15 Life-Changing Quotes From Marie Kondo’s Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up
A book that has nothing to do with tidying
Recently, I wrote an article about habits.
While researching, I revisited one of my favourite books, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” by Marie Kondo.
Although on the surface it’s about tidying, it’s really a book on philosophy.
Perspective is found in the funniest places. For me, it was tucked away in Marie Kondo’s neatly organized words — helping me see the world in a much simpler light.
Here are 15 life-changing quotes that have helped me organize my brain and tidy up my perspectives on life.
By the end, I hope you’ve picked up 3–5 of your own.
First, a big-picture mindset.
It’s funny — we often hold the answers to life’s greatest questions, unknowingly. This intuitive understanding makes life not about being taught, but rather becoming our own teachers.
For example, I hate folding laundry. Ok, maybe hate is a strong word, but it’s something I put off for much longer than I need to.
It’s not a particularly hard task, yet, I find myself avoiding it — leaving giant piles of clothing on the floor. I’ll spend days walking past it and thinking, ‘I should fold those’, as opposed to simply taking a few minutes to do it.
What I’ve learned is, it’s not the laundry I’m avoiding. But, being present with my thoughts.
When I resist slowing down, it’s because my life is moving too fast.
How you do anything, is how you do everything.
And your relationship with your belongings reflects your relationship with yourself.
“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.”
If you look past Marie’s words on tidying, and see them as philosophies for life, you will truly absorb the life-changing magic of these 15 quotes.
15 life-changing quotes by Marie Kondo.
An exhaustive list can be found, here.
#1. On love and loss:
#1. “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.”
Everything in life comes down to 2 core feelings: pain and pleasure. We often hold onto things, people, or perspectives out of fear of pain or missing out on pleasure.
#2. On growth:
“The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”
In life, things come and go. Be it relationships, memories, or perspectives, letting go of what no longer sparks joy, is what allows you to grow as a human.
#3. On what’s really important
“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.”
What sparks joy is what serves you — now. Anything you are holding onto in hopes of keeping, or becoming, only weighs you down.
#4. On what really matters
“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?”
Ask yourself, how would your life change if you focused all of your attention on the things you loved? How would your perspective on the world change?
#5. On becoming your habits
“People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking.”
Habits are so popular amongst modern humans because they encapsulate who we are. We’ve grown to believe that our actions can differ from our thoughts when in reality they are one and the same.
#6. On learning to forget
“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.”
We focus so much on remembering things that we forget to… well, forget. Forgetting is an essential part of remembering. And learning to let go of what no longer serves us gives us space to absorb what does.
#7. On abundance
“We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.”
The glass of life truly is half full or half empty depending on how you look at it. Focus on what you want more of, not what you want less of.
#8. On the myth of “the perfect time”
“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.”
Life has its own schedule. There never has been nor ever will be a perfect time to do anything. If you find yourself in a deep conversation with a friend, that is the right time to talk to them. And if you feel compelled to learn something new, right now is when you need to learn it.
#9. On life’s greatest cliche
“The true purpose of a present is to be received.”
Life sprinkles little gifts on us every day. Accept them, because you deserve it.
#10. On people and things
“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.”
People, thoughts, things — they all come and go. The end of a relationship doesn’t signify the sinking of a ship, but the recognition of a successful journey. Be grateful for everything that has happened in your life as it has happened to you. And no one else.
#11. On perspective
“There’s no need to finish reading books that you only got halfway through. Their purpose was to be read halfway.”
Perspective shapes your reality. You can wish you would have lived differently. Or be grateful, for you have lived.
#12. On expectations
“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.”
It’s easy to get caught up in the future. In what you want or feel as though you need. But at the end of the day, 80% of what you want and need in life comes from appreciating the 20% you have.
#13. On living for you
“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.”
Although I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with dressing for comfort, I love the sentiment. Make changes that serve you— especially when no one is watching.
#14. On positive momentum
“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.”
It’s funny how seemingly unrelated habits compile and service each other. One of my biggest epiphanies from reading Marie’s book is that how you do anything is how you do everything. Life isn’t about reaching a destination, but enjoying the journey.
#15. On choices
“Tidy a little a day and you’ll be tidying forever.”
Life is but a journey of tiny steps. Keep taking them, no matter how small, and your journey will continue to progress.
Final thoughts: you find what you’re looking for.
One of the beautiful things about words is they’re always filtered through our personal experiences.
Words are universal — but their effect, personal.
Take time to organize your mind.
So that it may be open to life-changing perspectives. Discard ideas that are no longer serving you and you’ll find the answers to life’s greatest questions much easier to find.
To help solidify into memory, which quotes resonated with you the most?
Hi, I’m Hudson. I write about living healthier, happier, and more mindfully. To have stories sent directly to you, subscribe to my newsletter. 👇
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