The Reel Review
Making that New Year’s resolution to clean out the basement, closet or garage is a pretty typical goal made by millions of us around the world. But let’s admit it, within days, most of us fail miserably, resigned to cope with anxiety-inducing junk drawers and cluttered closets that make us shudder at the very sight of them. So the new eight-episode Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo just may be what we all need.
The Japanese-born diva of decluttering and best-selling author is proof that some reality TV shows can be positive experiences and don’t need to go to extremes in order to be interesting. Kondo’s KonMari method is simple – in each episode she visits an American household, asking them to divide ALL of their clutter into five separate categories, then dive in, holding up each possession, asking if it “sparks joy.” If it doesn’t, she instructs homeowners to thank it for its service, and get rid of it.
The 4’8″ Kondo has a calming, cheerful (and decidedly nonjudgmental) demeanor, which helps create a sense of camaraderie among her relatable homeowners and us viewers. After a couple of episodes of seeing homeowners shocked at their shockingly large piles of “stuff,” then later relieved at restoring order to their lives, you’ll get the picture and if you have clutter (which we all do to varying degrees), you will have renewed vigor to give it a go yourself. The show is pretty simple – even after a couple of episodes of checking out other people’s homes and witnessing heartfelt homeowner confessionals, seeing all that clutter gets monotonous. But Kondo’s goal, making us realize that tidying up is a huge anxiety reducer, is pretty terrific. Now go spark some joy!
REEL FACTS
• Netflix has a hit – but still no word on whether there will be a second season of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo
• Marie Kondo’s 2011 book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing has sold millions of copies in more than 30 countries
• Marie Kondo, who currently lives with her husband and two children in Los Angeles, was listed as one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People of 2015”
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