I too fell into the sensation of asking “does it spark joy?” from The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I read the book and watched the Netflix show, and I thanked many of my possessions and sent them on their way. I couldn’t ever give up more than a small handful of my many books though. We all have our limits.
In Kurashi at Home, Marie brings her unique voice to once again take a look at your belongings. But this time, the purpose isn’t just to clear your home and your therefore your mind, but to cultivate your life and lifestyle. She invites the reader to imagine their ideal life, what activities bring them joy, and then to craft a home that facilitates that. Our homes should be sanctuaries, places to recharge and refresh, whether that means spending time with family or pursuing creativity.
Marie Kondo’s method is famous for a reason. But her personality is also a big part of it. She’s genuine. She exudes calm and tranquility, order and gratitude, but beneath her quiet facade is a real eccentric. She loves tidying more than any person alive, I’m sure of it. She talks about how much she loved to clean the kitchen when she was a child, and had to resort to tidying the house while her parents were at work because her mom wanted her to stick to just her own room. Marie believes in the power and life imbued in a single object, and encourages all of us to treat our belongings like loved ones who have watched over us through the years.
The advice in this book is less strict than what she’s said previously, and you can see the growth and flexibility as she ages. She’s lived through several lifestyle changes herself now. Marie admits that having children has changed the way she lives and tidies, as have the diverse range of clients with their own niche interests and collectables.
For example, the included worksheets encourage you to imagine your ideal morning, afternoon, and evening routines down to the half hour, and to add ways to encourage those ideals, along with the must-do tasks. She also moves room through room and encourages you to think about the purpose of each room and what activities you want to do in them. This is more about identifying what in your house does spark joy, and celebrating and encouraging that.
There are photos in this book, but they are overly minimal and aesthetically curated, so they feel inauthentic and were probably only added by editors. It would be more interesting to see spaces filled with hand-me-down possessions or mismatched furniture. I’d love to see a book for people who can only afford to rent or those who live in shared spaces.
I highly recommend this short book if you need something calming and motivational to read before bed. It’s the sort of fluffy book that sparks joy for me, and I’ve already started using the term “tidying festival” as a way to reframe the chore of picking up.