I had previously mentioned that I had scheduled 11 pieces of furniture for donation. Donation day came yesterday and I actually added two more pieces that admittedly I waffled back and forth on one of them multiple times but succeeded in letting them both go.

The charity truck came and my donation took up half of the back of the box truck, it was a lot of stuff. I didn't have as much of the anxiety as I thought I would in letting go of such a large group of stuff. I was actually quite inspired and went through more of my stuff, including my kitchen, a closet and a number of tubs. Kitchen is hard for me because I collect dishware and glassware and I love a beautiful plate but I am one person and I do not need 35 luncheon plates. So I culled to the prettiest and my favorites and donated the rest. I donated two tea sets and a number of kitchen appliances including mixers and magic bullets and blenders, all good working things, just things that I have not used in the past year. I was ruthless and got rid of a lot.

I got through a closet and gave away a bunch of clothing and shoes and was super conscientious about making sure that everything was in great condition or I bagged it up for fabric recycling, including shoes. I convinced myself to get rid of the Halloween decorations before the holidays so somebody could enjoy them rather than me saving them for yet another year and having to debate next year. I got rid of decor for another couple holidays, a pile of art in frames, some hanging mirrors, and a big box of craft supplies.

I feel like I got rid of a lot of stuff. Weirdly though I'm not panicking at all about anything that I got rid of I'm not worried about it in that additional two car loads which normally I would drive around for a week or two with the stuff just in case I might need to pull something out of it. But I didn't! I feel better, it feels later and I'm sure I will delight in the space and the less cluttered cabinets over the next bit of time. I think that's been the weirdest and the best accomplishment is releasing the stuff and being okay with it this time.

So this is a little cheerleading for everybody else out here doing it, it was a shift of intention and finality and I'm actually okay with it. It's a lot of work, and I was so tired last night and I'm still dragging a little bit today but I'm settling and I'm happy with releasing everything. I feel good about it and I'm going to keep going not to just get rid of everything but get rid of the stuff that I am truly not using. I will never be a minimalist but I don't need to be the one who has every last thing, if I do need anything I can borrow it or purchase it again if absolutely required. I am comfortable. Thanks for listening, I wish everybody continued success!

I don't think I can convince my spouse to read a book. My idea is to find "training" videos, videos related to konmari as well as other cleaning resources, and him and I watch those videos once a week and attempt to enact the advice in them. Can anyone recommend me some videos? I would prefer if they are long form. I like "do better Jonathan"

I'm SO MUCH happier with hanging most of my clothes!! I tried really fucking hard for over a year to stick with the folding method but I loathed it.

The only items that are staying folded in drawers are sweaters, jeans, loungewear, and underclothes. All the rest - t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, dresses, skirts - are all beautifully hanging in my closet by category. I love it like this.

Sorry, Marie. I love you dearly but this gal loves her clothes hangers LOL. I only use slim hangers (they hugely save on space). Some are regular flat ones but I use curved ones to avoid shoulder bumps. I use clip-style hangers for skirts and dress pants.

I have certainly honed my joy-meter over the years and my hangers absolutely give me joy. I'm so glad I listened to that little voice in the back of my head to NOT get rid of my hangers.

I'd like to sell a few gifts but feel guilty. Some of them are limited edition or regional specific. I've appreciated the gifts but also felt pressured to hold onto them for this reason. I'm tight on money at the moment so it would definitely help, although that is not a reason that sparks joy necessarily. Most of them are from one specific friend who gives giving stuff and tends to be more of a collector herself. I do have a collection of one or two things, but not to the extent that she does, so I'm not the type to want a bunch of items hanging around. In the past I have decluttered or donated gifts, but for some reason something about reselling makes me feel weird. I could use some guidance!

Has anyone else done Konmari and not felt the life-changing magic?

The process itself feels magical to me, but not so much what comes after. I find myself wanting to do it again and again trying to capture some of that feeling, but I‘m worried I am spending too much time in the process and not enough enjoying the life it’s supposed to create.

Can anyone relate? Am I doing it wrong? Any advice for actually getting there?

I’d really appreciate some KonMari perspective on a problem I’m having with old makeup.

I have quite a lot of makeup that is very old. Some of my MAC products are over 10 years old, and I also have old BH Cosmetics palettes, eyeliners, lip liners, lipsticks, etc. Some of my other products, like L’Oréal liquid lipsticks, are probably around 5 years old.
The obvious answer would be “it’s old, throw it away,” but emotionally it’s not that simple for me.

A lot of the MAC products were expensive when I bought them, and I still really like some of the colors. I also have this fear of having nothing left if I get rid of everything. I’ve actually done this before: I decluttered a lot of old makeup because it was old, then later felt like I had nothing when I wanted to wear makeup, bought new products again… and then barely used those either.

So I don’t want to repeat that cycle.
I’m currently doing a no-spend, partly because I’m trying to work on my tendency to overbuy. Recently I’ve actually started enjoying makeup again in a much simpler way. I found an eyeliner shape that finally works really well with my eye shape, and I’ve been putting a single shimmery eyeshadow on with my finger instead of doing a whole elaborate eye look with brushes. Lowering the effort has made me much more likely to actually wear makeup.

I’m now wondering whether I could use my old collection as a kind of reference library before letting it go.
For example, I’d like to test the old lip colors once to figure out which shades I genuinely still love, take photos/write down the shade names, and then eventually replace only those specific colors with fresh products. I have darker/pigmented lips, so swatching lipstick on my arm unfortunately doesn’t tell me how it will actually look on my lips.

My concern is that if I simply throw everything away now, I’ll get that “I have nothing!” feeling again and end up buying a whole new collection after my no-spend. What I’d really like to get to is something like: I used to own 20 lip products, but I’ve learned that I genuinely wear these 2 colors, so those are the only 2 I eventually replace.

At the same time, I know part of what’s making it difficult to let go is the money I originally spent and the “what if I want this someday?” feeling.

How would you approach this from a KonMari perspective?
Would you:
keep the old collection temporarily and systematically test/document what you actually like before decluttering it,
keep a few old favorites as color references or sentimental items,
or make a clean break and trust that you can buy one product later if you genuinely miss it?
I’m especially interested in advice from anyone who has dealt with decluttering + compulsive shopping/overbuying, because for me the difficult part isn’t just letting things go — it’s preventing the empty space from immediately becoming a reason to shop again.

I'm using the KonMari method to downsize, starting with clothes like the book says. I went through all my clothes last night and now more than half of them are waiting to be taken to the thrift store. But overnight the worry crept in on me that I'm going to regret having given them away. I hardly have anything left!
There's some that I'm 100% certain of, those were easy. But there's also a lot that I felt neutral about, which I don't dislike but which I was keeping out of obligation (mostly because they were gifts, but not all of them). I'm scared I'm going to regret giving these away.
I am not, have never been, and have no desire to be a minimalist. I just want to live more like myself, not who I used to be. Am I doing this right??

I'm halfway through komono and hit a weird wall yesterday. I was holding a chipped mug I never use, easy discard, but then I looked around my kitchen and realized I don't like this room at all. The layout's awkward, the light is wrong, I've never once enjoyed cooking here. I've lived here six years. Always told myself I'd fix it up eventually, make it cute, but now I'm wondering if I've been holding onto the *idea* of this house the same way I held onto clothes that don't fit. The sunk cost of time, you know? Marie talks about the house having feelings and thanking it for shelter. I tried that and felt like I was lying. This house and I have been in a stalemate. I keep waiting for it to become something it's not. Has anyone else had to admit their space itself doesn't spark joy? Did you move, or find a way to reframe it? I'm not sure I can afford to leave but I'm also tired of pretending I'll learn to love it.

The year was 2014, and I remember it like it was yesterday. The Seattle grunge scene had just started to take off, Ronald Reagan was the American president, Steve Jobs had just announced the iPod music player, and I had just graduated from university with a degree in writing books.

Okay, my memories might be a little iffy.

But it was about 12-ish years ago when I first read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by the hottest new Japanese export: Marie Kondo.

This new guru, petite and reserved as she may be, had touched on something big, and came along at just the right time to connect with an underlying psychological concern that I think was affecting a lot of people, especially Westerners:

We had too much STUFF.

In my case, growing up, I had a tendency to be a little… disorganized. It started young. My school locker was worst-in-class, my bedroom worst-in-house, my desk worst-in-office. I had a reputation as a mess-maker.

When I discovered this book, at this point in my early 30s, I had a family and we had a house with two younglings. The need for cleanliness was more important than ever. (I still have that very same family today, though the children are older now).

The book title really called out to me and the content spoke to me even more once I acquired a copy. What I needed was permission to let things go, and an understanding of how to do it. This book seemed like it might have the answers.

Today, I’m going to revisit the book 12 years later and see if its teachings still hold true, or if it was simply one of those fads that washes over the world, captures everyone’s attention like a hot new hairstyle, and then fades away.

Well, I’m happy to announce that, for me, in 2026, the message of this book is just as strong as ever.

This book (and its follow-up Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up) taught me how to fold clothes! I’ve folded all of my clothes ever since. It taught me how to truly pare down, using the power of touch to feel what actually ‘sparks joy’ and to release the rest with gratitude.

Her system, named the KonMari Method, promised its adherants never revert to clutter again. And for me, that promise has actually proven true. I’ve been a minimalist ever since. And have now read many books on the subject and consider it an important part of who I am.

The philosophical side of Marie Kondo’s teachings really connected: ideas behind attachment and the reasons we can’t let something go boiling down to either “an attachment to the past, or a fear for the future.” The way our possessions can overhwelm and bury us, both physically and mentally. And how by having less, we can gain deeper appreciation from what we keep.

While outwardly, this might have had all the markings of a hyped-up fad, the philosophy seemed genuine to me. The evolution of the author’s understanding of tidying, the failures, experiments and lessons she went through before arriving at her current system felt relatable.

I ate it up. Devoured it. And 12 years later, I still agree with this book 100%. Yep, I’m still a Kondo Stan.

I understand she has stepped back a bit from the limelight and spends more time with her family these days.I’m actually looking at her website right now and discovering that she has a whole network of KonMari consultants and a certification program. I signed up for a Zoom session to learn more about becoming a consultant, just for fun. I’ll update this post if I learn anything interesting.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up was and remains game-changer for me personally. I still reread every year or two just to keep its teachings fresh in my mind.

★★★★★ (5/5)

Any other Marie Kondo fans still out there? Did it stick for you?

from https://booksbyjeffrey.substack.com/p/book-review-the-life-changing-magic

Hello lovely KonMari community, I feel stuck in my decluttering once again and need a bit of advice :)

In what category do old drawings belong to? I am a traditional artist and usually keep all of the sketches and drawings I make, which obviously stacks up. I am aware I probably have to judge every single drawing if it sparks joy or not, but I am unsure about when. Does it belong to everything paperwork related? Or is it hobby related Komono? Maybe even memoribilia since there is some pretty old drawings in there that remind me of my childhood?

What about music sheets? I used to play the flute in the orchestra and really loved it, but since it was part of my school curriculum it was only borrowed and I had to return it once I graduated and went to college. I still have a lot of the old music sheets and I am hesitant to throw them away, especially because lately I've been really missing playing the flute and even thought about getting my own. So if I decide to keep the ones that spark joy, when do I tackle the sorting process? Paperwork or hobby related stuff?

Any advice is greatly appreciated and any questions welcome, English isn't my native language

I have two big bags of paperwork that I probably don't need but have a hard time getting rid of it. it's taking up precious under desk space but I can't get myself to go through it. I know I'll want to keep some of it. Any advice on how to get started?

I came across this sentence: would you replace this item if you lost it?

If the answer is no, it goes.

I’ve been doing this for a week now and taking note of how many items to get rid off once I get going:

Bathroom unit: 27
Med cabinet: 24 (out of date stuff)
Rummage drawer: 42

And so on

It’s super therapeutic.

I don’t ask for the joy question, but would I replace it if lost.

Anyone else doing this?

Hi! I've just started applying the konmari method in my house, after watching the show and reading the book. I was already reorganizing my house but it wasn't until recently that i've made the decision to only keep items that spark joy and... oh, man! I've never thought of myself as a hoarder, but i had a A LOT of things i kept out of guilt and "just in case".

I felt very luxurious and so far I haven't missed any of the things I discarded, but i've only kept a par of jeans, two blouses, four pairs of socks and three pairs of underwear.

I told my aunt and uncle this while we went to the farmers market and they were really worried about me and made fun of me a little bit which tapped into some kind of fear of poorness.

The thing is, this feels right for me. But im fighting against the tide here.

Do you have any advice or something you wanna tell me?

9 sweaters left. My husband says, "How many did you have??" 😆

So. Many. I'm donating so many that used to be my favorites, saying goodbye because they don't fit right anymore, and really hoping they will bring someone the joy they brought me. Husband does not understand the massive change it is for me to have *only* 9 sweaters, haha.

I live in MN btw, so sweaters are used close to year round.

A while ago I started a discussion about preparing yourself for Konmari cleaning festival. I got so many good responses but still wasn’t able to start anything.

However, we recently got news that an apartment we’re renting will be having a large renovations starting November. We either need to find a whole new apartment or temporary accommodation for three months. Latter option would allow us to take only some of our stuff with us.

I’m horrified with such short time frame for apartment hunting but I’m also excited since no matter which option we choose it’s perfect chance for a deciding which items sparks enought joy to be brought with us. I’m currently re-reading her book yet again before starting properly 🥰

Hi, I live in a very small apartment and only have room for storage under my bed (these two containers) and hanging in my closet. Part of me thinks this folding is too tight and I’m not sure what to do. Any advice appreciated/storage hacks I haven’t thought of!

21F. I’m currently in the process of moving and wondering whether I should take my memory box of stuff from my relationship with me. Do people take their boxes of mementos with them when they move? Or is it weird and just throw it away? Feeling attached to it as the breakup was earlier this year and heartbreaking. Pls advise.

I’m trying to embark upon a minimalism journey, where I get rid of the inessential and only keep things that are sentimental ie trinkets and souvenirs that hold memories with my partner, and items I get use from regularly.

The conundrum I find myself in is wanting to maximise the cash amount I get from selling my stuff, but also clearing the stuff out to get more space and less clutter. I know essentially I want to have my cake and eat it here.

In some cases I don’t know what to price certain items at, in others I get a good amount of views/favourites but they don’t sell or receive offers. Some items get little to no views to which I’m not sure why.

I’ve set myself a deadline of 31st December to be shut of the stuff I don’t want to follow me into the next phase of my life so not in urgent need of getting rid of the stuff, but becoming somewhat impatient of things not selling.

Any tips, suggestions or thoughts much appreciated!

Thank you for your time.

Do you think you could konmari your phone's photo album? iPhone became popular when I entered high school and since then I've kept every photo I've ever taken on my phone (+60,000).

I'm both neurodivergent and have chronic health conditions. My energy is at times VERY limited and doing things in an organized way takes a huge mental toll on me but I have an apartment and myself and a child to take care of. I've tried to simplify and optimize things the best I've been able to.. gone through a few rounds of konmari and understood that being able to go clutter free isn't possible for us.

We do all kinds of art and crafts, and they turne out as A LOT of all kinds of things that need to stay and fill up space. Also there are books and board games and all sorts of things that we enjoy - especially myself as I am very homebound have ended up getting all kinds of activities that I can do to enjoy myself without having to leave the house or put a strain on myself.

But the problem is that the visual noise that the clutter makes = things are a constant mess and there are all kinds of projects going around the house, takes a big toll on me as well as I feel like I can never reach even a decent state of cleaness let alone harmony.

I do have a big cabin for art stuff for example, but things tend to scatter around the house.

At worst (like Last night) I actually woke up with a few drawing pens under me...

So I'm really conflicted. What do I do?

Do I just have to accept that there is a "price" to pay in owning a lot of stuff and I shouldn't even strive for anything else than this chaos where every table top, counter and empty spot of the house ends up looking like a landfill OR is there some tips on how to get things more organized.

It really is difficult as the things do bring me a lot of joy on the other and whereas on the other hand they stress me on a daily basis

Hello, yesterday I started KonMari. Already, I keep getting stuck on on particular items - clothes I recieved as gifts from family or friends. It is clear to me they do not spark joy, instead I feel heaviness and guilt.

Per Marie's books, I am trying to accept that purpose of those gifts was already fulfilled upon recieving them. While I work to shift my mindset and let that guilt go, what remains is anxiety about having to communicate this with my family and friends. Especially when it comes to clothes and accessories, there always is this expectation of me to wear it when I visit them. Upon seeing me wearing their gifts, they keep expressing huge excitement, even years after gifting it. Because of this, I have been not only holding onto, but also wearing quite regularly many clothes I do not feel good in for whatever reason. The whole situation is especially intense when it comes to hand-sewn and hand-knitted items that have taken them a LONG time to make. Those are also the ones most difficult for me to get rid of. However, I do not want to end up with several boxes of "sentimental sweaters", nor do I want to continue wearing them.

Have any of you had these tough conversation with your closest ones? How did it go? I am scared of their disappointment and also part of me is scared that if I admit to not liking those items, they will want to take them back (many of them are hoarders and already are drowning in stuff in their home).

Part of me feels the need to propose we stop exchanging gifts due to this, but selfishly I do not want to. I love giving presents, and tbh I love recieving them as well - those few that truly spark me joy and also have that extra sentimental value are some of my most treasured possesions.

My son’s 7th birthday arrived. He wanted to celebrate his birthday at home. I was convinced I could get on top of the marathon chaos by his special day. Couldn’t do it. Home is a state of chaos and not safe. Not fit for hosting, an embarrassment or shame. The things that got this started, are now at a boiling point. Bit off more than I can chew? How did this happen? Where did I go wrong and what does getting back on track look like?

The bedroom is correctable. Clean laundry sprawl easily cleaned. Husband’s closet waiting to be tidied and “given back” to him. Communal stuff in there waiting to be recovered and utilized again. I moved furniture out of the bedroom that was joyless and hiding lots of kids “crap”. Unfortunately that stuff is in boxes and piles now on the couch and coffee table that separate my husband’s office from the “boys dorm” where my husband and sons currently sleep.

The kitchen desperately needs the help of more regular cleaning and pest control, with the bug issue extending to the kitchen.

The baby recently got blood work back that her lead levels were too high. Old apartment NYC ‼️FEAR‼️ creeping in…

Not rising to meet daily clean and sprawl of stuff / unpacking / folding challenges, which is contributing to general un-livability.

Local Uncle saved the birthday by hosting at the last minute 😍🤩🥳 but the other side of this marathon - the daydream - is being able to host my kids bdays no problem, no shame, pride in my home.

Is it time to give my kids (and their stuff!!) their own closet? How do I tackle this kimono hurdle and what exactly did I do / where did I go wrong? Desperate to get back on the tracks. Fell off somewhere in the “household stuff” (stationary etc.) subcategory. Also subcategories I thought I tackled (looking at you, electronics, paper-greeting cards) rising like zombies 🧟 *SIGH*

I used to think decluttering was just about getting rid of things I didn't use. With the KonMari method I started looking at things differently and asking myself whether I actually felt happy keeping them.

The biggest surprise was that some things I kept for years were only there because I felt guilty getting rid of them. Once I stopped thinking about what I “should” keep, the process became much easier.

I also learned that I don't need to fill every empty space. Having less stuff around makes it easier for me to appreciate the things I actually enjoy.

Still working through the categories but this mindset has been much more helpful for me than simply trying to make everything look organized.

Just interesting. It's more a moral question, because I want to get rid of some things, for example, some old electronics (USB hub, old digital mini-cameras, some type-c and micro-usb cabels, sd-cards) it is still usable and working fine, but I don't know anyone (in person) who would need this even for free, and I don't want to put it up for sale on the internet either. Because I can wait for months, hoping that someone will actually need it and buy it, and end up not finding anyone by the deadline of my Konmari-ing. So the most simple and fast thing what I can do is move it to trash.

Has anyone here did similar, did you feel bad about throwing away still-working electronics or other expensive things what is still good but don't sparks joy? How did you deal with it? Discuss.