The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

I make lists, go through piles of papers, give books to Bookcrossing, and make donations to St Vinnies.  However, I still have loads of stuff!  Unfortunately, this book probably won't be the answer, but it is helpful, and I will buy it eventually (when I find some room for more books!)  Marie Kondo's way of tidying up is to do it all at once, by putting your clothes or books on the floor and going through them to see if they bring you joy.  Now, this might work with clothes, but it's not going to work with books. What happens if you discover that you've got rid of a favourite book accidentally! She does have plenty of tips for deciding which clothes to keep, but I find her method of discarding books slightly crazy.

Kondo does include suggestions for living, such as not wearing 'lounge wear' around the house, and wearing something elegant as nightwear.  An American man said that he was pleased to see so many Irish women wearing dresses in Ireland, because so many women wore sweatpants all the time.  I was a bit shocked! Her other tips include organizing the clothes in the wardrobe from left to right - hang the heaviest and darkest on the left - and hanging them in categories.  Also, she thinks that clothes should be opened and the tags removed immediately after you've bought them.

I especially liked Kondo's treatment of inanimate objects as living things. Jung also did this.  She suggests, for example, that you should greet your home when you walk in the door.  I am trying this, and I quite like it so far! I am even apologising to it because of the clutter!

Marie answers questions here.









Comments

Popular Posts