Marie Kondō Quotes

• “The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.”

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• “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.”

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• “The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”

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• “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.”

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• “The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.”

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• “Imagine what it would be like to have a bookshelf filled only with books that you really love. Isn’t that image spellbinding? For someone who loves books, what greater happiness could there be?”

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• “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.”

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• “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.”

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• “People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking.”

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• “The true purpose of a present is to be received.”

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• “For books, timing is everything. The moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it. To avoid missing that moment, I recommend that you keep your collection small.”

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• “When you come across something that you cannot part with, think carefully about its true purpose in your life. You’ll be surprised at how many of the things you possess have already fulfilled their role. By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you will be able to truly put the things you own, and your life, in order. In the end, all that will remain are the things that you really treasure. To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose.”

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• “Visible mess helps distract us from the true source of the disorder.”

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• “There’s no need to finish reading books that you only got halfway through. Their purpose was to be read halfway.”

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• “I have yet to see a house that lacked sufficient storage. The real problem is that we have far more than we need or want.”

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• “People with large book collections are almost always diligent learners.”

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• “The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own, identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude, and bidding them farewell, is really about examining your inner self, a rite of passage to a new life.”

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• “If sweatpants are your everyday attire, you’ll end up looking like you belong in them, which is not very attractive. What you wear in the house does impact your self-image.”

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• “It is the same with people. Not every person you meet in life will become a close friend or lover. Some you will find hard to get along with or impossible to like. But these people, too, teach you the precious lesson of who you do like, so that you will appreciate those.”

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• “From the moment you start tidying, you will be compelled to reset your life. As a result, your life will start to change. That’s why the task of putting your house in order should be done quickly. It allows you to confront the issues that are really important. Tidying is just a tool, not the final destination. The true goal should be to establish the lifestyle you want most once your house has been put in order.”

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• “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.”

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• “Discarding is not the point; what matters is keeping those things that bring you joy. If you discard everything until you have nothing left but an empty house, I don’t think you’ll be happy living there. Our goal in tidying should be to create a living environment filled with the things we love.”

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• “Tidy a little a day and you’ll be tidying forever.”

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

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• “Storage experts are hoarders.”

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