Warning! This New York Times best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, will change your life. It has changed mine. Even though I am more organized than most people, or so I am told, I needed a book on decluttering to kick into a higher gear about my house.
It was good to read some nonfiction for a change, after all the drama of my latest fiction adventures. Marie Kondo grew up tidying up and experimenting with different storage methods. She made all the mistakes in the book and learned from each one. As a result, she has put together a method of de-cluttering which helps many people in affluent countries like Japan and USA.
And even though her Japanese background (homes are very small in Japan compared to the US or Australia, for example) and her stay in Shinto shrines have influenced her much toward a minimalist style, you can tell she also genuinely loves to help you transform your house into a space where you feel joyous and at peace. Stuff does not bring joy or peace. We needed a Japanese young lady to teach us about it and more power to her and those who listen to her. Continue reading