Marie Kon-Don’t #1: Don’t Keep Things That Don’t Spark Joy

The central “don’t” of the KonMari Method for organization is don’t keep anything that doesn’t “spark joy.” Taking inventory of her clothing as Marie Kondo suggests, Happier blogger Nataly Kogan discovered that this is a simple and powerful concept to use in making decluttering decisions. What drives us to hang on to most things is the emotions we attach to them, she finds — everything from fond memories of the past to the thrill of the shopping “hunt” to feelings of guilt about the money spent. Ultimately, she says, “fewer things you love is better than many things you kinda like.”