Top 100 Marie Kondo Quotes To Spark Joy In Your House And Your Life

Lydia Samson
Dec 12, 2023 By Lydia Samson
Originally Published on Mar 13, 2021
Edited by Isobel Murphy
Marie Kondo photographed
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Age: 0-99
Read time: 14.4 Min

Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant, TV show host, and author.

Her phrase, "spark joy", has become immensely popular after the success of the Netflix show, 'Tidying Up With Marie Kondo'. Marie Kondo quotes have taught us to get rid of excess clutter and put all the things away from the past that don't contribute to our lives anymore.

Kondo has also written a hugely popular book, called 'The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up'.

We have gathered the best Marie Kondo tips and quotes (including Marie Kondo quotes on office wellness and cleanliness, Marie Kondo spring cleaning quotes, and many more inspiring Marie Kondo quotes) that will help you get rid of items from the past and focus on the present through decluttering and cleaning.

If you like these Marie Kondo quotes, check out these bliss quotes and kitchen quotes too, but for now let's dig into these inspiring and useful Marie Kondo quotes!
 

Organizing Marie Kondo Quotes

Are you ready to discover some interesting Marie Kondo quotes, from the author of 'The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up'? Here are some organizing quotes from Marie Kondo that make you really delve into objects of the past by organizing stuff around you, and deciding what you can and cannot live without.

1.“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. "

-Marie Kondo.

2."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.”

-Marie Kondo.

3."Your storage space is your private paradise, so personalize it to the fullest."

— Marie Kondo.

4."Your past will become a weight that holds you back and keeps you from living in the here and now. To put things in order means to put your past in order, too. It’s like resetting your life and settling your accounts so that you can take the next step forward."

-Marie Kondo.

5.“Putting your house in order is the magic that creates a vibrant and happy life.”

— Marie Kondo.

6."Warranties are only used once a year if at all. What point is there in carefully sorting and separating them when the odds that they will be needed are so low?”

— Marie Kondo.

7.“The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”

— Marie Kondo.

8."It is only when you put your house in order that your furniture and decorations come to life."

-Marie Kondo.

9.“When your room is clean and uncluttered, you have no choice but to examine your inner state.”

— Marie Kondo.

10."If you are going to buy clothes, choose them with the intention of welcoming them into your home and caring for them. "

-Marie Kondo.

11."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."

-Marie Kondo.

12.“I recommend storing vertically anything that can be stood up.”

— Marie Kondo.

13.“The essence of effective storage is this: designate a spot for every last thing you own.”

— Marie Kondo.

14.“There is no need to buy dividers or any other gadget. You can solve your storage problems with things you already have in the house. The most common item I use is an empty shoebox.”

—Marie Kondo.

15.“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.”

—Marie Kondo.

Marie Kondo Quotes About Clutter

Clutter is those unnecessary things that really need to be out of your life and these Marie Kondo quotes are going to help you do that. Which of these Marie Kondo quotes about putting clutter in your past will help you discover 'The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up'?

16.“Storage experts are hoarders.”

— Marie Kondo.

17."One reason so many of us never succeed at tidying is because we have too much stuff."

— Marie Kondo.

18."Now imagine yourself living in a space that contains only things that spark joy. Isn't this the lifestyle you dream of?"

-Marie Kondo.

19.“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.”

—Marie Kondo.

20.“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.”

— Marie Kondo.

21.“Start with clothes, then move on to books, papers, komono (miscellany), and finally things with sentimental value.”

— Marie Kondo.

22.“What you don’t need, your family doesn’t either.”

-Marie Kondo.

23."Storage, after all, is the sacred act of choosing a home for my belongings."

— Marie Kondo.

24.“Your parents’ home is not a haven for mementos.”

— Marie Kondo.

25.“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?”

— Marie Kondo.

26."Mysterious cords will always remain just that — a mystery."

-Marie Kondo.

27.“Boxes are surprisingly bulky. Discard or recycle the box your cell phone comes in as soon as you unpack it. You don’t need the manual or the CD that comes with it either. You’ll figure out the applications you need through using it.”

— Marie Kondo.

28.“If you are aiming for an uncluttered room, it is much more important to arrange your storage so that you can tell at a glance where everything is than to worry about the details of who does what, where, and when.”

— Marie Kondo.

29."Never, ever tie up your stockings. Never, ever ball up your socks. "

-Marie Kondo.

30.“When people revert to clutter no matter how much they tidy, it is not their room or their belongings but their way of thinking that is at fault.”

—Marie Kondo.

31."The reason every item must have a designated place is because the existence of an item without a home multiplies the chances that your space will become cluttered again."

-Marie Kondo.

Declutter Quotes

Still enjoying the Marie Kondo quotes? There are so many more great Marie Kondo quotes to come! Declutter your house and working space with these amazing Marie Kondo quotes on decluttering.

32.“I recommend you dispose of anything that does not fall into one of three categories: currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or must be kept indefinitely.”

— Marie Kondo.

33.“We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.”

— Marie Kondo.

34."The purpose of a letter is fulfilled the moment it is received. By now, the person who wrote it has long forgotten what he or she wrote and even the letter’s very existence. "

-Marie Kondo.

35."The process of facing and selecting our possessions can be quite painful. It forces us to confront our imperfections and inadequacies and the foolish choices we made in the past."

-Marie Kondo.

36.“There are three approaches we can take toward our possessions: face them now, face them sometime, or avoid them until the day we die.”

— Marie Kondo.

37."Just because you dispose of something does not mean you give up past experiences or your identity. Through the process of selecting only those things that inspire joy, you can identify precisely what you love and what you need."

-Marie Kondo.

38.“The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.”

— Marie Kondo.

39."The thoughts of disposing of them sparks (sentimental items) the fear that we’ll lose those precious memories along with them. But you don’t need to worry. Truly precious memories will never vanish even if you discard the objects associated with them."

-Marie Kondo.

40.“To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To throw away what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful.”

— Marie Kondo.

41.“All you need to do is take the time to sit down and examine each item you own, decide whether you want to keep or discard it, and then choose where to put what you keep.”

— Marie Kondo.

42.“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.”

— Marie Kondo.

43."Once you learn to choose your belongings properly, you will be left only with the amount that fits perfectly in the space you currently own."

— Marie Kondo.

44.“Getting rid of other people’s things without permission demonstrates a sad lack of common sense.”

— Marie Kondo.

45.“Sorting papers rule of thumb: Discard everything once.”

— Marie Kondo.

46.“The process of deciding what to keep and what to discard will go much more smoothly if you begin with items that are easier to make decisions about. As you gradually work toward the harder categories, you will be honing your decision-making skills. ”

— Marie Kondo.

47.“Don’t you think it is unnatural for us to possess things that don’t bring us joy or things that we don’t really need?”

— Marie Kondo.

48."If you have not yet felt a click, don’t worry. You can still reduce. "

-Marie Kondo.

Marie Kondo Quotations About Cleaning

Cleaning of the house with the help of mop and a bucket

These quotations about cleanliness are the ultimate Marie Kondo cleaning quotes for motivation. Which Marie Kondo quotes from the author of 'The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up' will inspire you?

49."Our parents demanded that we clean up our rooms, but they too, had never been trained in how to do that. When it comes to tidying, we are all self-taught."

-Marie Kondo.

50.“I’m sure most of us have been scolded for not tidying up our rooms, but how many of our parents consciously taught us how to tidy as part of our upbringing?”

— Marie Kondo.

51."The best method is to experiment and enjoy the process."

-Marie Kondo.

52.“It’s a very strange phenomenon, but when we reduce what we own and essentially ‘detox’ our house, it has a detox effect on our bodies as well.”

—Marie Kondo.

53."You could say that tidying orders the mind while cleaning purifies it."

— Marie Kondo.

54.“When we disperse storage of a particular item throughout the house and tidy one place at a time, we can never grasp the overall volume and therefore can never finish. To escape this negative spiral, tidy by category, not by place.”

— Marie Kondo.

55."Rebound occurs because people mistakenly believe they have tidied thoroughly, when in fact they have only sorted and stored halfway."

— Marie Kondo.

56.“Although we can get to know ourselves better by sitting down and analyzing our characteristics or by listening to others’ perspectives on us, I believe that tidying is the best way.”

— Marie Kondo.

57."In essence, tidying ought to be the act of restoring balance among people, their possessions, and the house they live in."

-Marie Kondo.

58."As you reduce your belongings through the process of tidying, you will come to a point where you suddenly know how much is just right for you."

-Marie Kondo.

59. “The ultimate secret of success is this: If you tidy up in one shot, rather than little by little, you can dramatically change your mind-set.”

— Marie Kondo.

60.“Tidy a little a day and you’ll be tidying forever.”

— Marie Kondo.

61.“Tidying is the act of confronting yourself.”

— Marie Kondo.

62.“The lives of those who tidy thoroughly and completely, in a single shot, are without exception dramatically altered.”

— Marie Kondo.

63.“The essence of effective storage is this: designate a spot for every last thing you own.”

— Marie Kondo.

64."To quietly work away at disposing of your own excess is actually the best way of dealing with a family that doesn't tidy."

— Marie Kondo.

65.“Tidying your physical space allows you to tend to your psychological space.”

-Marie Kondo.

66.“Tidying orders and relaxes the mind.”

— Marie Kondo.

67."So I can tell you from experience that you will never get your house in order if you only clean up half-heartedly."

-Marie Kondo.

68."Have you ever found yourself unable to study the night before an exam and begun frantically tidying? I confess, I have. In fact, for me it was a regular event."

-Marie Kondo.

Life-Changing Quotes From Marie Kondo

 

Are you ready for the final installment of Marie Kondo quotes? Some Marie Kondo quotes will change your life with easy decluttering and cleaning solutions. Which of these Marie Kondo quotes is your favorite?

69.“People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking.”

— Marie Kondo.

70.“No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now are more important.”

— Marie Kondo.

71.“Cherish the things you love. Cherish yourself.”

— Marie Kondo.

72."The true purpose of a present is to be received."

-Marie Kondo.

73.“Being messy is not hereditary nor is it related to lack of time.” —

Marie Kondo.

74.“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.”

—Marie Kondo.

75.“By starting with the easy things first and leaving the hardest for last, you can gradually hone your decision-making skills, so that by the end, it seems simple.”

— Marie Kondo.

76.“As for you, pour your time and passion into what brings you the most joy, your mission in life.”

— Marie Kondo.

77.“Letting go is even more important than adding.”

— Marie Kondo.

78."Visible mess helps distract us from the true source of the disorder."

-Marie Kondo.

79.“We amass material things for the same reason that we eat—to satisfy a craving. Buying on impulse and eating and drinking to excess are attempts to alleviate stress.”

— Marie Kondo.

80.“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.”

— Marie Kondo.

81."Even if we remain unaware of it, our belongings really work hard for us, carrying out their respective roles each day to support our lives."

-Marie Kondo.

82.“There’s no need to finish reading books that you only got halfway through. Their purpose was to be read halfway.”

— Marie Kondo.

83.“After all, our possessions very accurately relate the history of the decisions we have made in life.”

— Marie Kondo.

84.“Human beings can only truly cherish a limited number of things at one time. As I am both lazy and forgetful, I can’t take proper care of too many things.”

— Marie Kondo.

85.“Repetition and wasted effort can kill motivation, and therefore it must be avoided.”

— Marie Kondo.

86.“Be sure to completely finish the first task before starting the next.”

— Marie Kondo.

87."Everyone needs a sanctuary."

— Marie Kondo.

88.“Follow your intuition and all will be well.”

— Marie Kondo.

89.“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.”

— Marie Kondo.

90."The people I meet work not only hard to refine both body and mind but also remember to ask the gods for extra luck. "

-Marie Kondo.

91.“The more time it takes, the more tired you feel, and the more likely you are to give up when you’re only halfway through.”

— Marie Kondo.

92.“A person’s awareness and perspective on his or her own lifestyle are far more important than any skill at sorting, storing, or whatever.”

— Marie Kondo.

93.“Never discard anything without saying thank you and good-bye.”

— Marie Kondo.

94."Books you have read have already been experienced and their content is inside you, even if you don’t remember."

-Marie Kondo.

95.“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.”

— Marie Kondo.

96.“People with large book collections are almost always diligent learners.”

-Marie Kondo.

97."But it is human nature to resist throwing something away even when we know that we should."

— Marie Kondo.

98.“If you want the book so badly after getting rid of it that you’re willing to buy another copy, then buy one—and this time read and study it.”

—Marie Kondo.

99."People who can't stay tidy can be categorized into just three types: 'the can't throw it away type', 'the can't put it back type', and 'the first-two-combined' type."

— Marie Kondo.

100."Don’t let your family see what’s here. If at all possible, take the bags out yourself. There’s no need to let your family know the details of what you throw out or donate."

-Marie Kondo.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Marie Kondo quotes, then why not take a look at these life is what you make it quotes and live life to the fullest quotes too?

Main image credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
 

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Written by Lydia Samson

Bachelor in Science specializing in Mass Communication

Lydia Samson picture

Lydia SamsonBachelor in Science specializing in Mass Communication

A diligent and driven mass communications graduate from Caleb University, Lydia has experience in media and a passion for digital marketing and communications. She is an effective communicator and team-builder with strong analytical, management, and organizational skills. She is a self-starter with a positive, can-do attitude.

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