Spark Joy by Marie Kondo

Kondo, Marie. (2016) Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. Berkley, CA.  Ten Speed Press.

• "Life truly beings only after you have put your house in order." (xi)
  
• "If you are confident that something bring you joy, keep it, regardless of what anyone else might say.  Even if it isn't perfect, no matter how mundane it might be, when you use it with care and respect, you transform it into something priceless.  As you repeat this selection process, you increase your sensitivity to joy. This not only accelerates your tidying pace but also hones your decision-making capacity in all areas of life." (xi)
  
• What sparks joy for you personally?  And what doesn't?  The answers to these questions represent a major clue for getting to know yourself as a recipient of the gift of life...The real tragedy is to live your entire life without anything that brings you joy and never even realize it...
  Decide...what you want to keep in your life..." (xii)
  
• This is [not about making [the] house look neat...for visitors...but...tidy in a way that will spark joy in your life and change it forever.
  ...you will clearly have defined your values and what you to do...[and will] experience...feeling of contentment." (3)
  
• "Seriously consider the ideal lifestyle to which you aspire.." Don't just start cleaning.  Sketch out vision first. (4)
  
• "Tidying if the act of confronting yourself; cleaning is the act of confronting nature." (13)
  
• "With cleaning you can let mind empty, but tidying requires us to think." (16)
  
• "Letting go, at least once, of anything that doesn't bring you joy is the ultimate way to experience what its like to surround yourself with things that do bring you joy." (21)
  
• "'It might come in handy' is taboo." (21)
  
• "Feelings of fascination, excitement or attraction are not the only indications of joy..."  Does it put you at ease...make life simpler...provide a sense of rightness...is it useful in everyday life?  That is joy. (22)
  
• "If you think that tidying up just means getting rid of clutter, you're wrong...The true purpose is to find and keep the things you truly love, to display these proudly in your home, and to live a joyful life." (49)
  
• "Develop a solid sense of what bring us joy." (175)
  
• Question to ask self about sentimental items:  "Will the future me need this to spark joy?" (222)
  
• "Only when we accept unconditionally people whose values differ from our own can we really say we have finished tidying." (258)
  
• "When I start judging others, it's usually because something in my own life needs to be put in order. " (258)
  
• Daily tidying: 1- return things to proper place 2- thank them every time you use them  3- take good care of them  (259)
  
• If others want to begin tidying after seeing your example, only help them.  Do not criticize. (259-60)
  
• "Without exception the things in your home long to make you happy." (265)
  
• "Once you have dealt properly with the current phase of your life, the next will come to you naturally." (276)
  
• "Your mind determines to value of everything you own." (278)