Kondo Quotes & Sayings

no matter how much knowledge you may gather, if you don't change your way of thinking, you'll rebound. What — Marie Kondo

First, fold each lengthwise side of the garment toward the center (such as the left-hand, then right-hand, sides of a shirt) and tuck the sleeves in to make a long rectangular shape. It doesn't matter how you fold the sleeves. Next, pick up one short end of the rectangle and fold it toward the other short end. Then fold again, in the same manner, in halves or in thirds. The number of folds should be adjusted so that the folded clothing when standing on edge fits the height of the drawer. This is the basic principle that will ultimately allow your clothes to be stacked on edge, side by side, so that when you pull open your drawer you can see the edge of every item inside. If you find that the end result is the right shape but too loose and floppy to stand up, it's a sign that your way of folding doesn't match the type of clothing. Every piece of clothing has its own "sweet spot" where it feels just right - a — Marie Kondo

By handling each sentimental item and deciding what to discard, you process your past. If you just stow these things away in a drawer or cardboard box, before you realise it, your past will become a weight that holds you back and keeps you from living in the here and now. Pg.116-117 — Marie Kondo

There's no need to let your family know the details of what you throw out or donate. You can leave communal spaces to the end. The first step is to confront your own stuff. — Marie Kondo

To me, this seems tragic. And this is not an isolated case. In my work, the volume discarded by younger sisters is always greater than the volume discarded by older sisters, a phenomenon surely related to the fact that younger children are often accustomed to wearing hand-me-downs. There are two reasons why younger sisters tend to collect clothes they don't really like. One is that it's hard to get rid of something received from family. The other is that they don't really know what they like, which makes it hard to decide whether they should part with it. Because they receive so much clothing from others, they don't really need to shop and therefore they have less opportunity to develop the instinct for what really inspires joy. — Marie Kondo

Changing lifestyle habits acquired over many years is often extremely difficult. — Marie Kondo

People with large book collections are almost always diligent learners. — Marie Kondo

The process of facing and selecting our possessions can be quite painful. It forces us to confront our imperfections and inadequacies and the foolish choices we made in the past. — Marie Kondo

At their core, the things we really like do not change over time. Putting your house in order is a great way to discover what they are. — Marie Kondo

Marathon tidying produces a heap of garbage. At this stage, the one disaster that can wreak more havoc than an earthquake is the entrance of that recycling expert who goes by the alias of "mother. — Marie Kondo

My basic principle for sorting papers is to throw them all away. My clients are stunned when I say this, bu there is nothing more annoying than papers. After all, they will never inspire joy, no matter how carefully you keep them. — Marie Kondo

In addition to the physical value of things, there are three other factors that add value to our belongings: function, information, and emotional attachment. — Marie Kondo

If you missed your chance to read a particular book, even if it was recommended to you or is one you have been intending to read for ages, this is your chance to let it go. You may have wanted to read it when you bought it, but if you haven't read it by now, the book's purpose was to teach you that you didn't need it. There's no need to finish reading books that you only got halfway through. Their purpose was to be read halfway. So get rid of all those unread books. It — Marie Kondo

The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one's hand and ask: "Does this spark joy?" If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge. — Marie Kondo

My filing method is extremely simple. I divide them into two categories: papers to be saved and papers that need to be dealt with. Although my policy is to get rid of all papers, these are the only categories I make for those that can't be discarded. — Marie Kondo

If you tidy up in one shot, rather than little by little, you can dramatically change your mind-set. A change so profound that it touches your emotions will irresistibly affect your way of thinking and your lifestyle habits. — Marie Kondo

tidying must begin with discarding regardless of personality type. — Marie Kondo

Quite a few books about decluttering are published in a year. — Marie Kondo

Have you ever had the experience where you thought what you were doing was a good thing but later learned that it had hurt someone? At the time, you were totally unconcerned, oblivious to the other person's feelings. This is somewhat similar to the way many of us treat our socks. — Marie Kondo

It's human nature to take the easy route and leap at storage methods that promise quick and convenient ways to remove visible clutter. Putting things away creates the illusion that the clutter problem has been solved. But sooner or later, all the storage units are full, and the room once again overflows with things. — Marie Kondo

The objects you decide to keep, the ones that gave you the spark of joy? Treasure them from now on. When you put things away, you can actually audibly say, 'Hey, thank you for the good work today ... ' By doing so, it becomes easier for you to put the objects away and treasure them, which prolongs the spark of joy environment. — Marie Kondo

Choose those things that spark joy when you touch them." "Hang those clothes that would be happier on hangers." "Don't worry about throwing away too much. There will come a moment when you know what is just right. — Marie Kondo

The first step is to check every closet and dresser in the house and gather all your clothes in one spot. Don't leave a single wardrobe or dresser drawer unopened. — Marie Kondo

The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don't. Quests to faraway places or shopping sprees are no longer necessary. All you have to do is eliminate what you don't need by confronting each of your possessions properly. — Marie Kondo

A short time after tidying, their space is a disorganized mess. The cause is not lack of skills but rather lack of awareness and the inability to make tidying a regular habit. — Marie Kondo

If there are too many books to arrange on the floor all at one time, I ask my clients to divide them into four broad categories: General (books you read for pleasure) Practical (references, cookbooks, etc.) Visual (photograph collections, etc.) Magazines Once you have piled your books, take them in your hand one by one and decide whether you want to keep or discard each one. The criterion is, of course, whether or not it gives you a thrill of pleasure when you touch it. Remember, — Marie Kondo

The true purpose of a present is to be received. — Marie Kondo

Think back to your own childhood. I'm sure most of us have been scolded for not tidying up our rooms, but how many of our parents consciously taught us how to tidy as part of our upbringing? Our parents demanded that we clean up our rooms, but they, too, had never been trained in how to do that. When it comes to tidying, we are all self-taught. — Marie Kondo

I used to clean my brother and sister's rooms. And I would go to friends' houses and clean their rooms, too. — Marie Kondo

The socks and stockings stored in your drawer are essentially on holiday. They take a brutal beating in their daily work, trapped between your foot and your shoe, enduring pressure and friction to protect your precious feet. The time they spend in your drawer is their only chance to rest. But if they are folded over, balled up, or tied, they are always in a state of tension, their fabric stretched and their elastic pulled. They roll about and bump into each other every time the drawer is opened and closed. Any socks and stockings unfortunate enough to get pushed to the back of the drawer are often forgotten for so long that their elastic stretches beyond recovery. — Marie Kondo

There are three approaches we can take toward our possessions: face them now, face them sometime, or avoid them until the day we die. — Marie Kondo

Never, ever tie up your stockings. Never, ever ball up your socks. I pointed to the balled-up socks. "Look at them carefully. This should be a time for them to rest. Do you really think they can get any rest like that?" That's right. The socks and stockings stored in your drawer are essentially on holiday. They take a brutal beating in their daily work, trapped between your foot and your shoe, enduring pressure and friction to protect your precious feet. The time they spend in your drawer is their only chance to rest. — Marie Kondo

The essence of effective storage is this: designate a spot for every last thing you own. — Marie Kondo

The lives of those who tidy thoroughly and completely, in a single shot, are without exception dramatically altered. — Marie Kondo

Tidying in the end is just a physical act. The work involved can be broadly divided into two kinds: deciding whether or not to dispose of something and deciding where to put it. If you can do these two things, you can achieve perfection. Objects can be counted. All you need to do is look at each item, one at a time, and decide whether or not to keep it and where to put it. That's all you need to do to complete this job. It is not hard to tidy up perfectly and completely in one fell swoop. In fact, anyone can do it. And if you want to avoid rebound, this is the only way to do it. — Marie Kondo

Because a person's awareness and perspective on his or her own lifestyle are far more important than any skill at sorting, storing, or whatever. Order is dependent on the extremely personal values of what a person wants to live with. — Marie Kondo

We amass material things for the same reason that we eat - to satisfy a craving. Buying on impulse and eating and drinking to excess are attempts to alleviate stress. From observing my clients, I have noticed that when they discard excess clothing, their tummies tend to slim down, when they discard books and documents, their minds become clearer, when they reduce the number of cosmetics and tidy up the area around the sink and bath, their complexion tends to become clear and their skin smooth. -p226 — Marie Kondo

You could say that tidying orders the mind while cleaning purifies it. — Marie Kondo

I recommend tidying by category, not by place. For example, instead of deciding that today you'll tidy a particular room, set goals such as 'clothes today, books tomorrow.' — Marie Kondo

Many of them have spent so many years applying erroneous conventional approaches that their homes overflow with unnecessary items and they struggle to keep clutter under control with ineffective storage methods. How can they be expected to know how to tidy when they have never studied it properly? — Marie Kondo

I am always pleased when they tell me that they bake more often since reorganizing. — Marie Kondo

It is very natural for me to say thank you to the goods that support us. — Marie Kondo

Life becomes far easier once you know that things will still work out even if you are lacking something. — Marie Kondo

The best sequence is this: clothes first, then books, papers, komono (miscellany), and lastly, mementos. — Marie Kondo

By collecting things in one spot, you can also compare items that are similar in design, making it easier to decide whether you want to keep them. — Marie Kondo

By starting with the easy things first and leaving the hardest for last, you can gradually hone your decision-making skills, so that by the end, it seems simple. — Marie Kondo

The work involved can be broadly divided into two kinds: deciding whether or not to dispose of something and deciding where to put it. If you can do these two things, you can achieve perfection. — Marie Kondo

Some people save the boxes for electrical appliances because they think they can get more money for the appliances if they ever sell them. This, however, is a waste. If you consider the rent or mortgage you pay, turning your space into a storage shed for empty boxes costs you more than what you could earn selling an appliance in a box. You don't need to keep them for moving either. You can worry about finding suitable boxes when the time comes. It's a shame to let a boring box take up room in your house just because you might need it someday. — Marie Kondo

Some people save appliance boxes because they think they will get more money for the items if they ever sell them. But if you consider the rent you pay, turning your space into a storage shed for empty boxes, that probably costs you more than you would earn selling an appliance in a box. — Marie Kondo

Clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore, storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort needed to get them out. — Marie Kondo

I had a slight hope the phrase 'spark joy' might become popular, as it was the keyword that I wanted to put forward in the first place. — Marie Kondo

The meaning of a photo lies in the excitement and joy you feel when taking it. — Marie Kondo

People cannot change their tidying habits without first changing their way of thinking. — Marie Kondo

Because I was poor at developing bonds of trust with people, I had an unusually strong attachment to things. — Marie Kondo

Success is 90 percent dependent on our mind-set. — Marie Kondo

Effective tidying involves only three essential actions. All you need to do is take the time to examine every item you own, decide whether or not you want to keep it, then choose where to put what you keep. Designate a place for each thing. — Marie Kondo

About tidying up a toy box, you should let your kids experience the selection process by touching all of their toys. It's also important how they throw away their toys. They can earn a stronger sense of valuing things when they throw things away with respect and appreciation. — Marie Kondo

To summarise, the secret of success is to tidy in one shot, as quickly and completely as possible, and to start by discarding. — Marie Kondo

I did not like being dependent on others, found it hard to trust them, and was very inept at expressing my feelings. — Marie Kondo

The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment. — Marie Kondo

Once you have experienced what it's like to have a truly ordered house, you'll feel your whole world brighten. — Marie Kondo

For kids, it's best to teach them how to fold their clothes first. Kids will be able to fold their clothes at about three years old. You don't want to teach them how to put away toys first because it's difficult. Clothes are something kids wear every day, so it's easy for them to have a sense about their belongings. — Marie Kondo

when you put your house in order, you put your affairs and your past in order, too. As a result, you can see quite clearly what you need in life and what you don't, and what you should and shouldn't do. — Marie Kondo

I usually say, "Let's start with off-season clothes." I have a good reason for choosing off-season clothing for their first foray into this tidying gala. It's the easiest category for tuning in to one's intuition concerning what feels good. If they start with clothes they are currently using, clients are more likely to think, "It doesn't spark joy, but I just wore it yesterday," or "If I don't have any clothes left to wear, what am I going to do?" This makes it harder for them to make an objective decision. Because off-season clothes are not imminently necessary, it is much easier to apply the simple criterion of whether or not they bring you joy. — Marie Kondo

But when we really delve into the reasons for why we can't let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future. — Marie Kondo

After all, our possessions very accurately relate the history of the decisions we have made in life. Tidying is a way of taking stock that shows us what we really like. — Marie Kondo

not having a space you can call your own is dangerous. Everyone needs a sanctuary. — Marie Kondo

Tidying is the act of confronting yourself; cleaning is the act of confronting nature — Marie Kondo

For the first category, clothing, I recommend dividing further into the following subcategories to increase efficiency: Tops (shirts, sweaters, etc.) Bottoms (pants, skirts, etc.) Clothes that should be hung (jackets, coats, suits, etc.) Socks Underwear Bags (handbags, messenger bags, etc.) Accessories (scarves, belts, hats, etc.) Clothes for specific events (swimsuits, kimonos, uniforms, etc.) Shoes — Marie Kondo

Visible mess helps distract us from the true source of the disorder. — Marie Kondo

It is the same with people. Not every person you meet in life will become a close friend or lover. Some you will find hard to get along with or impossible to like. But these people, too, teach you the precious lesson of who you do like, so that you will appreciate those. — Marie Kondo

Tidying is a way of taking stock that shows us what we really like. The — Marie Kondo

The important thing in tidying is not deciding what to discard but rather what you want to keep in your life. — Marie Kondo

To get rid of what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful. Can you truthfully say that you treasure something buried so deeply in a closet or drawer that you have forgotten its existence? If things had feelings, they would certainly not be happy. Free them from the prison to which you have relegated them. — Marie Kondo

It is not the number of folds but rather the amount of pressure applied that causes wrinkling. — Marie Kondo

Keep only those books that will make you happy just to see them on your shelves, the ones that you really love. That includes this book, too. If you don't feel any joy when you hold it in your hand, I would rather you discard it. — Marie Kondo

always think in terms of category, not place. — Marie Kondo

Your next step is to identify why you want to live like that. Look back over your notes about the kind of lifestyle you want, and think again. Why do you want to do aromatherapy before bed? Why do you want to listen to classical music while doing yoga? If the answers are "because I want to relax before bed," and "I want to do yoga to lose weight," ask yourself why you want to relax and why you want to lose weight. Maybe your answers will be "I don't want to be tired when I go to work the next day," and "I want to lose weight so that I can be more svelte." Ask yourself "Why?" again, for each answer. Repeat this process three to five times for every item. As you continue to explore the reasons behind your ideal lifestyle, you will come to a simple realization. The whole point in — Marie Kondo

Now imagine yourself living in a space that contains only things that spark joy. Isn't this the lifestyle you dream of? — Marie Kondo

it seems to me that people have far more unread books than they once did, ranging from three to more than forty. — Marie Kondo

Open the drawer and run your hands over the contents. Let them know you care and look forward to wearing them when they are next in season. This kind of "communication" helps your clothes stay vibrant and keeps your relationship with them alive longer. — Marie Kondo

To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. And if you no longer need them, then that is neither wasteful nor shameful. Can you truthfully say that you treasure something buried so deeply in a cupboard or drawer that you have forgotten its existence? — Marie Kondo

The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past. — Marie Kondo

No matter how messy your house may be, tidying deals with physical objects. No matter how much stuff you may own, the amount is always finite. — Marie Kondo

In Japan, we say that "words make our reality." The — Marie Kondo

Putting your house in order is the magic that creates a vibrant and happy life. — Marie Kondo

It's not our memories but the person we have become because of those past experiences that we should treasure. — Marie Kondo

When it comes to storage, vertical is best. — Marie Kondo

Have gratitude for the things you're discarding. By giving gratitude, you're giving closure to the relationship with that object, and by doing so, it becomes a lot easier to let go. — Marie Kondo

My clients always sound so happy, and the results show that tidying has changed their way of thinking and their approach to life. In fact, it has changed their future. Why? This question is addressed in more detail throughout the book, but basically, when you put your house in order, you put your affairs and your past in order, too. — Marie Kondo

people who can't stay tidy can be categorized into just three types: the "can't-throw-it-away" type, the "can't-put-it-back" type, and the "first-two-combined" type. — Marie Kondo

Kondo: Do you have any idea how stupid we are?!
Kagura: Don't underestimate us! — Hideaki Sorachi

The same goes for pajamas. If you are a woman, try wearing something elegant as nightwear. The worst thing you can do is to wear a sloppy sweat suit. I occasionally meet people who dress like this all the time, whether waking or sleeping. — Marie Kondo

In fact, to go through life without knowing how to fold is a huge loss. — Marie Kondo

A lot of people agree that tidying is connected to how we live, and even though, outside of Japan, houses might be bigger, people have more things than they need. — Marie Kondo

I have an image in my mind of what I want, whether it's a light jacket or a one-piece. I can tell if what I want is in the store right away. — Marie Kondo

Start with clothes, then move on to books, papers, komono (miscellany), and finally things with sentimental value. — Marie Kondo

In fact, I don't even own a dish rack. I put all the dishes I wash into a large bowl or colander and place this on the veranda to dry. — Marie Kondo

People have trouble discarding things that they could still use (functional value), that contain helpful information (informational value), and that have sentimental ties (emotional value). When these things are hard to obtain or replace (rarity), they become even harder to part with. — Marie Kondo

The act of folding is far more than making clothes compact for storage. It is an act of caring, an expression of love and appreciation for the way these clothes support your lifestyle. Therefore, when we fold, we should put our heart into it, thanking our clothes for protecting our bodies. — Marie Kondo