‘The Life-Changing Manga of Cleaning Up’ by Marie Kondo Reviewed by Deristhi Govender

I’ve just finished reading ’The Life-Changing Manga of Cleaning Up’ by Marie Kondo for the umpteenth time. Every time I finish reading it, I feel the need to tell everyone I know about it because it truly is life-changing. Though it is a graphic novel, I believe that people of all ages would enjoy and benefit from it. 

Chiaki Suzuki was a messy lady who was in the habit of falling in love quickly and frequently. One evening, after Chiaki’s cute neighbour, knocked on her door, and saw the mess she called home, Chiaki felt so embarrassed that she signed up for tidying lessons with Marie Kondo. Yes, tidying lessons are a thing! I couldn’t imagine how Marie Kondo was going to tackle the mountains of mess in Chiaki’s apartment, but boy, was I impressed when she set her KonMari method in motion. I bet you’re wondering how the KonMari Method works. Well, it encourages tidying up by category rather than by room, but you’ll have to read the book for more details. You’ll love the great tips listed at the end of each chapter. 

The story also includes how Marie Kondo became a tidying expert. It started with her reading lifestyle magazines, and I was surprised to learn that she actually had a nervous breakdown from tidying when she was in high school. You’ll have to bury your nose in this book to find out how she turned things around to become a best-selling author with her own Netflix show.  

This book also offers lots of quirky recommendations. Did you know that the only time that your socks get a chance to rest is when they’re in your drawer? After reading this book, you will completely rethink the way you store your clothes. Fortunately, Marie Kondo has included an entire section on the right way to fold clothes and let me tell you, once you try it, you will be hooked. 

Whenever I reach the last page of this story, I feel inspired to declutter and organize my room, but that said, this book is not only for neat freaks. It is not just about tidying up; it is about surrounding yourself with things that make you happy. In conclusion, I’m defending and keeping this book because it does what exactly cover says it will, it sparks joy in me.