The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Kondō encourages readers to emulate her routine when returning home from work. After greeting the house, she expresses gratitude to her shoes, coat, and work clothes as she takes them off and puts them away. She also thanks her purse as she empties it and puts it in its designated place. The contents of her purse go in a designated box inside a drawer. This allows her purse to rest overnight and prevents it from looking worn. Kondō’s homecoming ritual takes five minutes, leaving her free to relax afterward. The author asserts that once one has a designated place for everything, this routine makes tidying automatic, leaving time to focus on enjoying life.

Kondō admits that when she first started her business, she felt pressured to suggest ingenious storage solutions to her clients. However, years of experience as a consultant have taught her to favor simple storage methods. Most possessions can be kept in the kind of built-in cupboards or wardrobes that are common in Japanese homes. The author’s focus on built-in wardrobes reflects the compact housing conditions common in Japan. Western readers, especially those in larger households, may find this one-size-fits-all approach impractical. While a grounding in Japanese cultural traditions lends coherence to Kondō’s methods, this advice thus highlights the limits of their universal applicability.

The author recommends storing off-season items, large keepsakes such as wedding albums, and bedding on the top shelves of cupboards. Electrical appliances such as fans and heaters can be stored at the bottom. During the process of allocating space for everything, the same order should be followed as when discarding—clothes, books, documents, komono, and, finally, sentimental items. As with clothing, Kondō recommends vertical storage whenever possible to prevent items from becoming buried. For example, she stores her laptop like a book in a bookcase. When dividers are required, she suggests utilizing empty shoe boxes. Bags can be stored inside other bags (a maximum of two in each), with the straps hanging outside so that they can easily be identified. These storage solutions are practical, low-cost, and widely applicable across cultures.

Recalling how a client’s husband insisted on storing his belongings near the place where he used them, Kondō draws attention to the flaw in this philosophy. As untidiness occurs when people fail to return items to their designated spaces, storage should be tailored toward convenience when putting away, rather than initial ease of accessibility.

Wherever possible, Kondō advises keeping surfaces free of clutter, as this makes cleaning easier. After using toiletries such as shampoo in the bathroom, she recommends drying them and storing them out of sight. In the kitchen, washing-up items should be stored under the sink, and cooking oil and seasonings should be kept in a cupboard. These recommendations aim for minimalism but may feel impractical to some, particularly those with limited time who may find it more trouble than necessary to put away objects that are used daily.

Kondō observes that many of her clients still have their socks and underwear in their original packaging. This wastes space and leads to clients accumulating excess stock, as people forget that they possess these packaged items. Similarly, clients often fail to remove the tags from new clothing and subsequently overlook these items in their wardrobe. Kondō suggests that owners tend to neglect such clothing, as it becomes a possession only after the store’s trappings have been removed. Consequently, she recommends unpacking and de-tagging clothes as soon as they enter one’s home. This advice emphasizes the philosophy that ownership is established through interaction and use rather than mere purchase.

The author reveals that she has treated her possessions as live entities since she was a child and believes that it is reassuring for one’s belongings to have a consistent place to rest in the home. She encourages clients to regularly thank their possessions for their support and promotes treating them with the same care athletes devote to maintaining their sports equipment. The practice of animism in Shinto thought, where objects are imbued with spirit-like qualities, underlies Kondō’s perception of belongings. This anthropomorphizing of inanimate objects might be unfamiliar to Western readers. However, the comparison to athletic equipment creates a relatable benchmark regarding respect for material objects and commitment to ensuring their longevity.

Chapter Lessons

• Establish a five-minute end-of-day tidying routine that creates order and frees time to relax.
• Use straightforward storage solutions that prioritize ease of putting away.
• Keep surfaces clear to make cleaning effortless.
• Care for belongings lovingly, as athletes care for their sports equipment.

Reflection Questions

• Do you currently have a designated place for the contents of your purse or pockets, such as your wallet, keys, etc.? If not, where could you create one?
• Identify one item in your home that deserves more intentional care. How might you show it gratitude today?