How to follow the Konmari method and keep your books!
by Sam Joice
Based on her bestselling book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying (which also has a follow up, Spark Joy), the new Netflix series ‘Tidying Up With Marie Kondo’ sees Marie visit a number of families to help them declutter and organise their belongings. Unlike some other decluttering shows, Tidying Up is fairly gentle as Marie explains her unique method of organisation to the families or couples she’s helping. She doesn’t stand over them and throw away their prized possessions. Rather she asks them to consider what items they really want to take with them into their future, and helps them find the best way to organise them in the space available.
But something about her method has got readers all over the world in an uproar. At Marie’s suggestion that that you curate your book collection and – gasp! – consider giving some away, many people seem to think that Marie is encouraging people to throw all of their books in the bin!
Nope! As a long time fan of Marie Kondo, as well as a lifetime lover of books, I’m here to say you can absolutely follow the Konmari method without getting rid of your books!
First, let’s look at the Konmari method itself. This is a fairly simplified summary and to really understand the method, reading the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying is crucial. But to give you a start…
The Konmari method involves sorting by category (not by room), by gathering all the items of a category into a pile so you can see how much you really have. Then, you hold each item and ask yourself “Does this spark joy?”. When her clients struggle to feel or understand the concept of spark joy, Marie tells them to instead ask “Do I want to take this into the future?”.
‘Spark joy’ is a translation of the Japanese word “tokimeku”. The literal translation of which is “to flutter, to throb” – similar to the way your heart flutters when something makes you happy or excited. I found this part of the Konmari method to have the biggest influence on how I approached decluttering. Instead of thinking, “Should I throw this away?”, I started thinking “Do I want to keep this, and why?”. I no longer felt guilty about the items I wanted to discard and didn’t miss them when they were gone. I only kept the items I truly loved or needed.
When it comes to books, a book that ‘sparks joy’ does not need to have uplifting or happy content. I love reading horror novels and those are filled with dread and terror. But I enjoy reading them, so they spark joy. What about functional books, like textbooks or manuals? Perhaps the content doesn’t necessarily spark joy, but if I refer to them often and enjoy the ease of having them close at hand? Then yes, they spark joy.
Many people, quite rightfully, feel abject horror at the question of reducing their book collection. And if every book you own sparks joy then you should go ahead and keep them all! But perhaps it’s okay to curate your collection? Why not pass some books onto your friends and family – give them a new life to spark joy for someone else? It’s okay to throw away mouldy books or books that are falling apart. It’s okay to free yourself from outdated textbooks and books you haven’t read for decades, and may never read again.
And if you really love an old battered book, that much beloved copy with the broken spine and pages coming unstuck? Why not treat yourself to gorgeous new copy that will give you joy? I found by curating my collection, I had more room for new books, which is always a good thing!
It’s okay to have a large book collection. If having lots of books sparks joy for you, Marie would be the first to say “Keep them all!”. Marie Kondo is not a minimalist. The important thing is that whatever the size of your library, all the books in it genuinely spark joy for you.
Next, let’s consider the other aspect of the Konmari method: organisation. Do dusty books spark joy for you? Do messy piles of books on the floor spark joy? Probably not.
The activity of going through the books you love, organising them by whatever system works for you (author, genre, format, colour etc) and then displaying them on a shelf is a joyful process. Perhaps you’ll find a book (or ten) to read again!
The first thing I see when I get home is my bookshelf and seeing my books clean and well presented sparks joy for me. If you truly love the books in your home library, take care of them and display them with pride!
The wonderful thing about the Konmari method is that it is very adaptable to your life and personal taste. Even if the entire method doesn’t work for you, take what you need from it to improve your life.
While I certainly don’t follow the Konmari method perfectly, it has helped me to be more engaged with my belongings and take better care of them. I’m not burdened by my collection of books, I’m surrounded only by the books that I love: my beautiful cloth covered hardbacks, my well-worn favourites, and, yes, ones I’ve yet to read but am excited to dive into.
Like many others, watching the Netflix show gave me a burst of tidying energy and I loved seeing Marie Kondo’s method come to life. But the best way to understand this amazing method is to read the book itself. Why not see if it will change your life too?
Discover our other picks for home organisation in our New Year New You collection here.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to the popularity of the show we are currently sold out of Marie Kondo’s books, however, more stock is on order and will be arriving soon.
Sam Joice is Booktopia’s Campaign Coordinator and resident nerd.
A lifelong lover of books and reading, Sam also enjoys gaming, watching films, binging TV series and going on adventures around the world.
Sam is an avid reader of almost anything, but most of all romance, horror, suspense, fantasy and adventure.
Click here to check out Sam’s Top 5 Romance Reads of 2018.
Click here to read Sam’s review of Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa.
Follow Sam Joice on Twitter @slightlysammi
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying
A Simple, Effective Way to Banish Clutter Forever
Transform your home into a permanently clear and clutter-free space with the incredible KonMari Method. Japan's expert declutterer and professional cleaner Marie Kondo will help you tidy your rooms once and for all with her inspirational step-by-step method.
The key to successful tidying is to tackle your home in the correct order, to keep only the things you really love and to do it all at once – and quickly. After that for the rest of your life you only need to choose what to keep and what to discard.
The KonMari Method will not just transform your space. Once you have your house in order you will find that your whole life will change. You can feel more confident, you can become more successful, and you can have the energy and motivation to create the life you want. You will also have the courage to move on from the negative aspects of your life: you can recognise and finish a bad relationship; you can stop feeling anxious; you can finally lose weight.
Marie Kondo's method is based on a 'once-cleaned, never-messy-again' approach. If you think that such a thing is impossible then you should definitely read this compelling book.
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