The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life
Marie Kondo
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up | Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo teaches you to simplify your life and make your home more peaceful by cutting down, organising and storing your possessions in her step by step guide. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up is much more than just a book about cleaning away your clutter though, it focuses on changing your core mindset to an intentional life. This mindfulness perspective impacts the way you think and live, leading to a more deliberate and peaceful life. Just ask yourself – how at peace are you working at a cluttered desk, or how well can you sleep with clothes strewn all over the bed?
Kondo’s first step to tidying involves deciding whether to keep or discard the item, with the (now hilariously meme based phrase) “Does this item spark joy?”. If not, maybe its time to let it go. An example could be an item of clothing you haven’t worn for years, or one that is so ill fitting it makes you feel bad when you wear it. Kondo asks readers to hold the item and ask yourself;
- What is the purpose of this object?
- Has it fulfilled its purpose already? (such as letters or cards)
- Why did I get this thing?
- When did I get it?
- How did it land in my house?
She explains that its better to move from easy to hard items when deciding what to keep, and moving through these categories in order to build up momentum and decision making skills
- Clothes
- Books (and CDs, DVDs, Magazines etc)
- Papers, Letters
- Miscellaneous
- Mementos or things with sentimental value
The second step to tidying involves deciding where to store the things you will keep. Don’t be tempted to rush into step two, as Kondo explains that everyone has limited space and eventually it will fill up with clutter if your not deliberate about what you keep. She warns that you should not even think of storing your items until you have finished the discarding process of step one. Designated placing and deliberate and thoughtful storage will help you to maximise your available space, such as folding of clothes in such a way as you can see them all.
Learning how to let go and what you should keep ends up being a pretty important life skill. Kondo explains the link between clutter and being afraid to let go because of past emotional bonds and ‘baggage’. It turns out though that when you clear away the clutter, you also clear your mind and soul. And that can be game changing in other aspects such as your relationships, career and finances.
Check it out on Amazon here, listen to it through Audible or buy it from Australia’s local bookstore Booktopia
Captain FI is a Retired Pilot who lives in Adelaide, South Australia. He is passionate about Financial Independence and writes about Personal Finance and his journey to reach FI at 29, allowing him to retire at 30.