Here's What Marie Kondo Says to Do With Household Essentials That Don't "Spark Joy"
By now, you've likely heard of home organization wizard, Marie Kondo. Even if you haven't read her book, or watched her Netflix show, you've probably learned her guiding principle in the battle against clutter: If something doesn't "spark joy," toss it. (P.S. The succinct book is still worth reading.)
But what happens when you find yourself with a household item that doesn't necessarily spark joy but is essential nevertheless? Kondo has an answer for that, as Reader's Digest recently unearthed. In 2015 on a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) exchange with the organizational guru on the popular message board, an inquirer asked, “What do you recommend to your clients when something does not bring joy, but is necessary and can’t simply be discarded? For example, a winter coat if you live in a cold climate, or a set of dishes. Do you recommend that people keep those items or buy joyful items to replace them?"
More on cleaning:
Kondo's reply was straightforward yet inspiring, urging us to re-frame how we view everyday products and necessary items we store in our homes: "If the person already found the similar item that sparks joy to you, go ahead and replace it with that new item. However, if you have not found anything replaceable with, just stick with what you have again and again. Those things are helping you every single day," Kondo explained. "So you should appreciate how they are contributing to your life. Change the relationship with those items, by appreciating their contributions to your life."
We don't know about you, but we love this thoughtful philosophy.