The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever

Start with clothes then move on to books, papers, miscellaneous items (komono) and finally things with sentimental value.

Believe what your heart tells you when you ask, ‘Does this spark joy?’ If you act on that intuition, you will be amazed at how things will begin to connect in your life and at the dramatic changes that follow. It is as if your life has been touched by magic. Putting your house in order is the magic that creates a vibrant and happy life.

The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.

‘Am I having trouble getting rid of this because of an attachment to the past or because of fear for the future?’

Appreciate your possessions

This suggests that caring for your possessions is the best way to motivate them to support you, their owner. When you treat your belongings well, they will always respond in kind.

try saying, ‘Thank you for keeping me warm all day,’ when they hang up their clothes after returning home.

The best sequence is this: clothes first, then books, papers, miscellaneous items (komono) and, lastly, sentimental items and keepsakes.

The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.