Jacket (1)The Life- Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo is brimming over with a treasure-trove of wisdom.  What can I possibly say to convince you that it is a gem of a book that may be the pick of the non-fiction crop of best books of 2014-2015?  Moreover, it is a call to action that can make anyone’s life better.

It’s all about getting your house in order, both literally and figuratively; by following a set of perhaps counter-intuitive steps.  Rather easy steps if you want to start your again life feeling fresh, transformed, and light as a dust bunny.  Ms. Kondo’s mantra is “discard anything that doesn’t spark joy.”  Are you truly ever going to wear that t-shirt that made you feel like Superman? Touch it.  Does it still give you a spark of joy?  If not, discard it.  She says discarding things is a letting go, that frees you up for your passions and your purpose.  Are you holding onto letters from old boyfriends who are now just pleasant memories of things past?  Throw them away.  That was then.  Now is now.  Make room for yourself.

Ms. Kondo is a self-professed lover of tidiness, a love kindled as early as age 5 when she was left to her own devices and imagination by a well-meaning mother whose nurturing centered around a younger and an older sibling.  While other kids played on the playground, our gentle author tidied up the bookshelves and janitor’s closet; not for recognition, but out of a passion for putting things in their rightful place.  Now she is a consultant around the world and her book has sold more than 2 million copies, having been particularly embraced by the Japanese, German and British.

So take my word for it.  Read it, act on it, then pass it on.  Ms. Kondo says of practicing the principles in this book, ”A dramatic reorganization of the  home causes correspondingly dramatic changes in lifestyle and perspective.  It is life transforming.”

Here’s a fun Christmas idea that we book movers at Lemuria can do for you, except for the bow:  Buy 5 or 6 books, just enough to stack without them toppling, starting at the bottom with Jackson by Ken Murphy, and then top it off with The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  Secure with flat, thick strands of gold ribbon leading to the fluffy generous bow right on top of Ms. Kondo’s book.  All tidy and nice.

Marie Kondo  213 pages, $16.99 Ten Speed Press

 

Written by Pat

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