50 Marie Kondo Quotes To Inspire You To De-Clutter Your Life (Both Mentally & Physically)

Get your life in order.

best marie kondo quotes spark joy declutter life tidying up quotes
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When you think of holding on to the past, the first thing that usually pops into mind is holding on to a person or situation that you should have let go of by now. But what about holding on to material things that serve no purpose in your life? Things that you just continue to store because you are too afraid or ashamed to throw away? 

Marie Kondo would tell you that holding on to clutter will only stifle your success. Marie Kondo is a best-selling author and acclaimed tidying expert. In her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing she explores the ways to live a life surrounded by only the things that spark joy. Everything else should be discarded.

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Kondo explains that it is hard to get rid of sentimental clutter, but that it is the only way to truly cherish the things we need and love. It is only when clutter is removed that we can live a more happy and peaceful life. Kondo helps people around the world transfer their homes from a place of clutter to a place of serenity.

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Her method, “The KonMarie Method”, is a state of mind.

The method places great value on being appreciative of your belongings for serving their purpose and understanding that sometimes they need to be let go. This way of life allows you to be more mindful of your surroundings. You are forced to pay close attention to what is already in your home so that you can either make better use of the things you need by making more room for them. You are more likely to stop accumulating items that will just take up space.

Here are our picks of the 50 best Marie Kondo quotes that will make you realize that you need to get your life in order and help you take the steps to do so.


1. Live in the moment.

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

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"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

2. Get your belongings in order. 

"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

3. The first step needed to make a change.

"People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking." — Marie Kondo

4. Requires being genuine and humble. 

"The true purpose of a present is to be received." — Marie Kondo

5. Get to the root of the problem.

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

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"Visible mess helps distract us from the true source of the disorder." — Marie Kondo

6. It'll save you time.

"We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of." — Marie Kondo

7. Put in constant effort. 

"People with large book collections are almost always diligent learners." — Marie Kondo

8. You have more than enough space.

"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

9. Don't feel bad about not finishing. 

"There's no need to finish reading books that you only got halfway through. Their purpose was to be read halfway." — Marie Kondo

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10. Dress the part.

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

"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

11. Every person you encounter teaches you a valuable lesson.

"Not every person you meet in life will become a close friend or lover. Some you will find hard to get along with or impossible to like. But these people, too, teach you the precious lesson of who you do like, so that you will appreciate those." — Marie Kondo

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12. It's all just an illusion.

"Storage experts are hoarders." — Marie Kondo

13. Get rid of it. 

"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 keep indefinitely." — Marie Kondo

14. Choose the most effective route. 

"You may think this is a waste of money, but reducing your stock and relieving yourself of the burden of excess is the quickest and most effective way to put your things in order." — Marie Kondo

15. Take your time with it.

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

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"The act of folding is far more than making clothes compact for storage. It is an act of caring, and expression of love and appreciation for the way these clothes support your lifestyle. Therefore, when we fold, we should put out heart into it, thanking our clothes for protecting our bodies." — Marie Kondo

16. There is a place for everything.

"The point in deciding specific places to keep things is to designate a spot for every thing." — Marie Kondo

17. A reflection of yourself. 

"The urge to point out someone else's failure to tidy up is usually a sign that you are neglecting to take care of your own space." — Marie Kondo

18. Just a means to an end. 

"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

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19. Stop putting it off. 

"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

20. Don't stay put in one of these categories. 

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

"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

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21. Ignore the outside voices. 

"If you can say without a doubt, 'I really like this!' no matter what anyone else says, and if you like yourself for having it, then ignore what other people think." — Marie Kondo

22. What are friends for?

"We need to show consideration for others by helping them avoid the burden of owning more than they need or can enjoy." — Marie Kondo

23. Protect your body. 

"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

24. Everything should be in its place.

"The essence of effective storage is this: designate a spot for every last thing you own." — Marie Kondo

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25. The knowledge is already inside you.

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

"Books you have read have already been experienced and their content is inside you." — Marie Kondo


RELATED: 25 Encouraging Quotes That Will Help You Make Peace & Let Go Of The Past


26. Make space for your future to show up.

"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

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27. You'll never know if you don't part ways. 

"The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don't." — Marie Kondo

28. Make your place one you're excited to come home to. 

"The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment." — Marie Kondo

29. No need to seek outside happiness. 

"When you wear and surround yourself with the things you love, your house becomes your own personal paradise." — Marie Kondo

30. Which one is it?

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

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"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

31. You can't hide from your thoughts. 

"When your room is clean and uncluttered you have no choice but to examine your inner state." — Marie Kondo

32. Take the necessary steps to live the life you want.

"The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life." — Marie Kondo

33. Stop sweeping things under the rug. 

"Those storage 'solutions' are really just a means within which to bury possessions that spark no joy." — Marie Kondo

34. Everything else is just being hoarded. 

"Human beings can only truly cherish a limited number of things at one time." — Marie Kondo

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35. There is no use for it. 

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

"Discard everything that does not spark joy." — Marie Kondo

36. Focus on what you can actually control. 

"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

37. Get closure. 

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

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38. Be appreciative. 

"I am extremely grateful to be surrounded by what I love, by things and people that are special, precious, and exceedingly dear to me." — Marie Kondo

39. Where's your safe place?

"Everyone needs a sanctuary." — Marie Kondo

40. Material things don't define you. 

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

"Just because you dispose of something does not mean you give up past experiences or your identity." — Marie Kondo

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41. Stop tidying and just clean. 

"Tidy a little a day and you'll be tidying forever." — Marie Kondo

42. You don't need a reason. 

"It's easy to get rid of things when there is an obvious reason for doing so. It's much more difficult when there is no compelling reason." — Marie Kondo

43. Reassess why you bought something in the first place. 

"To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose." — Marie Kondo

44. Everyone is at peace when they are where they belong. 

"Just as we like to come home and relax after day's work, our things breathe a sigh of relief when they return to when they return to where they belong." — Marie Kondo

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45. No need to keep buying things. 

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

"When my clients use what they already have in the house... they always find that they have exactly what they need to store their things." — Marie Kondo

46. Go the extra mile. 

"You could say that tidying orders the mind while cleaning purifies it." — Marie Kondo

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47. Only keep what you need. 

"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

48. You have too much on your plate. 

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

49. If you don't do it now, you never will. 

"The moment you first encounter a book is the right time to read it." — Marie Kondo

50. The objects in your life should bring you joy. 

Marie Kondo Quotes KonMari The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

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"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

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If you’re looking for a little inspiration, we’ve got the best quotes to share and savor. For quotes from the most inspiring celebs, activists, and poets, look no further! You might even find the quote that motivates the best parts of your life (and love!) forever.


Alexis George is a writer who covers love, relationship advice, astrology and personality topics.