Product ReviewsThe Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up Ser.: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up : The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo (2014, Hardcover)

Energy of cleanliness is here

I have read other books about how to organize/clean your home. However, the way this book is unique and different is that the author meets me where I'm at. No matter how bad your home/office is, she has seen it and has been hired to clean/organize it. If you are willing to use the author's method, your space will be transformed. More importantly, it will not go back to the way it was. Brilliantly, author makes a connection between holding onto emotional baggage and holding onto items that don't bring us joy. Even though the book is translated from Japaneese, the words brought healing uplifting motivating energy to me. After reading the first couple of pages, I spent the rest of the day cleaning. It is that inspiring. If anyone can relate to me with a home in poor shape and they don't know where to begin, this book is pure gold. I highly recommend it. It is a great investment in your life, cleanliness of your home and emotional well being, happiness and sanity. PS: author even helped hoarders without judgement.Read full review...

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Book is a waste of $.

Total waste of Money. This was more of the Author's Autobiography, then on cleaning. She thinks you should throw out .....blaw blaw blaw, Not for me! Check out FLY LADY. Its free on the Internet, helps you catch up, and stay caught up. Read full review...

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The Joy of Tidying

I'm not organized or neat but I want to be ... thus I have spent tons of money over the years on decluttering books, organizing books, self-help books for hoarders, etc etc etc. I start reading them but soon lose interest and those books just become more clutter. But I am amazed to say this book is the only one that makes me believe I can do it. Marie Kondo emphasizes keeping only those items that spark joy in your life ... it's that simple and that freeing. Don't get rid of what you don't want but instead keep only what sparks joy. There are so many nuggets of wisdom throughout this took that I am re-reading it and highlighting those nuggets. This is one book I will keep because it is life-changing, just like the title says.Read full review...

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It changed my life and my home.

My closets, cupboards, and guest bedroom had become storage areas. I kept saying “Well, it’s not eating anything” or “I might need this someday” to avoid making decisions about items. After reading Marie Kondo’s book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” I experienced a lightning-bolt insight – DO IT NOW!

I started gathering clothes that didn’t fit, shoes that hurt my feet, and handbags I hadn’t used in years. I put them in the charity sack that I kept in my closet and rarely filled. Next, the kitchen. I had to move extra pots to get to the ones behind, I had multiple cookie sheets, a spare set of silverware, extra baking pans – all, OUT!

If looking at it depressed me, it went in the charity sacks. My attitude changed from “If I move, would I move this?” to “Does this spark joy?”

Thanks to this book, clearing out has become a joyful experience and is benefiting others.Read full review...

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Do it till you are satisfied!

It is a simple concept for those over come by their possessions. Feeling overwhelmed and anxiety filled is not joy! Thinking about the maybe life, maybe you will one day need it. Maybe you will, but chances are that size 2 little black dress with the tags on it since 1972, doesn't fit and even if it did, would you really still wear it? Or would you want something a little more current and less dusty? It only reminds you you are a size 22, but you cling to it like magical things will take place! They won't! What would be magical? Having a closet where you can find clothes you do wear, and do like/love! This book tells you to sort through your clutter with an eye on form as well as function. Sure any old ice cream scoop will scoop ice cream! But you have 10? Thin the herd, pick the one that when you hold it, makes you happy, makes it easy to scoop ice cream and makes you feel like Martha Stewart! Toss the ones with the rubber coming undone, where is catches more ice cream than it puts in the bowl. Donate, sell, give away or toss....but do not keep those questionable items. It takes effort to clean it, maintain it, house it, store it and work around it. That, my dears, is not joy! That's precious time and real estate being taken up with things robbing us of joy! Love this book! It you are a hoarder, a pack rat, perfectionism petrified and feeling burdened by your possessions, its time to take charge and look at your things with fresh eyes! Worth the read, worth the money!Read full review...

A new passion for Tidying

After listening to the audio version, I became motivated to try tidying my home. Perhaps it seems like a basic concept, if it brings you joy, keep it; if not, toss it; but it's amazing how much I've collected over the years. This basic principal really has brought upon me a passion to get my home tidy! Read full review...

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The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Love this book! Bought it with the intention of giving it to a relative who needs it a heck of a lot more than I do. Well, began reading and couldn't stop, also couldn't stop reacting to the author's advice and immediately changing my way of tidying up everything I own! Well worth the read. Keep a copy for yourself and gift one to that someone who really needs it more!Read full review...

Can I give it 10 stars?

Can I give it 10 stars? This book has legitimately changed my life by starting with what I have in my house. My house was so full of things that we held onto for whatever reason (mostly guilt) for so long that I actually had to take medication to live there - literally. I felt so much anxiety and overwhelm and depression when I was at home - I thought something was wrong with my marriage, I thought I wasn't cut out to be a mother, and all around, life sucked - and it's all because we owned too much stuff. I never felt like I could ever get ahead of the messes and the piles and the cupboards full of things, and this resulted in me doing absolutely nothing at all, which compounded the problems. My sinks were always piled up with dishes. There was always a pile of paper on the counter "to be dealt with another day". There were always at least 5 laundry baskets heaped full of clean clothes that needed to be folded, and a laundry room full of dirty stuff to be washed. I just could NOT keep up. I blamed my husband for not helping. I blamed my kids for dragging things out and never putting them back. I blamed myself for taking on too many projects outside of the house. I never once blamed having too much stuff as being the problem. The idea that I needed to go through my belongings and keep only what I loved never occurred to me. I couldn't get rid of that item over there b/c great-grandma gave it to me before she passed and throwing it away means I don't love her anymore. I couldn't give this other item away b/c my mother-in-law gave it to me and she'll ask about it if she doesn't see it when she comes over again. I couldn't throw that thing I never used in the trash b/c I spent a ton of money on it. I couldn't donate my kids' toys b/c my heart hurt at the thought of getting rid of it and then one of them asking for it... The problem continued to grow - all because of guilt! Marie's method of only holding onto things that actually bring you joy and make your heart flutter might sound like common sense to some, but the guilt of getting rid of things that others have given you or that you spent hard earned money on wasn't something I could contend with - until I read this book. This book is a game changer!

Marie's words spoke volumes to me. Keeping something you'd spent $50 on six years ago and never used does not bring the money back - it just gives you one more burden to carry... Unload that burden and let someone else enjoy your item. The money is spent - let it go. Keeping that sweater your mother-in-law gave you that you never wore b/c it's itchy? Pass it along to someone who enjoys itchy sweaters. Keeping the millions of coloring book pictures your young children scribbled on 3 years ago does not keep them young. They're going to grow up anyway - keep the ones that you love, frame them, hang them, and enjoy them - recycle the rest. It really is quite simple, but it wasn't possible until someone told me it was ok to let those things go. If they don't bring you immediate joy when you look at them, they don't deserve a spot in your home.

Thanks to Marie, I have taken three pick-up truck loads to Goodwill. I have overloaded my city's garbage and recycling bins 10 times over. I have FINALLY released the guilt of discarding items I do not love - I feel calm in my house now. I don't feel anxious or overwhelmed or depressed. Dishes no longer pile up in the sink - the sinks are cleared, cleaned and wiped dry each evening. Laundry is washed, dried, folded and put away within hours instead of weeks. My kids now know what it feels like to be able to play in their bedrooms - and are able to find all the pieces that go with a particular toy. My house feels lighter, airier, and brighter. It feels really nice.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who's ever struggled with the guilt of letting things go. I've tried many organizational programs and bought countless storage devices to keep it all contained but all I really needed to buy was this book. As cliché as it sounds, the book truly did change my life and I am so grateful.Read full review...

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Very helpful

I was a bit skeptical of some of the methods in this book since it goes against a lot of the most well known methods of decluttering. However, I gave it an honest shot and I do have to say that I got rid of a lot more stuff using the KonMari method than any other method. The only thing I don't 100% agree with is how the book says to handle papers. It says to get rid of all papers except for birth certificates and leases. This is just not practical where I live. That being said I did pair down a lot of my papers. Over all I think it's a very useful read.Read full review...

The Best Book to Actually Declutter and Take Back Control of Your House and Your Life

I am a very organized person, and I have read dozens of books and articles about organizing, decluttering, and simplifying. This easy and fast to read book consolidates the best practices and processes, clearly explains why one gets hung up trying to put things in order, and keeps everything short, sweet and simple. Reading this book was transformative! When we get caught up with business, family, life in general, we end up sidetracked or cannot "find the time" to actually tackle big/tough jobs. After reading this book, I had a lot of insights about how to reset my thinking, find time, and create a clear picture or what needed to be done and how to do it. I highly recommend this book to everyone! Read full review...

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Wonderful Read!!!! Very Helpful!!!!

I love how simple and straight forward Marie Kondo's advice is in this amazing book.
Basically, if you have the desire to declutter, instead of looking at your stack of T-shirts and saying, which ones should I discard... You ask yourself,
"Which of these T-shirts do I love and want to keep?"
It makes a world of difference!!!!Read full review...

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