Netflix's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

[JoeFreedom]

Because Japan generally is cramped when it comes to owning space there is a real true need to get down to only the nitty gritty whereas we Americans often have more space to keep collecting stuff.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Amen. While I basically stopped buying books, (well, I limit it to 6 per year, and I borrow digital for the rest of my addiction), the thought of getting rid of books makes me so anxious!

 

[DisorientingSneeze]

Came across this today. Some dark comedy for sure, but I laughed.(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[blackforest]

I finally watched the first episode. Something about it really bugged me. Her husband was outraged that his frazzled wife staying home two small children wanted to hire outside help because he felt that “we” could be doing it “ourselves.” “We,” of course, means she. He is implicitly expressing that he doesn’t think his wife is working hard enough.

The fastest cure for this mentality, of course, is to leave Dad with the kids and some pumped milk for a Saturday - or even a weekend - and see just how much he “gets done.” Most otherwise clueless fathers catch on quickly . . .

Anyway, apparently I’m not the only one bothered by this white elephant in the room. The Emotional Labor On ‘Tidying Up With Marie Kondo’ Does Not Spark Joy

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

The fastest cure for this mentality, of course, is to leave Dad with the kids and some pumped milk for a Saturday - or even a weekend - and see just how much he “gets done.” Most otherwise clueless fathers catch on quickly . . .

I’m a veteran of two wars and I can honestly say I’ve had few days as draining as watching a fussy toddler for twelve hours.

 

[DisorientingSneeze]

This article popped up on a minimalist page I follow. Aaaand now I feel a little guilty about some of the memes I thought were funny.

To be fair, her assessment that Martha Stewart or the Girl wash your face lady don’t get made fun of because they are white seems like a swing and a miss. People DO make fun of them.

But I get why the author is upset. It would be like if there was a show that used vaguely Catholic concepts in people’s homes and everyone was making fun of it without knowing where it really came from.

http://huffp.st/PFtoTo9

 

[Irishmom2]

I never had a problem with Marie Kondo, or what she said. I realized it was a part of her culture/religion. I still think that just following her other tips can help. People that dismissed her because of things she said (Bow to your house etc.) came across as close minded and actually a bit judgmental. I actually think they were just looking for ways to dislike her, or to not Tidy their homes. We are always free to just incorporate the bits that make sense to us and put aside the rest.

Thanks for the link, DisorientingSneeze. I hadn’t realized so many people disliked her in the way that they do. As if anything she does is hurting anyone…

 

[DisorientingSneeze]

I hadn’t realized so many people disliked her in the way that they do. As if anything she does is hurting anyone…

I would say mocking her is prevalent enough that I had an unexplainable negative impression of her before watching the show. (Only from people criticizing the book) An episode or two in, I was like haters back off! She is awesome.

 

[halogirl]

It’s only a matter of time before I start asking you about that stuff you realise ?

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

 

[tomarin]

This article popped up on a minimalist page I follow. Aaaand now I feel a little guilty about some of the memes I thought were funny.

To be fair, her assessment that Martha Stewart or the Girl wash your face lady don’t get made fun of because they are white seems like a swing and a miss. People DO make fun of them.

But I get why the author is upset. It would be like if there was a show that used vaguely Catholic concepts in people’s homes and everyone was making fun of it without knowing where it really came from.

http://huffp.st/PFtoTo9

There is an element of animism to some of her suggestions (saying ‘thank you’ to objects before disposing of them) but it’s not clear that any other Japanese person would do that; i.e. it’s more of an invention of hers inspired by Shintoism rather than a bedrock Japanese cultural thing. A bit like all of the strange animal and vegetable-resembling ghosts visiting the bathhouse in ‘Spirited Away’ is more of an invention of Hayao Miyazaki’s than something explicitly taken from Japanese folklore.

 

[DarkLight]

I admit to sympathy with one response I saw - she said to get rid of anything that doesn’t spark joy, so I threw out the student loan bill, my good dress shoes, and 3 bags of vegetables.

 

[tomarin]

I admit to sympathy with one response I saw - she said to get rid of anything that doesn’t spark joy, so I threw out the student loan bill, my good dress shoes, and 3 bags of vegetables.

If you’re trying to downsize your belongings, you can also give things away rather than simply dump them in the trash, either to a charity or to individuals you know who might like the thing in question.

 

[DarkLight]

I was more referring to that what we need and what sparks joy aren’t always the same. I think most women’s dress shoes are stupidly designed torture devices, but I also recognize that I can’t show up to a job interview in sneakers - or even my plain but comfy mary janes. I tend to find personally that’s the category that’s hardest to keep up with: things I may not personally be invested in but that I need to have. A lot of stuff is just mundane. I need enough dishes to fix meals. I need socks and underwear. And that sort of thing is what creates clutter.

 

[tomarin]

I was more referring to that what we need and what sparks joy aren’t always the same. I think most women’s dress shoes are stupidly designed torture devices, but I also recognize that I can’t show up to a job interview in sneakers - or even my plain but comfy mary janes. I tend to find personally that’s the category that’s hardest to keep up with: things I may not personally be invested in but that I need to have.

Or what about a hammer? Is a hammer or some other utilitarian object like a stapler supposed to spark joy?

 

[DarkLight]

I’d have to imagine she has some accounting for such things, in fairness. It’s pretty obvious that there will be a lot of purely utilitarian things people own. It sounds like she’s aiming at people who mostly have issues with not getting rid of stuff they don’t need.

It’s a different mindset. I’ve definitely spent time where you didn’t get rid of anything you might need. Sure you never wear that shirt now, but if you can’t afford to replace the one you are wearing if it rips, hang on to what you’ve got.

 

[JanetF]

Okay, so I checked her out on YOU Tube and I’ve been folding my underwear similarly for years. The socks exactly, bras and panties not exactly but definitely folded and stacked in the drawer so I can see at a glance what’s available. I’m constantly purging my closet (well maybe not constantly), at least seasonly by hanging things with the hangers backwards when I change over the seasons, and then at the end of the season I can quickly see what hasn’t been worn and decide to donate. If I’m a hoarder of anything it’s book and quilting supplies, so I don’t purge those items EVER.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Hanging onto things just in case you might need them sometime is almost guaranteed to create clutter.

If you have some nice storage containers, for example, you don’t necessarily have to keep every disposable plastic container that enters your home just in case it might come in handy. One or two. Maybe that’s OK. Ten or twenty…not so good.

 

[DarkLight]

Hanging onto things just in case you might need them sometime is almost guaranteed to create clutter.

Yeah, I’m just saying it also depends on having the money to replace things. I’ve quite literally been at the point where buying a new shirt would have been a hardship. Better to have an extra shirt on hand rather than ending up wearing dirty clothes because you can’t afford more and you threw out what you had.

I appreciate the idea of getting rid of what you don’t need, but I also recognize it relies on being in a place where you’re sure you can get more if you need.