"I had been so focused on what to discard, on attacking the unwanted obstacles around me, that I had forgotten to cherish the things that I loved, the things I wanted to keep."
"Quite a few books about decluttering are published in a year."
"Being packed all the time, even when not in use, must feel something like going to bed on an empty stomach."
"It's going to be labor-intensive and time-consuming, but you need to take all the books down and put them on the floor. Take them down and spread them in one area. Physically pick each book up, one by one. If the book inspires you, keep it. If not, it goes out. That's the standard by which you decide."
"I have an image in my mind of what I want, whether it's a light jacket or a one-piece. I can tell if what I want is in the store right away."
"I will only purchase what fits me. If I want to lose weight, I do that first and then go shopping."
"In my case, my size is so small that if I want it but don't buy it, I might miss the opportunity."
"It's easy to get rid of things when there is an obvious reason for doing so. It's much more difficult when there is no compelling reason."
"My head was full of tidying tips, and I had complete, albeit misguided, confidence that I could tidy any place."
"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."
"The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment."
"The objects you decide to keep, the ones that gave you the spark of joy? Treasure them from now on. When you put things away, you can actually audibly say, 'Hey, thank you for the good work today...' By doing so, it becomes easier for you to put the objects away and treasure them, which prolongs the spark of joy environment."
"If you fold your clothes in the formal spark of joy, you can actually make the joy last longer."
"Have gratitude for the things you're discarding. By giving gratitude, you're giving closure to the relationship with that object, and by doing so, it becomes a lot easier to let go."
"I used to clean my brother and sister's rooms. And I would go to friends' houses and clean their rooms, too."
"A lot of people agree that tidying is connected to how we live, and even though, outside of Japan, houses might be bigger, people have more things than they need."
"For kids, it's best to teach them how to fold their clothes first. Kids will be able to fold their clothes at about three years old. You don't want to teach them how to put away toys first because it's difficult. Clothes are something kids wear every day, so it's easy for them to have a sense about their belongings."
"About tidying up a toy box, you should let your kids experience the selection process by touching all of their toys. It's also important how they throw away their toys. They can earn a stronger sense of valuing things when they throw things away with respect and appreciation."
"I'd like to tidy up the entire planet. I would go anywhere if there were something that needs tidying."
"I had a slight hope the phrase 'spark joy' might become popular, as it was the keyword that I wanted to put forward in the first place."
"It's important to understand your ownership pattern because it is an expression of the values that guide your life. The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life."
"Attachment to the past and fears concerning the future not only govern the way you select the things you own but also represent the criteria by which you make choices in every aspect of your life, including your relationships with people and your job."
"The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don't. Quests to faraway places or shopping sprees are no longer necessary. All you have to do is eliminate what you don't need by confronting each of your possessions properly."
"The process of facing and selecting our possessions can be quite painful. It forces us to confront our imperfections and inadequacies and the foolish choices we made in the past."
"It's human nature to take the easy route and leap at storage methods that promise quick and convenient ways to remove visible clutter. Putting things away creates the illusion that the clutter problem has been solved. But sooner or later, all the storage units are full, and the room once again overflows with things."
