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

Kondō reframes decluttering by shifting the focus from choosing what to discard to selecting what to keep. Instead of asking, “What should I get rid of?” she encourages readers to ask, “What sparks joy?” This positive shift in perspective turns tidying from an act of deprivation into one of affirmation. The result is a home filled only with items that have positive emotional resonance, rather than one emptied through guilt-driven purging. Readers can harness this perspective by practicing mindful handling: picking up items from their home and assessing whether they spark joy. Once this skill has been honed, a single shelf can be used to curate the books or keepsakes that spark the most joy. The display will reinforce the value of selecting only what one wants to keep.

The KonMari method is a mindfulness-based tidying system that infuses daily routines with ritual and respect. Kondō’s perception of possessions as carriers of emotional and spiritual meaning is central to this ideology. Drawing on Shinto-inspired practices and animism, the author encourages readers to consider their home and belongings as living entities deserving the same respect as humans. Behaviors such as greeting one’s home upon entering, folding clothes with loving care, and thanking possessions for their service cultivate awareness, turning everyday acts into opportunities for gratitude. This approach fosters a spiritual connection with one’s environment by framing belongings as valued life companions. By weaving mindfulness into domestic practices, Kondō suggests that readers can transform their homes into respectful and harmonious spaces.

Kondō argues that an excessive accumulation of possessions reflects the psychology of attachment. People often hold on to belongings due to unhealthy ties to the past or anxiety about the future. A fear of forgetting precious memories may prompt individuals to retain sentimental keepsakes. Meanwhile, keeping items “just in case” suggests a fear of future scarcity. Both attachments create clutter that weighs on both the home and the mind, preventing individuals from living fully in the present. To confront the psychology of their clutter, it may be helpful for readers to assess the nature of their unused items—in particular, whether the belongings relate largely to the past or to an anxiety that they may be needed in the future. Those who lean toward nostalgia might set aside a trial box of keepsakes. If these items remain untouched after a month, the decision to let them go becomes easier. Those prone to focus on future needs—for instance, by retaining electrical appliance manuals—might check to see if the same information is available online. If so, these documents can be disposed of without anxiety. Through these steps, decluttering serves as an emotional liberation, allowing an individual to align their physical space with the person they are today.