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zbmorgan's review against another edition
4.0
Ms. Kondo may seem a little strict and rigid at the outset, but if you read the whole book, you will find she is capable of great humor and whimsy. She is quite circumspect about her own desire to tidy, and while no one who reads this book will be quite as obsessed as the author, she has some good advice, such as only de cluttering one category of item at a time, touching each item, and getting rid of paper things that you won't ever use (yes, the manual for your microwave is probably online now, you can toss it). On the whole, a good read for anyone but the worst hoarder.
rosiefpb's review against another edition
3.0
Well it got slightly better I suppose. It definitely annoyed me less after the waffley introductory bit. I feel like I probably would be happier/more relaxed/thinner/taller/all of the other things she promises you if I followed her instructions to the letter. But I also feel like I'm exceedingly unlikely to do that. Mostly because WHO HAS THE TIME? Sure, holding every single item you own is probably a great way to decide if you really want it, but I have a lot of shit and not a lot of free time so, nah mate. Maybe one day.
jpinheir0's review against another edition
4.0
It was a great book. I really learned some good techniques to become a tidier person but some of the subjects tend to become repetitive
sarahelizi's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
aoife_mdc's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
itsvictoriatime's review against another edition
4.0
If taken literally, this book can be a little hard to swallow. I think Marie Kondo is precious, but I can see how some find her method and suggestions unbearably "woo-woo." It's clear the book was not intended for Westerners, but I still love the philosophy behind it, and believe everyone could benefit from examining their relationship with their stuff. Using common sense coupled with intuition, this book's process is simple.
But simple is not the same as easy. The process is intense and overwhelming at times. Her method requires work, both in the physical and emotional sense. You have to listen to yourself when you touch an object and see if it sparks joy. If it doesn't, but you're still inclined to keep it, ask yourself if you're holding onto it because you haven't let go of the past, or because you're afraid of the future. It requires honing in decision-making skills and trusting your intuition. In turn, you come out of the experience knowing yourself a little better while being surrounded exclusively by things that elicit joy.
The process is hard, but the payoff is worth it. I've been diving into the method full-force (about 1/3 of the way through the largest category - komono). Since the method is categorical instead of room-based, the house has been a mess in the interim because of other "categories" lying around that haven't been tidied yet. It's definitely a marathon, not a sprint.
I *love* the areas that have been tidied so far and find that my entire philosophy on 'stuff' has changed. I'm already buying less crap and what I do buy I either truly need or truly believe it brings me joy. I can't wait to finish the rest of the house and never have to go through a giant tidying spree ever again.
But simple is not the same as easy. The process is intense and overwhelming at times. Her method requires work, both in the physical and emotional sense. You have to listen to yourself when you touch an object and see if it sparks joy. If it doesn't, but you're still inclined to keep it, ask yourself if you're holding onto it because you haven't let go of the past, or because you're afraid of the future. It requires honing in decision-making skills and trusting your intuition. In turn, you come out of the experience knowing yourself a little better while being surrounded exclusively by things that elicit joy.
The process is hard, but the payoff is worth it. I've been diving into the method full-force (about 1/3 of the way through the largest category - komono). Since the method is categorical instead of room-based, the house has been a mess in the interim because of other "categories" lying around that haven't been tidied yet. It's definitely a marathon, not a sprint.
I *love* the areas that have been tidied so far and find that my entire philosophy on 'stuff' has changed. I'm already buying less crap and what I do buy I either truly need or truly believe it brings me joy. I can't wait to finish the rest of the house and never have to go through a giant tidying spree ever again.
shreddywa's review against another edition
2.0
Way to judge people who wear sweatpants, Marie!
I have no issues with spark joy or having relationships with objects or limiting your stockpile of toothbrushes, but some of the crazy crap that the author threw in this book was so baffling that I was a mix of bemused and amused. Such as the huge loss of living without knowing how to properly fold. The odd bragging about reading home magazines at age 5. The anecdotal evidence.
I like the concept of spark joy, but the entire read had me thinking that this book could have been written so much better, if only Marie had a better translator and a better editor. And that it could have been a lot shorter. One page: "Like = keep"
I have no issues with spark joy or having relationships with objects or limiting your stockpile of toothbrushes, but some of the crazy crap that the author threw in this book was so baffling that I was a mix of bemused and amused. Such as the huge loss of living without knowing how to properly fold. The odd bragging about reading home magazines at age 5. The anecdotal evidence.
I like the concept of spark joy, but the entire read had me thinking that this book could have been written so much better, if only Marie had a better translator and a better editor. And that it could have been a lot shorter. One page: "Like = keep"