As part of the Pattern Observer Book Club, we dove into a #1 New York Times best-seller all about decluttering and organizing.

the life changing magic of tidyThe Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

* Please note this post has affiliate links. That means if you purchase after clicking through, I might receive a small commission (at no cost to you). All opinions are my own and thank you for supporting me!

Marie Kondo is super famous for her KonMari Method and although the title is certainly claiming a lot for a little book, I was curious to read for myself and see what the fuss was all about. Kondo is a consultant in Japan, helping folks declutter and organize their homes. She has a long waiting list for her services and has never had a client revert back to their messy ways – wowsers! I was intrigued for sure.

I wouldn’t consider myself a big shopper, but I still struggle with clutter. How in the world did I end up with so much stuff?! I’ve moved from the USA to Italy, bringing bare essentials, so really I have cluttered myself up in a short time. I certainly wouldn’t mind getting organized and above all, having that sense of lightness, free from all the material possessions around. I totally feel that physical clutter does contribute to mental clutter.

Although hopeful, I was skeptical diving into the book. Kondo sounds a bit kooky and some might start to think of her as a crazy old lady as she talks about thanking your socks – she’s not kidding. But as I turned the pages, her voice started to turn into a charming character, comical, but also authoritative. I started to imagine her as an anime character advising me on organization.

Turns out the book is less about tips and tricks, but more about the philosophy of stuff. If we change the way we see our possessions then ultimately it is pretty straightforward when it comes to sustaining a clutter-free environment.

In a nutshell, her method is about getting all the stuff you own by category in front of you physically, so you can go through and ask yourself if it “sparks joy.” If not, get rid of it. For all the things that remain, you put them in their place and maintain. Obviously easier said than done, huh?

She gives tips on the process and dives deep into the various categories of possessions, bringing in examples from her experience and her clients. The method is extreme – like her policy on papers is to discard them all. LOL. I chuckled about the impossibility of that. But of course she dives in deeper to explain and the types of papers to deal with.

I’ve definitely gained a lot from reading the book, but I have to say it’s still going to take some time for me to apply everything. Tackling my wardrobe was relatively easy, perhaps because I’m pretty basic with clothing and had no trouble letting things go. Now it’s all about upkeep and I can’t say that I always keep up. I know pants are supposed to go in the pant drawer, but sometimes a pile of clean laundry does sit awhile before getting put away.

Now tackling other categories hasn’t been so easy. Her method requires you to do things in full sweeps, so you can’t just do a bit or do a drawer. But regardless of if you can apply her method full force in a few days or months, I still think it’s been helpful to gain insight on a new philosophy about the stuff we own.

I’ve learned how to better discard unwanted things, to truly treasure what I have, the fine art of folding clothes and how great it feels to purge and see only things that I really love. All the other stuff, hmm… I can’t even remember much of the discarded, so obviously they were not that important at all. Exactly.

If you would like an easy read on a different and distinctly unique view of decluttering and organizing, definitely check out The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

* Please note this post has affiliate links. That means if you purchase after clicking through, I might receive a small commission (at no cost to you). All opinions are my own and thank you for supporting me!