The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing Quotes

“The key is to make the change so sudden that you experience a complete change of heart.”

“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.”

“The best sequence is this: clothes first, then books, papers, komono (miscellany), and lastly, mementos.”

“This process in turn helps us identify our values and reduces doubt and confusion in making life decisions. If we can have confidence in our decisions and launch enthusiastically into action without any doubts holding us back, we will be able to achieve much more. In other words, the sooner we confront our possessions the better. If you are going to put your house in order, do it now.”

“Discarding hones one’s decision-making skills.”

“Clothing storage: Fold it right and solve your storage problems...The goal is to fold each piece of clothing into a simple, smooth rectangle.”

“Caring for your possessions is the best way to motivate them to support you, their owner. When you treat your belongings well, they will always respond in kind . . . I take time to ask myself occasionally whether the storage space I’ve set aside for them will make them happy. Storage, after all, is the sacred act of choosing a home for my belongings.”

“To quietly work away at disposing of your own excess is actually the best way of dealing with a family that doesn’t tidy. As if drawn into your wake, they will begin weeding out unnecessary belongings and tidying without your having to utter a single complaint . . . Cleaning quietly on one’s own generates another interesting change—the ability to tolerate a certain level of untidiness among your family members.”

“Every piece of clothing has its own ‘sweet spot’ where it feels just right.”

“Truly precious memories will never vanish even if you discard the objects associated with them . . . No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now are more important . . . Does this spark joy?”

“Arrange your clothes so that they rise to the right . . . lines that slope up to the right make people feel comfortable.”

“We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.”

“Take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it.”′

“Folding socks . . . Place one sock on top of the other and follow the same principles as those for folding clothing. For low-cut socks that just cover the feet, folding twice is enough; for ankle socks, three times; for knee socks and over-knee socks, four to six times . . . Store the socks on edge, just as you did for clothing.”

“When you are choosing what to keep, ask your heart; when you are choosing where to store something, ask your house.”

“But when we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.”

“I believe that tidying is a celebration, a special send-off for those things that will be departing from the house, and therefore I dress accordingly.”

“First, fold each lengthwise side of the garment toward the center (such as the left-hand, then right-hand, sides of a shirt) and tuck the sleeves in to make a long rectangle shape. It doesn’t matter how you fold the sleeves. Next pick up one short end of the rectangle and fold it toward the other short end. Then fold again, in the same manner, in halves or in thirds. The number of folds should be adjusted so that the folded clothing when standing on edge fits the height of the drawer.”

“Eliminate the need to store off-season clothes.”

“Books: Once you have pile your books, take them in your hand one by one and decide whether you want to keep or discard each one. The criterion is, of course, whether or not it gives you a thrill of pleasure when you touch it.”

“Papers: I recommend you dispose of anything that does not fall into one of three categories; currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or must be kept indefinitely . . . Make sure that you keep all such papers in one spot only. Never let them spread to other parts of the house.”

“Life becomes far easier once you know that things will still work out even if you are lacking something.”

″[Visualize] the ideal lifestyle you dream of . . . Think in concrete terms so that you can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space . . . try looking in interior decorating magazines...”

“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.”

“Clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore, storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, no the effort needed to get them out.”

“Keep only things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.”

“Gathering every item in one place is essential to this process because it gives you an accurate grasp of how much you have.”

“Reduce until you reach the point where something clicks. Sort by category, in the correct order, and keep only those things that inspire joy. Do this thoroughly and quickly, all in one go. If you follow this advice, you will dramatically reduce the volume of the things you own, experience an exhilaration you have never known before, and gain confidence in your life . . . the click point differs from one person to another.”