10 things you need to know about the Konmari method of tidying up

When I listen to books on Audible, I use the bookmarks feature to flag parts in the book that are interesting or that I may want to think about or blog about later again.

With The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I had so many bookmarks that when I went back to listen, I wrote notes and I ended up writing 7 pages in an A5 notebook.

I picked out the 10 things I think people need to know from the book.

Please note, these are exact notes.

Tidy up by categories otherwise you do the same work in many locations. We have too much stuff because we’re ignorant of how much we really have as it’s all spread out.
Ask yourself, “does this spark joy?” When you touch an item your body reacts physiologically. Does it make you happy or bring you joy? (I have a full post just on this point ready for Friday)
To truly cherish the things in your life, you must discard those that have outlived their purpose. Let them go with gratitude. Reduce until you reach the point where something clicks.
If you’ve never succeeded in being tidy, then you’re going to battle to do a little at a time. (More on this one on Wednesday)
Tidying is a two-step process: discarding, and deciding where to store it. Don’t start storing till you’ve completed the discarding step. By paring down to the volume you can properly handle, you revitalise your relationship to your belongings.
Your goal should be to establish the lifestyle you most want when your house is put in order. (This should be point number 1!)
Putting things away is an illusion that things are dealt with therefore the process of tidying must start with discarding.
With books, ask this question: does it move me or not? Am I happy to see it on my shelf?
A gift is a means of conveying someone’s feelings.
Your feelings are the standard for decision-making, not a random number. Only you can know what kind of environment makes you feel happy. You need to create your own tidying method with your own standards.