Jan 22, 2019

Quotes from Books: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Quotes from Books: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
I loved almost every single line of the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  Has that ever happened to you?  I usually have favorite quotes that I love from a book, but this was hard to come up with my favorites, because I loved so much.  



I did however compile a good list of quotes and added my own thoughts.  I hope this helps you better understand just how amazing this book really is.  It seriously is a must read.  





Anything that is in quotes is coming from the book straight from Marie Kondo.  My comments are not in quotes.

"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.
If you use the right method and concentrate your efforts on eliminating clutter thoroughly and completely within a short span of time, you'll see instant results that will empower you to keep your space in order ever after."
This is why doing the challenge in 6 months or less is so important. 


"What is the first problem that comes to mind when you think of tidying? For many, the answer is storage.... A booby trap lies within the term "storage".... most people 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, the room once again overflows with things, and some new and "easy" storage method becomes necessary, creating a negative spiral. This is why tidying must start with discarding. We need to exercise self-control and resist storing our belongings until we have finished identifying what we really want and need to keep."
This is why it is important to declutter first and then put away. 


"For the best results, I ask that you adhere faithfully to the following rule: TIDY IN THE RIGHT ORDER. As we've seen, there are only two tasks involved--discarding and deciding where to keep things. Just two, but discarding must come first. Be sure to completely finish the first task before starting the next. DO NOT EVEN THINK OF PUTTING YOUR THINGS AWAY UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED THE PROCESS OF DISCARDING.Failure to follow this order is one reason many people never make permanent progress. In the middle of discarding, they start thinking about where to put things. As soon as they think, 'I wonder if it will fit in this drawer,' the work of discarding comes to a halt. You can think about where to put things when you've finished getting rid of everything you don't need."


"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."
This is exactly why we are saving sentimental things for the end, because they tend to fall in all or some of these categories.


Now this part of the book really spoke to me because of experience. So please follow this advice..." Don't let your family see what is in the pile to discard or donate."
"It's extremely stressful for parents to see what their children discard"
I have experiences with my mom and with my daughter. So just try to get rid of it without them knowing. I am not talking about getting rid of THEIR stuff. That I do not recommend doing, but they have an attachment to even YOUR stuff. Strange I know.


I loved this quote because it tells you why people can't tell you exactly how much to keep. YOU get to choose that.
"The click point differs from one person to another. For a shoe lover, it might be one hundred pairs of shoes, while a book lover might not need anything but books. Some people, like me, have more lounge wear than clothes for going out, while others may prefer to go naked in the home and therefore have no lounge wear at all. (You'd be surprised at how many fall into this latter category.)"


I love this inspiration!
"As you put your house in order and decrease your possessions, you'll see what your true values are, what is really important to you in your life. But don't focus on reducing, or on efficient storage methods, for that matter. Focus instead on choosing the things that inspire joy and on enjoying life according to your own standards. This is the true pleasure of tidying. If you have not yet felt a click, don't worry. You can still reduce. Tackle this job with confidence."


Again...I love this quote.
"When we honestly confront the things we own, they evoke many emotions within us. Those feelings are real. It is these emotions that give us the energy for living. Believe what your heart tells you when you ask, 'Does this spark joy?' If you act on that intuition, you will be amazed at how things will begin to connect in your life and at the dramatic changes that follow. It is as if your life has been touched by magic. Putting your house in order is the magic that creates a vibrant and happy life."


"The point in deciding specific places to keep things is to designate a spot for everything. You may think, 'It would take me forever to do that,' but you don't need to worry. Although it seems like deciding on a place for every item must be complicated, it's far simpler than deciding what to keep and what to discard. Since you have already decided what to keep according to type of item and since those items all belong to the same category, all you need to do is store them near each other."


"What is the perfect amount of possessions? I think that most people don't know. If you have lived in Japan or the United States all your life, you have almost certainly been surrounded by far more than you need. This makes it hard for many people to imagine how much they need to live comfortably. AS YOU REDUCE YOUR BELONGINGS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TIDYING, YOU WILL COME TO A POINT WHERE YOU SUDDENLY KNOW HOW MUCH IS JUST RIGHT FOR YOU. You will feel it as clearly as if something has clicked inside your head and said, 'Ah! This is just the amount I need to live comfortably. This is all I need to be happy. I don't need anything more.' The satisfaction that envelops your whole being at that point is palpable. I call this the 'just-right click point'. Interestingly, once you have passed this point, you'll find that the amount you own never increases. And that is precisely why you will never rebound."

I have found this to be true as I went through my categories. I hit a point where it felt good and I had just enough, not too little and not too much. I looks good and it feels good.

I'm going to be quite honest now. I started this challenge for me. At the same time I wanted to help others too. I wanted to do it alongside some other people. And thankfully that is what happened!

Another honest moment: I struggle with some pretty intense anxiety. I was sick of living with it. So I have done a lot of research and talked to A LOT of professionals. The bottom line for me is simplifying. And this decluttering challenge was the start of me simplifying my life. It was so freeing.

I hope you all can find that click point so that we can all live our lives happily and function better. So we can share our gifts with the world instead of worrying about all the stuff in our home.




I like this quote, because I can completely relate to it.

"The reason every item must have a designated place is because the existence of an item without a home multiplies the chances that your space will become cluttered again. Let's say, for example, that you have a shelf with nothing on it. What happens if someone leaves an object that has no designated spot on that shelf? That one item will become your downfall. Within no time that space, which had maintained a sense of order, will be covered with objects, as if someone had yelled, 'Gather round, everybody!'"




This is so true. I feel that if you only have stuff you LOVE then you will want to take care of those items...not throw them wherever. AND if it has a designated space then it is simple and easy to put back.

"One of the main reasons for rebound is the failure to designate a spot for each item. Without a designated spot, where are you going to put things when you finish using them? Once you choose a place for your things, you can keep your house in order. So decide where your things belong and when you finish using them, put them there. This is the main requirement for storage."


"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."
READ THAT AGAIN!  It is so good! 
"When we use something, we have a clear purpose for getting it out. Unless for some reason it is incredibly hard work, we usually don't mind the effort involved. Clutter has only two possible causes: too much effort is required to put things away or it is unclear where things belong. If we overlook this vital point, we are likely to create a system that results in clutter."
Ahhhh this is so so true. It needs to be so simple to put away. So simple that a child can do it (at least that is what I am telling my husband) haha.

Quotes from Books: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

There is a part in the book titled: Put your house in order and discover what you really want to do

I love that title. Let me break down my favorite parts in that section.

"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."

I love this because if you really think about what you liked as a kid usually you still like the same type of things. They might have evolved, but USUALLY they are similar.

She goes on to write about her clients..."For the majority, the experience of tidying causes them to become more passionately involved in their work. Some set up their own companies, others change jobs, and still others take more interest in their current profession. They also become more passionate about their other interests and about their home and family life. Their awareness of what they like naturally increases and, as a result, daily life becomes more exciting."
Doesn't that sound like how we ALL should be living. I started being able to do more with my girls once I got rid of the clutter.

Then the final thought I want to share in regard to this section is..."Although we can get to know ourselves better by sitting down and analyzing our characteristics or by listening to others' perspectives on us, I believe that tidying is the best way. 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."
I had a professor during college tell us to look around the room at what others were wearing. He said, "Now think about how what everyone is wearing they loved at one point in time. They might currently still like what they are wearing, but regardless they loved it at some point enough to buy it." It has really stuck out to me to make sure I don't just accumulate something that I don't REALLY care about.


Another part of the book that I recently reread and LOVE:
"Tidying dramatically changes one's life. This is true for everyone, 100 percent. The impact of this effect, which I have dubbed 'the magic of tidying.' is phenomenal. Sometimes I ask my clients how their lives changed after taking the course. Although I have grown accustomed to their answers, in the beginning even I was surprised. THE LIVES THAT TIDY THOROUGHLY AND COMPLETELY, IN A SINGLE SHOT, ARE WITHOUT EXCEPTION DRAMATICALLY ALTERED."




This is a part of the book that I like. The beginning is a quote from one of Marie's clients that considered herself a tidy person.

" 'Previously, I had no confidence. I kept thinking that I needed a change, that I should be different, but now I can believe that I am okay just the way I am. By gaining a clear standard by which I can judge things, I gained a great deal of confidence in myself.' As you can see from her testimony, ONE OF THE MAGICAL EFFECTS OF TIDYING IS CONFIDENCE IN YOUR DECISION-MAKING CAPACITY. Tidying means taking each item in your hand, asking yourself whether it sparks joy, and deciding on this basis whether or not to keep it. By repeating this process hundreds and thousands of times, we naturally hone our decision-making skills. People who lack confidence in their judgement lack confidence in themselves. I, too, once lacked confidence. What saved me was tidying."

First thought about this, I started noticing that I was honing in my decision making skills as early as a week into the challenge.  I could decide when I'm at the store if I actually WANTED something. I no longer buy things that will bring me joy for 2 seconds or 2 months. I buy things that will bring me joy for a long time. No need to try and find a home for something that I won't care about after a short time. That creates clutter.
Second thought, I too have felt my confidence strengthen. I am not as ashamed of my home as I used to be. 


The next quotes are from a part in the book called, "Your living space affects your body". 
"Once the process of tidying is under way, many of my clients remark that they have lost weight or that they have firmed their tummies. IT'S A VERY STRANGE PHENOMENON, BUT WHEN WE REDUCE WHAT WE OWN AND ESSENTIALLY 'DETOX' OUR HOUSE, IT HAS A DETOX EFFECT ON OUR BODIES AS WELL."
I completely believe this. Clutter and an unorganized home causes lots of side effects. Many that we don't want to admit. This is the number 1 reason I decided to declutter.


"I know it sounds like false advertising to claim that you can lose weight by tidying or that it will make your skin clearer, but it is not necessarily untrue. Unfortunately, I can't show you before-and-after pictures of my clients, but I have witnessed with my own eyes how their appearance changes when their rooms are tidied. Their figures are more streamlined, their skin is more radiant, and their eyes shine brighter."
I think a lot of this has to do with the confidence that you gain after tidying your home.



"When I first started this business, I found this fact quite intriguing. But when I thought about it carefully, I realized that it isn't that strange. I think of it like this. When we put our house in order, the air inside becomes fresh and clean. Reducing the amount of stuff in our space also reduces the amount of dust, and we actually clean more often. When we can see the floor, the dirt stands out and we want to clean. Because clutter has been eliminated, it's much easier to clean and therefore we do it more thoroughly. The fresher air in the room must certainly be good for the skin. Cleaning involves energetic movement, which would naturally contribute to losing weight and staying fit. And when our space is completely clean, we don't have to worry about tidying, so we are free to focus on the next issue that is important in our lives. Many people want to be slim and fit, and that becomes their focus. They start to walk longer distances and eat less junk food, and these actions contribute to weight loss without consciously dieting."

Yes. Yes! YES! I think back to all the time I spent doing this challenge.  Now my small nightly tidying ritual keeps me free of clutter.  It has given me more time to take care of my body. 



This is my favorite part of the section titled "Your living space affects your body".

"But I think the main reason tidying has this effect is because through this process people come to know contentment. After tidying, many clients tell me that their worldly desires have decreased. Whereas in the past, no matter how many clothes they had, they were never satisfied and always wanted something new to wear, once they selected and kept only those things that they really loved, they felt that they had everything they needed."

This might be my favorite because I have seen this happen in my own life. I am so happy with where my house is. I have less stuff than I have ever had in my life, but I am so content with it. 





Last part of the section titled, "Your living space affects your body".

"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 part with excess clothing, their tummies tend to slim down, when they discard books and documents, their minds tend to 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. Although I have no scientific basis for this theory, it is very interesting to see that the part of the body responding corresponds closely to the area that is put in order."



I love this quote from the book. It is put very simple and makes complete sense.

"The philosophy of feng shui is really about living in accordance with the rules of nature. The purpose of my approach to tidying is exactly the same. The true purpose of tidying is, I believe, to live in the most natural state possible. Don't you think it is unnatural for us to possess things that don't bring us joy or things that we don't really need? I believe that owning only what we love and what we need is the most natural condition."



"By putting our house in order, we can live in our natural state. We choose those things that bring us joy and cherish what is truly precious in our lives. Nothing can bring greater happiness than to be able to do something as simple and natural as this."

Ahhhh I love this. What a way to live life. Not weighed down by THINGS. Just living life to the fullest.



I love this part of the book where she talks about only keeping the things you love.

"If you can say without a doubt, "I really like this!" no matter what anyone else says, and if you like yourself for having it, then ignore what other people think.

I can think of no greater happiness in life than to be surrounded only by the things I love. How about you? All you need to do is get rid of anything that doesn't touch your heart. There is no simpler way to contentment. What else could this be called but 'the magic of tidying'?"

So simple, but yet so hard. However, so worth it!


This quote is all about why we are tidying in a 6 month span. We are not going to be tidying the rest of our lives.
"Human beings can only truly cherish a limited number of things at one time. As I am both lazy and forgetful, I can't take proper care of too many things. That is why I want to cherish properly the things I love, and that is why I have insisted on tidying for so much of my life. I believe, however, that it is best to tidy up quickly and get it over with. Why? Because tidying is not the purpose of life."
Simple as that.



This is the last paragraph in the book. It is very enlightening. This is how we should live our lives. We all bring something special to this earth so lets share that special something with the world around us.

"If you think that tidying is something that must be done every day, if you think it is something that you will need to do all your life, it is time to wake up. I swear to you that tidying can be done thoroughly and quickly, all in one go. The only tasks that you will need to continue for the rest of your life are those of choosing what to keep and what to discard and of caring for the things you decide to keep. You can put your house in order now, once and forever. The only ones who need to spend their lives, year in and year out, thinking about tidying are people like me who find joy in it and who are passionate about using tidying to make the world a better place. AS FOR YOU, POUR YOUR TIME AND PASSION INTO WHAT BRINGS YOU THE MOST JOY, YOUR MISSION IN LIFE. I am convinced that putting your house in order will help you find the mission that speaks to your heart. Life truly begins after you have put your house in order."


Finding inspiring quotes from books can be powerful.  Check out these amazing quotes from the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.



Some of these links contain affiliate links which means if you purchase after clicking on the link I will receive a very small commission. I wholeheartedly recommend these items and commission would never sway me to recommend something I could not stand behind.


Other posts in this series

Storage tips

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2 comments:

Achestan said...

Cool stuff you have and you keep overhaul every one of us positive quotes

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