Reading: Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Marie Kondo is on everyone’s lips these days and every international news outlet has picked up and review this best seller. It has been the rage for a while so I picked up a copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising at the airport earlier this year and finished it on my long haul flight. Perfectly timed with moving apartments, giving away and throwing out clothes that I never wore and probably will never wear again, giving away clothes that no longer fit. Most of all, I am changing my spending habits, not that I am one that shops a lot, but I spend a lot of time and money buying knick knacks, accessories and in general lots of things I don’t need. In an effort to shop more consciously and sustainably, buying less, but all quality and usually expensive items and asking yourself about the “joy” that it brings – a core vein that runs through Kondo’s book.

This doesn’t get old because I read it for the second time last week in two sittings while procrastinating to unpack the remaining bags of things from our recent move! And I gave away another bag of clothes in the “spark joy” elimination test. I also haven’t bought anything in the last few months, so I am doing well Kondo style! Less is more.

It raises pertinent issues, more than just savings, but the way we consume responsibly and the fair consumption of garments made by fairly paid workers, with sustainability in mind. I recently watched a documentary on TV5 on the history of Chanel and how couture is still handmade by a team of retiring tailors and seamstresses. The respect and quality of everything handmade, we’ve opted for cheap, mass production and convenience. So perhaps time to think about shopping more consciously which makes decluttering an easier task.

I haven’t mastered the art of clothes folding and storage the Kondo way, but here’s some inspiration. Youtube is full of lengthy videos of people talking too much rather than showing you how to get straight to it, here’s one of the few useful videos on the
“KonMarie” to get you started.

“Because stuff isn’t what matters. What you have is enough. YOU are enough.” Lovely article on minimalism. And more KonMarie and rules summarised in the video.

Kon Marie is the rage these days, have you read her book? I think it’s been translated to several languages and my Thai friend is reading it in Thai.

Did you follow the tips and suggestions? I have to say I have tried my best to implement as much as I can from the book and did find the wardrobe drawer sorting and folding very useful, creating a lot more space and tidiness while picking out what to wear. Even the husband approves.

My mum friends like Crafty Academic who has triplets and a toddler in the household says often times it’s not that realistic, how do you tidy a household with 4 toddlers? And already she is as minimalist as it gets. Let’s wait for Kon Marie part 2 on tidying the house with children, now that the guru is pregnant, she’s definitely going to have to work with space efficiency alongside tidiness. And first time parents I have observed always have “spark joy” moments for everything when it comes to the first born!

Share your Kon Marie success stories, I would love to hear about them in the comments section or spread the love by sharing this post on tidying up! :)
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