Marie Kondo - Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up

KonMari, is there an illustrated guide that explains your tidying methods the same way you do in your lessons?

I dont know how many times Ive been asked this question. My response has always been the same. But you dont need one, because success depends 90 percent on your mind-set. I know that no matter how much knowledge you may gather, if you dont change your way of thinking, youll rebound. What Im trying to share as a tidying consultant is not a mere tidying method but rather an approach that will enable you to become capable of tidying. And I believe that to achieve this, something similar to shock treatment is necessary.

At the same time, however, its true that once people have committed themselves to tidying up, they may want more detailed instructions. For people in the middle of the tidying process, then, what could be more helpful than an illustrated guide? For people who have not yet committed themselves, however, such a book could actually make things worse. In that sense, publishing this illustrated guide could be likened to sharing a book of forbidden knowledge.

So, let me ask you point-blank: Are you committed to completing the once-in-a-lifetime special event of tidying up? If you answered yes, then please go ahead and read this book. Even if you have already finished your tidying campaign, the tips for making your home spark joy are bound to be of use. If you answered no, however, please start by reading my first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. If you have already read it but still arent committed, please read it again, because something, and probably something quite small, has kept you from tidying up so far.

This illustrated guide is a comprehensive compilation of KonMari Method know-how. For people who have made the commitment to tidy up once and for all, it should be extremely helpful, like a hand scratching your back right where you feel itchy, and I hope that you will read it from cover to cover. For those of you who have tidied up to some extent but want more details, this guide will serve as an Encyclopedia of Tidying Up. Feel free to skip to the relevant sections whenever you need to confirm how specific tasks are done. Ive also included answers to many of the questions I received from readers of the first volume. And for those of you who want to skip all my personal stories and are impatient to get to the nitty-gritty of tidying up, this book alone may be enough.

Now, are you ready? Dont forget that the god of tidying up is always on your side as long as you are committed to getting it done.

The tidying process you are about to embark on is not about decluttering your house or making it look neat on the spur of the moment for visitors. Rather, you are about to tidy up in a way that will spark joy in your life and change it forever.

When you tidy the KonMari way, you will experience several changes. For one thing, when you have finished cleaning up once and for all, you will never again relapse into clutter. You also will have clearly identified your values and what you want to do. You will be able to take good care of your possessions and will experience, every day, a feeling of contentment. The key to success is to tidy up quickly and completely, all in one go.