Copyright © 2016 by Marie Kondo Illustrations copyright © 2012, 2015 by Masako Inoue All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. www.crownpublishing.com www.tenspeed.com Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC. Originally published in two separate volumes in Japan as Jinsei ga Tokimeko Katazuke no Maho 2 and Irasuto de Tokimeku Katazuke no Maho by Sunmark Publishing, Inc., Tokyo, in 2012 and 2015. Copyright © 2012, 2015 by Marie Kondo. English translation by Cathy Hirano with rights arranged with Sunmark Publishing, Inc., through InterRights Inc., Tokyo, Japan, and Gudovitz & Company Literary Agency, New York, USA. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Kondo, Marie, author. | Hirano, Cathy, translator. | Kondo, Marie. Jinsei ga tokimeko katazuke no maho 2. English. | Kondo, Marie. Irasuto de tokimeku katazuke no maho. English. Title: Spark joy : an illustrated master class on the art of organizing and tidying up / Marie Kondo ; translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano. Description: First American edition. | New York : Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, [2016] | Published in Japan as The life-changing magic of tidying up 2 and The illustrated life-changing magic of tidying up by Sunmark Publishing, Inc., Tokyo, in 2012 and 2015, and is a combination of the two Japanese titles: Jinsei ga Tokimeko Katazuke no Maho 2 and Irasuto de Tokimeku Katazuke no Maho. | Includes index. Identifiers: LCCN 2015035727 Subjects: LCSH: Storage in the home. | Housekeeping. | Orderliness. Classification: LCC TX309 .K66 2015 | DDC 648—dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015035727 Hardcover ISBN 9781607749721 eBook ISBN 9781607749738 Design by Betsy Stromberg Front cover images copyright © Shutterstock.com/donatas1205 and Shutterstock.com/samui Author photograph by Natsuno Ichigo v4.1 a Contents Cover Title page Copyright Preface Introduction: The KonMari Method The six basic rules of tidying | KonMari master tips PART I 1 Honing your sensitivity to joy Tidying is the act of confronting yourself; cleaning is the act of confronting nature If you don’t know what brings you joy, start with things close to your heart “It might come in handy” is taboo For essential things that don’t bring joy, look at what they do for you Save your cosplay for indoors Don’t confuse temporary clutter with rebound When you feel like quitting The clutter-photo shock treatment No matter how cluttered it looks, don’t pause, don’t stop, don’t quit If you’re terrible at tidying, you’ll experience the most dramatic change 2 How to fill your home with joy Imagine your perfect lifestyle from a single photograph Keep items in the gray zone with confidence A joy-filled home is like your own personal art museum Add color to your life How to make the most of “useless” things that still spark joy Make your own personal power spot 3 Everything you need to know about storing joyfully During the tidying process, storage is temporary Store by material Pack drawers like a Japanese bento box The four principles of storage Fold clothes like origami Everything you need to know about the KonMari folding method Plan storage with the idea of getting rid of furniture used for storing Ideal storage weaves a rainbow in your home | The tidying encyclopedia PART II 4 Tidying clothes Tops Bottoms Dresses and skirts Clothes that hang Socks and stockings Underwear A clothes closet that sparks joy Bags Clothing accessories Shoes Tips for packing a suitcase 5 Tidying books Advice for those who think they can’t part with books Series Magazines and coffee-table books Storing books attractively 6 Tidying papers The basic rule for papers: Discard everything Make a pending box Course materials Credit card statements Warranties Manuals Greeting cards Clippings Assign a day to attend to pending items 7 Tidying komono CDs and DVDs Stationery supplies Electrical komono Skincare products and cosmetics Relaxation goods Medicines Valuables Sewing kits Tools Hobby komono Collectibles Things you kept “just because” Linen and bedding Towels Stuffed toys Recreational items Seasonal items Emergency supplies Rain gear Kitchen komono Cleaning supplies Laundry supplies Bathroom komono 8 Tidying sentimental items Tidying sentimental items means putting the past in order Putting school memories in order Putting memories of past lovers in order Sentimental recordings Your children’s creations Life records Letters Tidying your photos as the final step in your campaign | Life-changing magic PART III 9 A home that sparks joy An entranceway that sparks joy A living room that sparks joy A kitchen that sparks joy An office that sparks joy A bedroom that sparks joy A bathroom that sparks joy 10 The changes that come when you’re done Tidy up and put your love life in order Tidying brings relationships into focus If your family’s stuff bothers you, be like the sun Don’t force people to tidy if they don’t want to Teach your children how to fold Even if you fail, don’t worry—your house won’t blow up Things that spark joy soak up precious memories Epilogue Afterword: Preparing for the next stage of your life Acknowledgments About the author Index Preface Life truly begins only after you have put your house in order. That’s why I’ve devoted most of my life to the study of tidying. I want to help as many people as possible tidy up once and for all. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should just dump anything and everything. Far from it. Only when you know how to choose those things that spark joy can you attain your ideal lifestyle. If you are confident that something brings you joy, keep it, regardless of what anyone else might say. Even if it isn’t perfect, no matter how mundane it might be, when you use it with care and respect, you transform it into something priceless. As you repeat this selection process, you increase your sensitivity to joy. This not only accelerates your tidying pace but also hones your decision-making capacity in all areas of life. Taking good care of your things leads to taking good care of yourself. What sparks joy for you personally? And what doesn’t? The answers to these questions represent a major clue for getting to know yourself as a recipient of the gift of life. And I am convinced that the perspective we gain through this process represents the driving force that can make not only our lifestyle, but our very lives, shine. Some people have told me that they had almost nothing left after discarding those things that didn’t spark joy and, at first, didn’t know what to do. This reaction seems particularly common when people finish tidying their clothes. If it happens to you, don’t be discouraged. The important thing is that you have noticed. The real tragedy is to live your entire life without anything that brings you joy and never even realize it. From the moment you finish tidying, you can begin to add a new zest to your home and to your life. Only two skills are necessary to successfully put your house in order: the ability to keep what sparks joy and chuck the rest, and the ability to decide where to keep each thing you choose and always put it back in its place.