Reading Room: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Do you find yourself itching to finally declutter your house, but are not sure where to start? Then Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up might be the book for you. In a conversational manner, Kondo provides her readers with a map for putting their homes in order, an art she has been teaching to clients for years.

Kondo begins her book with a discussion about why people fail to keep their houses orderly before moving on to instruct readers about the process of tidying. Her method is extraordinarily simple, involving only two practical steps: discarding and putting each item in its place. As Kondo herself says, anyone can grasp it.

Throughout the book, Kondo’s exceptional understanding of human nature is evident. She points out, mostly through examples, why people tend to keep items they do not really need—whether it be clothes, papers, or nostalgic knick-knacks. I found myself nodding along in agreement with her wisdom.

Although some readers may find Kondo’s style repetitive, this is partly due to her subject matter and partly to her rhetoric. The more she repeats a statement, the more the reader begins to wonder if it is true. This might lead some readers to try out Kondo’s advice for themselves.*

Ultimately, Kondo reminds those seeking domestic organization that the purpose of putting one’s space in order is freedom to deal with the deeper things in life. When we are no longer so focused maintaining external order, then we have the time and energy to turn inward. 

*Yes, I did try some of Kondo's advice. Pictures coming soon!