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Basic folding method

Fold one side


of the garment
across the
center.

Fold the
opposite side Stop a little
the same way. before the edge.

Leave a bit
of a gap.

Roll it up. Stand it upright.

Everything you need to know about storing joyfully 71


Paper-related supplies
Paper-related stationery supplies include items made
of paper, such as notebooks, memo pads, Post-its, and
files, as well as goods used to store papers, such as clear
plastic folders and binders.
Do you have dozens of notebooks that are still half
blank? When people start a new project, it’s natural to
want to use a new notebook. Discard all those that have
finished their purpose unless they spark joy.
Don’t forget to tidy up your clear plastic folders.
This is one of the most easily accumulated items, and the
record holder among my clients owned 420. She ended up
donating them to her company.
It is standard practice to store paper-related stationery
supplies next to documents and papers, because they are,
after all, made of the same material. Small items, such as
memo pads and Post-its, can be stood upright in a small box,
which can then be placed on a shelf for a neater appearance.

Tidying komono 143


Letter-writing supplies
Stationery supplies for writing letters are just what the
name implies: letter papers, envelopes, postcards, and the
like. You can tidy any other items needed for writing let-
ters at the same time, such as stamps and address labels.
I once aspired to be a good letter writer who wrote
prompt and proper thank-you letters. I accumulated
numerous letter sets, but I almost always missed the
opportunity to send a letter and ended up thanking
people by email. If your letter set doesn’t spark joy, you
won’t be motivated to write a letter. The iron rule is to
keep only those letter-writing supplies that inspire you to
write. You are bound to come across things like postcards
bought on the spur of the moment while traveling that
you now wonder why on earth you bought. If their spark
is gone, thank them for the memory and recycle them, but
be sure to keep any with designs that you really love even
if you are never going to send them.

144 Spark joy


Electrical komono
Electrical komono cover such items as digital cameras,
portable game players, and computers. If, however, your
hobby is cameras, for example, and you have a large
volume of camera parts, you can make this a separate
category and tackle it later.
Many people tend to hoard old cell phones. One of
my clients had a total of seventeen. If you have a senti-
mental attachment to your cell phones that makes them
hard to discard, leave them for when you sort your sen-
timental items category. If you want the photo data, put
the phone in your pending box, and don’t forget to deal
with those photos later on! When disposing of cell phones
and computers, you can take advantage of the collection
services offered by electrical appliance stores and electron-
ics recycling organizations.

Electrical cords
Cords are the most typical electrical komono, and they are
often a tangled mess. Do you have any surplus chargers
lying around? And how about those earphones that came
with something you no longer remember? Do you really
need them?

Tidying komono 145


Remove these kinds of cords from any plastic bags
you’ve stored them in, untangle the whole mess, and
pick each one up to check for joy. As you do this, you are
guaranteed to come across cords that you cannot identify.
These mystery cords should not be saved for later, but rather
should be dealt with on the spot. If you have finished tidying
your electrical appliances, the job of matching each cord to
an appliance will be far simpler. Any mystery cords that
remain should be recycled guilt-free.

Memory cards and batteries


When I use the term “electrical,” I mean things that seem
to “smell” electric. Electrical things exude a sort of pun-
gent, tingling odor, so search out the remaining electrical
komono using this sensation as your guide.
In addition to memory cards, USBs, empty DVD
disks, printer ink cartridges, and batteries, you can also
tidy up any electrical health and beauty devices as part
of this category. When I visit homes that have multiple
cords springing from the outlets or an abundance of
electrical appliances, the air in the entranceway has what
feels like an electrical charge. Perhaps that sensation
transmits itself to our bodies, because once these things
are completely tidied up, there is—surprise, surprise—a
physical sense of relief.

146 Spark joy


An office that sparks joy
You can clear your mind simply by discarding all unnec-
essary papers. Keep the desk area relatively clear. Arrange
books and materials according to your own rules.
Consider adding a small ornamental plant. Don’t
make your office solely practical. It’s important to add
a playful touch precisely because it’s a work space.

A home that sparks joy 241


A bedroom that sparks joy
Make your bedroom a space to recharge your batteries
and refresh yourself for another day. Keep lighting
soft and indirect, play relaxing music, and feature items
and scents that spark joy. Wash sheets and pillowcases
frequently.

242 Spark joy


A bathroom that sparks joy
Why not enjoy your bathroom’s delights? Bathe by candle-
light and add bath salts, flowers, whatever you feel like.
Keep the tub and counters well scrubbed. Take out only
what you need and put it away when finished.
The toilet is your home’s “detox area.” It’s important
to keep the energy flowing through, so keep it uncluttered.
Any decorations should spark joy and be arranged with
flow in mind. Cleanliness is crucial. The ideal bathroom
will have a fresh, natural aroma. Keep supplies like toilet
paper out of sight in a basket or covered by a cloth.

A home that sparks joy 243


Copyright © 2016 by Marie Kondo
Illustrations copyright © 2012, 2015 by Masako Inoue

All rights reserved.


Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing
Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com

Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of
Penguin Random House LLC.

Originally published in two separate volumes in Japan as Jinsei ga Tokimeko Katazuke no


Maho 2 and Irasuto de Tokimeku Katazuke no Maho by Sunmark Publishing, Inc., Tokyo,
in 2012 and 2015. Copyright © 2012, 2015 by Marie Kondo. English translation by
Cathy Hirano with rights arranged with Sunmark Publishing, Inc., through InterRights
Inc., Tokyo, Japan, and Gudovitz & Company Literary Agency, New York, USA.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Kondo, Marie, author. | Hirano, Cathy, translator. | Kondo, Marie. Jinsei
ga tokimeko katazuke no maho 2. English. | Kondo, Marie. Irasuto de tokimeku
katazuke no maho. English.
Title: Spark joy : an illustrated master class on the art of organizing and tidying up /
Marie Kondo ; translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano.
Description: First American edition. | New York : Ten Speed Press, an imprint of
the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, [2016] |
Published in Japan as The life-changing magic of tidying up 2 and The illustrated
life-changing magic of tidying up by Sunmark Publishing, Inc., Tokyo, in 2012 and
2015, and is a combination of the two Japanese titles: Jinsei ga Tokimeko Katazuke
no Maho 2 and Irasuto de Tokimeku Katazuke no Maho. | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015035727
Subjects: LCSH: Storage in the home. | Housekeeping. | Orderliness.
Classification: LCC TX309 .K66 2015 | DDC 648—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015035727

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-60774-972-1


eBook ISBN: 978-1-60774-973-8

Printed in the United States of America

Design by Betsy Stromberg


Front cover images copyright © Shutterstock.com/donatas1205 and
Shutterstock.com/samui
Author photograph by Natsuno Ichigo

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First American Edition

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