Each of us wants to live in order, but some of us find it extremely difficult to control order. Is there a single and reliable method of putting our home and life in order? Marie Kondo says so. You can clean up once, and well, if you really want it. In her previous book, “The Magic of Cleaning”, she presented her own method of cleaning KonMari to the readers, in her second book, which I have the pleasure to review “Tokyo. The Magic of Cleaning in Practice”, shows us the practical approach to the matter. So this is a position for people who have already decided that they want to clean. The author assures us that thorough cleaning will be an exceptional event in our lives and that the most difficult thing is to make a decision about cleaning, then it is downhill.
What is the KonMari method? It is based on stopping only those things that make us happy. Marie described it in six principles:
The book is divided into three parts. First: KonMari’s masterful advice answers, among other things, the following questions: How to sensitize yourself to joy? How to fill a house with joy? and everything you need to know about how to enjoy keeping things. The most useful advice here was the one concerning the syntax of clothes of unusual shapes.
“The secret of the syntax of irregularly shaped clothes is this: never give up. Clothes are rectangular pieces of fabric that are stapled together. No matter what the garment looks like, you can always fold them into a rectangle. (…) Start by folding the sleeves inside. If the sleeves are very wide, fold them several times so that they do not stick out on the sides of the rectangle. Then bend the rectangle in half so that the sleeves are in the middle. Fold it again in half or in three. Fold the garment so many times that it can be folded vertically to match the height of the drawer.”
Isn’t that simple? Sure! After trying it a few times, I’ve become a master of clothing assembly! Here you can see my perfectly folded blouse.
Part two is the Encyclopedia of Cleaning. In it we learn how to clean clothes, books, papers, como or objects of sentimental value. You probably wonder what a mysterious como is. These are different things, for example cables, cosmetics, cleaning products, kitchen utensils and many others. As this is the most elaborate category it is the most difficult to clean.
Finally, the third part is Life Changing Magic, which is a house that radiates joy and a few chapters about the changes that come after we finish cleaning. Do you know that cleaning can help us to put our emotional life in order? Shock!
After reading the book, I think I recognized my biggest mistake, which made my cleaning a never-ending story. When I wanted to get rid of some of the old CDs or DVDs, after throwing away three or four, I found an old one, recorded by my parents, and started watching it, completely forgetting about the cleaning. It was the same with books, when I found my favorite one that I hadn’t read for a long time, I started reading it and the cleaning was waiting for another day. Now I’m trying to stick to Marie’s principle that pleasure must be postponed. And the most valuable advice I have taken is to find a place for every thing and always put it there. It takes 5 seconds to put an item away instead of throwing it anywhere, and it keeps order and order at all times.
In a word, “Spark Joy” is a great tutorial on how to clean up once, and clean up neatly and never go back. Numerous descriptions of cleaning techniques and pictures with the instruction manual make the cleaning go like a flake. I am running away to enjoy my beautifully cleaned and rubble-free apartment and you are cordially invited to read it!
Despite the fact that the book is literary fiction, it shows very well the problems…
"The Opposite of Worry: The Playful Parenting Approach to Childhood Anxieties and Fears" is a…
Focusing on forgotten, silent or unnoticed events, the author tries to warn us, the readers,…
This time I have a very interesting proposition for you to read - "Life Undercover:…
I think that "Someone is lying" is a must-have for all lovers of good crime…
A long awaited review, a very specific book "Serial Killer Trivia", which describes the shocking…