It is curious to see the books that will resonate with people and end up on the bestseller lists. Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing and her follow up Spark Joy: the illustrated guide to the life changing KonMari method are two such books.

Who would have thought that a book about tidying your home would inspire such interest?!

From the publisher: “Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles? Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo’s clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).  With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.”

It seems to be that phrase “spark joy” that stays with readers. The object is to examine your possessions and keep only those things that spark joy in you. If you have a terrific pair of jeans that fit great and make you feel attractive, then don’t save them for a special occasion. Wear them and get rid of the jeans that don’t fit quite right. Divesting yourself of possession will soon make you realize that you can live with fewer possessions and Konde reminds you to thank the objects you are done with for the service they gave you.

Kondo addresses the problem of having too much by disposing of it while others have elected to opt out of the consuming lifestyle. Sarah Lazarovic’s memoir A Bunch of Pretty Things I Did Not Buy reflects on the idea that we have so much stuff because we are exposed to too many options to purchase creating needs and wants that don’t really exist. She reflects on her own relentless need for “things” that lead her to purchases that were unwise and ultimately garbage. She found that her desire for things diminished as she consciously chose not to make purchases for an entire year.