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

In the Preface, Marie Kondō establishes her blend of practical instruction, personal anecdote, and spiritual sensibility. She opens the book by outlining her “KonMari” method of tidying. This technique involves first decluttering and then organizing one’s space efficiently. The author establishes her expert credentials by sharing her lifelong passion for tidying. At the age of five, she became fascinated by household organizational tips in women’s magazines and put them into practice. As an adult, she launched a consultancy business, helping clients to organize their spaces and discard over 1 million items. It is worth noting that Kondō developed her method in the cultural context of Japanese homes, which influences the way she frames tidying. Consequently, some aspects of her approach may seem less relevant to readers coming from other cultural backgrounds.

Kondō identifies a common challenge faced by those who crave a more organized home environment. Many individuals suffer the “rebound effect” as they tidy their homes only to find that their living space is soon messy and disorganized again. Kondō claims that clients who wholeheartedly embrace her methods never again experience the rebound effect or revert to untidy habits. The author reveals that her approach involves tidying in one go, wholly and thoroughly.