Anggriawan Sugianto

I've been interested in minimalism lifestyle since last year, and one of the related aspects is about tidying up. One name came up, she is Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing expert who has written few books about tidying up. Her most popular books are "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and "Spark Joy". Here are some lessons learned from the book I read few weeks ago.

Why tidying up?

It can relieve stress
The fact that we don't need to search is actually a stress reliever. When we reduce what we own and essentially "detox" our house, it has a detox effect on our bodies as well. Tidying helps us to know contentment. We'll realize that our desires have decreased.

It brings happiness
Since we will be surrounded by the things that spark joy, it will definitely make us happier.

It can transform our life
Letting go is more important than adding. It increases our confidence in our decision-making capacity. When we can't let something go, it's actually we have either attachment to the past or fear for the future. What we want to own is actually showing us how we want to live our life.

How to tidy up?

Step 1: Sort by category, not by location.
Visualize the ideal clutter-free space, then follow the recommended order to tidy, from the easiest category to declutter to the hardest one: 1) clothes, 2) books, 3) papers, 4) komono (miscellaneous items), and 5) mementos (sentimental items).





Step 2: Start by discarding, all at once, intensely, and completely
Place every item of certain category on the floor, touch them one by one, and ask yourself "Does it spark joy?" We should only keep those that bring us joy. So if it doesn't spark joy, then we should dispose it.



Step 3: Store things in order
Designate a place for every thing. Store all items of the same type in the same place. Don't scatter storage space. Store every item vertically if possible. Eliminate excess visual "noise" that doesn't inspire joy.



Tidy life, happy life!