THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP: MARIE KONDO

Not sure why this book piqued my interest, but it did and especially the fact that it's #2 on the Wall Street Journal's Non Fiction List.  I guess I am curious about how other cultures organize their lives, especially their homes.  I have always been attracted to the simplicity of Japanese homes, the spareness, the lack of stuff, of things, and so I picked up this book.

My 'Tidy' Tee Shirt Drawer

Kondo, briefly, shows us how to tidy our house, our lives, the major thesis being: decide what you want, what makes you feel good (brings you joy in her words), and throw the rest away or give it away.  Simple. She goes through every room in the house, our clothes, how to arrange them, how to get rid of things we don't love, and most interestingly to me, she showed me how to organize my boxers and tee shirts, so they are easy to see, don't wrinkle, and easy to keep organized.

So, she has changed my life, not really, but I do like her ideas.  Other hints like turn the hanger when you wear a shirt, so you know you have worn it once, or arrange clothes that hang from tall to small so you can see them more easily.  She also suggests how to deal with all the papers, warranties, etc, that we tend to save.  Her advice, throw it all out.  Everything can be found on line.

Keep the obvious, deeds, legal documents, but most of the hanging files that I own, three cabinets of them, could be pared down easily to one if I have the heart to throw most away.  And if you haven't worn something in a couple of years, it has to go to some one who might wear it.  We have to overcome our reluctance, our nostalgia for that letter sweater, the top coat I wore in college, that high school letter jacket.  Let it go.

Boxer Shorts, Drawer, The Kondo Way

The key to all self help books is doing what they recommend, which is the hard part.  I will let you know how I am doing occasionally.  I bought the Kindle edition so I cannot pass it on, but if I had a paperback, I would certainly pass it on to my children to read.  Jill would love it.

A few of her tips:

* Start with clothes, then books, miscellany, then things with sentimental value: tidy by category. not    by location
* Arrange clothes in your closet as follows: coats, jackets, pants, skirts, and blouses (really?).
* Roll socks and place them in drawer so they can be seen, easily taken out.
* Designate a spot for every item, like keys, or purses, or shoes and stick to it.
* Never piles things...store vertically anything that can be stood up, like tee shirts (so you can see at a    glance what's there).
* Tidying dramatically changes one's life. This is true for everyone, 100%. I am waiting!
* We learn what we can do without.
* Through tidying, we come to know contentment.
* Have a shrine in your house for items you love (like some of our copper/object/figures from          Turkey)
* When you enter your house, it should invite you in, bring contentment, and joy.
* Contentment comes from being surrounded by things you love.
* Life truly begins after you have put your house in order.