Oh, I had high hopes for this book, and the title promises that your life will be transformed by a few simple steps as you first declutter your home, then put every object in its rightful place.
I believe most people in America, myself included, live excessively. This is probably one of the reasons that this book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying-Up, along with many other books, articles and podcasts on minimalism have become so popular. We at least recognize the need to change and to reduce the materialism in our lives. Amen to that.
This book certainly offers solutions for that kind of change. I'm just not sure how practical the solutions actually are.
~~~
Immediately after reading the book, I of course convinced my husband to spend our Saturday kids' nap time sorting through all of our clothes. "She said we have to sort by category, not by room," I told my husband. "First clothes, then books, then miscellaneous items, then sentimental stuff. But we have to start with clothes and we have to spread them out on the floor."
He looked less than thrilled. So in line with the KonMari method, I started by pulling out every stitch of clothing that I own and spreading it on the floor in our bedroom. I tried not to nag too much as I noticed my husband placing a few items in neat stacks on the bed, leaving the rest to eyeball in his drawers.
"Now," I said, "we have to hold every item and ask ourselves, 'Does it spark joy?' And if it does, then we keep it. If not, it goes."
"That's what she says to do!" I said, as I caught a slight eye roll.
We skipped the advice on folding a certain way and stacking clothes in drawers vertically so you could see all of the items at once (mainly because I already wrestle my sheets into submission rather than fold them and don't iron clothing, so why would I create more stress for myself?)
We managed to round up three garbage bags full of clothes that didn't "spark joy" just as the kids woke up from their naps.
~~~
This all took us about two hours and did not include going through all of the children's clothes in drawers, bins and closets throughout the house. According to the KonMari Method, all the sorting of every category is to be done all at once so you can enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and (ahem) never go back to your untidy ways again.
If you are a parent, then by now you're protesting loudly in your head (or audibly as I did while reading the book), "Um, what are you supposed to do with your kids as you: 1. spread everything out on the floor, 2. fondle each item, reflecting on the joy it brings you, 3. move on to the next category, 4. repeat, and then 5. actually put everything in a reasonable location so you will never have to tidy again (her promise)?
This book needs a sequel with modifications for those of us with children who rage against tidiness.
~~~
The author is Japanese, so there are definite signs of her culture and religion coming through her writing (which I find fascinating) as she treats her possessions like people, thanking them for supporting her throughout her day. She greets her house as she comes in the door and unloads her purse every.single.day. so that it can have a rest for the night from doing its work (naturally). Throughout the book, she reiterates that being surrounded by things that spark joy is what makes people happy.
I agree that many of our problems are tied to our possessions, but I don't believe that our joy should come from them.
The best part of reading this book for me was the constant permission and encouragement to purge--even if there's still a very remote possibility you might read or wear an item in the future. Sometimes you just need someone looking over your shoulder, saying, "Yes, you should give that away. Just do it!" Marie Kondo is that voice of tough love. So while I can honestly say that while my possessions may not all "spark joy" within me, through reading this, I am inspired to declutter and take control of my environment rather than allow my possessions to control me. And that is something to spark some joy.
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Labels: book review, simplifying
