More Than Sparking Joy: Marie Kondo's *Other* Secret to Our Stuff

Like many of us feeling into the new beginnings alight this year, I felt called to review some of the home organization tips from petite powerhouse and clean up queen, Marie Kondo. In The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, her 2014 multiple best-seller published originally in Japan and now in more than 30 countries, Kondo has become most well-known for her revolutionary approach--challenging the inner hoarder in all of us to handle every item we own and ask honestly "does this spark joy?" before deciding its fate.

The process typically goes a little like this:

1.) Pick up Hudson News store receipt from 2009 in the box labeled "Important Documents" (note to self: change the name of that box). This item definitely doesn't spark joy and come to think of it, Stephen King's Under the Dome bought that day wasn't all that great either ... toss.

2.) Pick up smoky quartz crystal gifted by a bestie, definitely sparks joy and definitely a keeper.

3.) The (unused) Fascia Blaster you impulse bought online a year ago--hey, just in time for spring! The image of svelte thighs pictured in the ad ... definitely joy. The pictures on social media of bruising some people got was a little freaky (not joy). Hmm.