The Japanese art of decluttering
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Did you guys read the recent NYTimes article Kissing Your Socks Goodbye? Japanese tidiness consultant Marie Kondo believes that decluttering your home will change your life. She's a celebrity in Japan, and there's currently a three-month waiting list for her services. Her approach is a little wacky, but she has some great pointers, too.Here are seven of her tips...
1. Throw away anything that doesn't "spark joy." “'Don’t just open up your closet and decide after a cursory glance that everything in it gives you a thrill...You must take each outfit in your hand.' "
2. Skip the Container Store. "Do not buy organizing equipment—your home already has all the storage you need."
3. Fold your clothes like sushi. "Fold everything into a long rectangle, then fold that in upon itself to make a smaller rectangle, and then roll that up into a tube, like a sushi roll. Set these upright in your drawers."
4. Hang clothes in rainbow order. "Hang up anything that looks happier hung up, and arrange like with like, working from left to right, with dark, heavy clothing on the left...'Organizing them by category helps them feel more comfortable and secure.' "
5. Thank your clothes. "Thank your stuff, it’s been working hard for you."
6. Let your socks rest. "Socks bust their chops for you, and if you ball them up, they don’t get a chance to rest...'The socks and stockings stored in your drawer are essentially on holiday.' "
7. Get rid of papers. “'There is nothing more annoying than papers...After all, they will never spark joy, no matter how carefully you keep them.' "
What do you think? Do her tips sound nutty or brilliant? (Or both?) Kondo also just wrote a book called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, if you're curious to hear more. Do you ever declutter your home? We did it before we moved and it felt so freeing!
This is part of a series called "What We're Reading"—featuring interesting articles on different topics we find during the week. I know most of you are big readers. Hope you like it!
(Photo by Natsuno Ichigo, via the NYTimes)
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