us.
"When our space is completely clean, we don't have to worry about tidying, so we are free to focus on the next issue that is important in our lives." Through tidying, people come to know contentment, and worldly desires are likely to decrease. Organizing your living environment so that it feels comfortable will allow you to feel more energized and joyful everyday.
Tidy quickly and get it over with because tidying is not the purpose of live. " Pour your time and passion into what brings you the most joy, your mission in life. Putting your house in order will help you find the mission that speaks to your heart. Deep emotions in your heart when you send off things that have fulfilled their purpose
Tips
Also remember that our parents' house or sister's closet is not "some infinitely expanding fourth dimension" that you can send your things to. Organize what you have in your own space, and get rid of the excess no matter how hard it might be to let go of items that no longer bring you direct joy.
You will want to sort your photos now right when you get it printer. This way, the photos will be in order when you are older to look back on and enjoy an album full of photos when you're old.
"The quickest and most effective way to put your things in order is to reduce your stock and relieve yourself of the burden of excess." Through tidying, you'll see what your true values are and what's really important to you in your life. Remember to consistently focus on what inspires joy, not reducing or efficient storage methods. By focusing on joy, it will show you the true pleasure of tidying. Selecting things that bring you joy allows you to see precisely what you love and what you need.
The Storage Space:
You will not want to start storing items until you have eliminated the excess. You will want to keep storage methods as simple as possible by keeping in mind what is being stored. "Pursue ultimate simplicity in storage so you can tell at a glance how much you have." You want to organize with what you have first before buying new storage devices, if needed. Shoeboxes can be especially useful in storage and organization. Shoeboxes can store socks, washroom items, writing tools, etc. There are 2 rules in storage:
- Store all same type items in the same place
- Don't scatter storage space at the location.
If you are living with a family, it will be best to designate a place that each person can call their own (if possible). "Everyone needs a sanctuary." You will want to begin tidying your personal items first and then eventually move on to the things that belong to the household. Designate a spot for everything. The "existence of an item without a home, multiplies the chance that your space will become cluttered again."
When you are storing items, you do not want to stack them because this is hard on the things on the bottom and can increase clutter. Vertical storage is best because you can see what you have and see when you are accumulating too much. The best way to store bags is to put them in other bags.
To keep your space clean and tidy, empty your purse everyday when you come home. "Create an environment where your bag can have a rest too." You will want to designate a place for your purse usuals. You want to make your home a sacred space, "a power spot filled with pure energy". A place to relax! You will also want to eliminate excess visual information--words and tags on items. Get rid of the "noise". "Appreciate your possessions and you'll gain strong allies" Thank your items for doing their roles.
The Effect of Tidying:
The true magic of tidying is that "you learn to choose your belongings properly, you will be left only with the amount that fits perfectly in the space you currently own." You gain confidence in your decisions. Asking yourself "What sparks joy?" will naturally hone your decision making skills. "People who lack confident in their judgement, lack confidence in themselves too." The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life and what you want to be known for.
By taking a look at the things you own and what sparked joy, you may find your true passions in life. "Letting go is even more important than adding." Tidying allows you to learn that you can do without certain items you've discarded. Everything you own wants to be of use to you; if it's not, then it would be happier freed.
Greet your house every time you come home to it. Ask your home for help in creating a space where you can enjoy a happier life. Show respect for the house and its' content. Eventually "you will start to feel your house respond to you when you come home and feel where it wants you to tidy." Tidying gives us the very important opportunity to express our appreciation to our home for all it does for us.
"Things that are cherished, shine."
"When our space is completely clean, we don't have to worry about tidying, so we are free to focus on the next issue that is important in our lives." Through tidying, people come to know contentment, and worldly desires are likely to decrease. Organizing your living environment so that it feels comfortable will allow you to feel more energized and joyful everyday.
Tidy quickly and get it over with because tidying is not the purpose of live. " Pour your time and passion into what brings you the most joy, your mission in life. Putting your house in order will help you find the mission that speaks to your heart. Deep emotions in your heart when you send off things that have fulfilled their purpose
- Dispose of your own excess and then the rest of your household will follow suit.
- It's best to clean early in the morning
- Tidy completely in a single shot so that you are not hindered with the thought of having to tidy.
Good luck tidying! :D
Read 12/6 - 12/27
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