If you haven't heard of Marie Kondo yet, you may have been living under a rock - or in a pile of national geographies that you haven't read yet, maybe never. Does that pile make you feel happy? Or is it a stress-induced reminder to spend money on another magazine that you really don't need?
Marie Kondo is very misunderstood if there is strong opposition. (Source: Gracie Wilson / Livestrong) This is what Kondo wants you to figure out. Will your property make you feel happy? If not, get rid of them. The best-selling book "The Magic of Changing Life" and the author of "Spark Joy" is now the star of her own Netflix show, and Kondo has become a world of genius. So much so that her followers use "Kondo" as a verb, synonymized according to the KonMari method (for example, "I need Kondo my house before my in-laws come.")
This sunny, Always smiling, the Japanese woman 4 feet 11 inches tall is a clean fairy godmother. She really wants to help people organize their homes and live a healthier, happier and calmer life. Judging from the hugs she received on the Netflix show, tears and heartfelt thanks, she achieved this.
So why do some people like to hate Kondo? Since her first volume was published in 2014, strong opposition to articles and social media posts has accused Kondo of supporting “speaking nonsense” and a “ruthless and unrealistic” approach.
] After the legend of "Book Burning", she lingered to be accused of telling people to get rid of their books, an author even called her a "monster", and in an Instagram post she later responded to the culture. Removed from insensitive accusations. Cleaning has never caused such controversy.
"I believe that people will quickly come to a conclusion and misunderstand what she said without carefully listening to or rereading the book," Montreal's Alison Lush said. Based on the professional organizer of certification, he researched and introduced Kondo's finishing strategy KonMari sidelaw. Many people have never read these books. Maybe that's why they don't seem to know what they are talking about.
A misunderstood method
The core purpose of the KonMari approach is to help people not only solve problems. Their lives, but also become more "cautious, introspective and forward-thinking" in their property. The KonMari approach is more than just finishing: it means a radical overhaul of your environment and your relationship to the environment.
This huge change requires major action. The KonMari method does not organize the rooms, but organizes five different categories:
- clothing
- books
- papers
[123 ] Komono (kitchen, garage, miscellaneous) -
Souvenirs (sentimental items) -
Many people say that Kondo says you have to do this in a “finishing marathon”. This does not mean that you are finishing 36 hours without sleeping. This means that you promise to get through the process without losing focus or giving up. It is also not a process that should be rushed. “The rebound happened because people mistakenly thought they had sorted out, and in fact they just sorted and stored them midway,” Kondo said. In other words, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
This is not just to get rid of things. Kondo also provides technology to keep it tidy over time. For example, her method of bargaining is to fold the clothes and erect them vertically in the drawer. why? Because when you can see all the clothes at a time, it prevents you from having to go through a bunch of shirts to find your favorite T-shirt. Finally, over timeThe passage of a large number of squall lines will cause a large number of shirts to appear throughout the place, but will not carry one - soon, when you need it, and will not sweat.
"Ordinary Kondo said that living in an environment that undermines his or her best efforts. "If your environment really nurtures and supports you, you can get things done faster and easier. "If this means your shirt is standing up, then that's it.
This is how Kondo fulfills her claim how you will only need to do this once, because once you learn to be neat and keep it tidy, you I will never find myself drowning in a messy mountain.
What does this mean for 'Spark of Fire'?
The KonMari method stipulates that anything that does not inspire joy can be rid of. Kondo requires People actually touch their property and pay attention to how these objects make them feel. If they feel good about this object, they should keep it; if they feel that this will not bring happiness to their lives - or purpose or meaning - they It should be abandoned.
This simple double-word phrase is the title of Kondo's second book, perhaps the most misunderstood concept of the KonMari method. There are many different explanations for the meaning of Kondo because she The first copy of the sale (more than 8 million worldwide). Maybe no one except Kondo can really point out its true meaning, but here is "sparkle happy" and Doesn't mean:
This doesn't mean you need to be happy with the TV remote. But can you imagine life without it? You really have to get up and change channels.
This doesn't mean you should throw away your towels because they won't make you feel the butterflies in your belly like the first squeeze. You need those Unless you have time to drip.
This doesn't mean you have to throw away all the books. Yes, Marie Kondo doesn't hate books, which tells people that except 30 The opposite of all the most exciting volume is the opposite.
What is she talking about? (In the third chapter of "The Magic of Changing Life" you don't need to keepEvery book you have, because books are respectable, can cause stress when they lose control. Kondo chose to limit her personal library to 30 books, but she doesn't think it's a magic number for everyone."Let's put down all the books that didn't actively contribute to your life," Lush said. For example "All About Macrame", or a college textbook (because you are 37 years old). "If you keep this book, or if you keep the book, as long as it adds quality to your life, it will bring happiness to your life. It should be the ruler. This is not a random number. "
[123 However, try to tell the critic Ron Charles, his article in the Washington Post "K. Marie Kondo admits that you are neat, gleaming hands on my book." On the pile, "recognize that there are thousands of books in his house," under the table. On the table. On all horizontal surfaces, "and don't want to give up a separate surface. "This is not ideal, but my wife and I will not have any other way. We will not follow the spark of joy - we want to swim miraculously," he said.
This is the case: "Miracle" is definitely a category of joy, no doubt, Marie Kondo will agree. You are the kind of person who is passionate about books - and / or if you are a book critic - be sure to keep your books. Although this is a good choice, Charles has at least 10 books in his collection, not even enough to kill, let alone swim, so there is no harm in cleaning them from the table. He can use it for other things. For example, eating.
Those features lack the secular items of the happy department? “I think it depends on how narrow a person decides to explain the word 'sparks happy',” Lush said. "If I look at my wrench, maybe it won't bring me happiness, but I think what she is going to do is look at the wrench and ask if she can add value to my life.
I think My wrench can add value to my life because it means I can fix something; it gives me the opportunity to stay independent and fix something and actually solve the problem in the future."
Kondo is not going to let you have five wrenches rusted and buried in the garage drawer so deep that you are messed up (forgive the pun) if you need to repair a leaky faucet.
The 'Woo-Woo Nonsense'
cannot expect Western audiences to have a deep understanding of Japanese culture or religion, but they should at least try before they smash the roots of Kondo. Kondo is largely influenced by Shintoism, and its essence is the dedication to spiritual life and power.
"The gods are everywhere - in humans, nature, and even inanimate objects," explains writer Margaret Dilloway, his Japanese mother practicing Shinto.
"I realized very early that this means that all creations are miracles. I can consider cooking my eggs with a spatula. Appreciate the sculpture you can afford; someone must invent it, Many people and earth resources help me, and now I use it every day. According to Shinto Animism, some inanimate objects can get a soul after serving for 100 years - a concept called tsukumogami - so thank you for the natural expression I am grateful to them. "
When Kondo thanked the shirt for the service, she appreciated all those who entered her creation. When she greets a house in a prayer-like silence, it is an expression of a ritual stitched in the life of Shinto. Although it may be considered strange for many Westerners, it is eccentric, nonsense, very common in Japan, and 80% of the population is involved in the practice of Shintoism.
"I don't have any expertise in Japanese culture or S. But I think I'm quite clear in the book that she has a strong cultural and religious background," Lush said. "It is foolish for me to assess how she treats the house or the way. She thanked the clothes for serving them. It is stupid to judge or explain it according to Western standards."
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Not for everyone
KonMari is a universal solution, but everyone will not find it suitable for them. The KonMari method is very simple, a fewThere is no swing space. It tells you exactly what to do, in what order if it doesn't suit you or suits your life, it will never let you choose not to do something estyle. This is not the kind of program.
In the first chapter of "Changing the Changing Magic of Life," Kondo wrote, "Don't change the way to suit your personality." For those who are troubled by their personality, this is impossible. This is very useful for many others, who like to use strong hands to guide, open-minded, ready to try unique ways to end their chaos.
"I think part of the reason why her philosophy is so attractive to so many people, and why it attracts so much criticism, that is the fact that she does promise success. She literally said, ' You do exactly what I want, you won't have any more confusion," said Lush, who is also the chairman of the Challe Institute. The KonMari method leaves almost no room for explanation.
This is a bit arrogant for those who don't like to be told what to do. Skeptics criticize her commitment mainly because they are not willing to follow this method because her regulations are therefore unsuccessful. This is similar to hiring a personal trainer. He said: "If you follow this exercise and nutrition plan, I promise you will see the results within six months."
But the results depend on you actually Do you follow this program as your trainer to design it, without having to pick and choose which element is best for you. You hired a trainer and asked him for professional help. Just as you read Kondo's book, I hope it will help you live a messless life.
You are free to choose whether you want to follow this system, but if you don't, you can't complain about its flaws.
Present and Future
The minimalist movement has been moving towards the past decade, especially in the millennial generation during the recession, and they are drowning in student debt. The amazing popularity of Kondo is one of the branches. However, some people at the forefront of the minimalist movement claim that Kondo ignores this.
"Less is less great, but wants less or better," wrote Joshua Becker, author of "More Less".. "Unfortunately, this question 'will it bring happiness?' Our thinking is hardly important in this regard. After all, when we stand in the department store, many things we pick up will bring joy. That's why we left our shopping cart with so many things. "
This is what Lush thinks people haven't listened carefully (or read books). Kondo doesn't just say "discard, discard"; She said that we must learn to value that you have the property you own and make better decisions now and in the future. In Chapter 5 of "The Magic of Changing Life," she writes "Learning You Can Do Nothing" and "Finding Really Valuable Things" "If that is not obvious support" wants less, then what is it?
Obviously, just because they make you happy and get more things is not the purpose of the KonMari method. The significance of teaching people to really consider the value of their property is, and it has far more profound effects than Becker realized. Once you have the potential to reduce the quantity and improve the quality of your property, you probably won't fill your home with departmentless stores with useless gadgets. If the KonMari method works as expected, you will be able to look at future purchases with a more critical shot and ask yourself if the object really adds value to your life.
Key Lessons
]The details are important, but critics, by their very nature, often spend too much time to distinguish details without considering how they fit into larger landscapes. This is the meaning of not being able to see the forest trees, or, in this case, it is impossible to see that your running shoes are sick and have not been collected by a pile of clothes taken out from the dryer last week.
Kondo's finishing philosophy is not about trees or running shoes. This is the landscape about your life. She asks you to create a spiritual picture of your life and how you want to live. She asks you to pay more attention to your relationship with your property and the environment, and to be grateful for what you have. Buddhism has long told us that if you practice mindfulness and gratitude, you can really change your life.
Although the Netflix show is fun, it is worth reading. This is the real wisdom. When you finish the book, if they don’t inspire joy, Kondo will encourage you toThey are passed to other places for the purpose.
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