Does it Have to Spark joy?

Keep only those things that speak to your heart.

Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.

Marie Kondo

"Does this spark joy?"

Why use joy as the standard for what you will keep?

It’s actually a rather high bar to set with your stuff. Just how high becomes clear when you start applying it.

The average American house contains 300,000 items. Many of them, possibly most of them, do not spark joy. So why are we keeping them?

We don’t know.

Seriously, when sorting and selecting items to keep, all of my clients, at some point, come across items they

do not want,

do not use, and

do not like.

They inevitably say,

“I have no idea why I kept this.”

Often, they add,

“I have no clue where I even got this.”

And yet, that item has taken up space in their home, sometimes for years.

There is no joy in that.

But those items are not the problem. They are easily donated or discarded.

Items that do spark joy—clearly enjoyed, frequently used and serving their purpose—are readily kept. No problem here either.

The real problem is all the stuff in between sparking joy and “why do I even have this?”

The “perfectly good,” but never used item.

The “this might come in handy someday” item.

The “I paid a lot of money for this” item.

The “I can’t get rid of this, _________ gave it to me” item.

This in between zone is your problem.

This is why you are struggling with clutter and disorganization. Getting rid of these good enough, someday-maybe, and just-in-case things opens up your home, your heart and your life to real, lasting change.

This is why you need the “Does this spark joy?” question as your guide.

It can feel risky, scary, or extreme.

It’s actually freeing, rewarding, and reasonable.

It’s also one of those areas in life that cannot be understood from the outside. It has to be experienced personally before you can truly know the rewards and freedom it brings.

Tell me:

Are you willing to give it a try?

What type of item is hardest for you to let go?