3 Reasons Why Every Writer Needs to Embrace the “Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”

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I’m pretty late to the party on this one, but oh well.

I’d heard about the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by home expert Marie Kondo. I read the blogs joking about how Marie wants you to throw everything in your house away. And my friends had talked about how they had attempted to do what she said, but had failed miserably.

And truth be told, I wasn’t ready for her work then. But as a global quarantine has continued, I found myself curious about this “magic of tidying up”, since I was at home more.

But also, I remembered part of her method was that things in your home should spark joy. As a book coach and a writer, I spend a lot of time working from home. I enjoy spaciousness with my time, but am I enjoying my physical space enough?

And what if my physical space was hindering me mentally? 

So one Sunday afternoon, I binged Marie’s Netflix show and sorted through papers, catch-all drawers, my bookshelf and clothes. To be fair, I’ve been aiming towards a minimalist lifestyle the last few years, so it wasn’t such a mountain to climb.

But I was surprised at the items I had held onto, and doubly surprised by how much lighter I felt by walking around my apartment seeing only things I loved.

It made sitting down to write at my desk easier. I felt more focused and free. And you can too.

As you start your own decluttering journey, remember these words from Marie:

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

Let’s get to tidying.

1. Room for White Space

My first studio apartment was tiny. And when I say tiny, I mean I could stand in the middle of the living space and touch each wall with my hands spread out. But there was this beautiful view outside of my window, and my desk fit perfectly there. 

I imagined sitting there with a cup of tea early in the morning and writing my best pages. In two years, I sat at my desk twice. Maybe three times.

For one, the desk and chair looked cute, but were not comfortable. The thought of banging my knees on a desk that was not made for tall people, while sitting on a wooden chair, was enough to keep me away.

But I also had a lot of stuff in my apartment because it was so small. I felt suffocated. Whenever I sat down (on my bed) to write, I would just stare at my room and think of how I wish I had more storage. Then, I ‘d be off looking at IKEA solutions.

I didn’t need more boxes to store more things. I needed fewer things. From stacks of random papers from workshops to books I didn’t even like looking at on my bookshelves, my life was filled with items that were weighing me down. As Marie says:

From observing my clients, I have noticed that when they discard excess clothing, their tummies tend to slim down, when they discard books and documents, their minds become clearer, when they reduce the number of cosmetics and tidy up the area around the sink and bath, their complexion tends to become clear and their skin smooth.

Now, I’m sure she wasn’t thinking of my tiny apartment which had one closet, but I wonder how many pages I could have written if I had kept only the things I really loved.

How much more free would I have felt, even in a small space? How lovely would it have been to utilize my dreamy writing window if I had a desk and chair I was excited to sit at.

It doesn’t take much to transform a space, even the little ones, into places where our creativity can thrive.

2. Keeping Only the Pages That “Spark Joy”

As a writer, you’re attached to your pages.

You’re dreaming about your story even when you’re not writing. And even as you get feedback, you’re holding onto parts of your book that may not be serving you anymore.

In the words of Marie:

The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.

Maybe, your opening chapter worked 6 months ago, but as you’ve written 200 new pages, the story has shifted. 

Maybe, there’s a chapter your book coach keeps pointing to that’s not working.

Or perhaps, there’s a section of your book you don’t even like to read — it’s just a filled section to get somewhere else.

Cut it.

You want to have a story people can’t put down, right? You wish for people to pour over every scene with a vibrant heart, right? So, why are you keeping story parts that bum you out?

Use the KonMari method of thanking the scene or section for serving its purpose in your story and remove it.

Those pieces were needed to get you to this point, but if your story no longer needs them, you’re better off without them.

3. Trusting You Have Everything You Need

Part of my job as a book coach is to bring out the best stories of my clients. 

Even the most confident writers have a deep fear they need more time, space or even knowledge before they bring their work to light.

Like the need to collect objects because of a belief there isn’t enough in the first place, this scarcity mindset does more harm than good. 

What if you believed you had all the tools you needed for this phase of your book?

What if you trusted you knew the next step of your story?

What if you decided the time you have to write is the right amount of time for where you are now?

Instead of wishing you had more, be grateful for what you have. Just like in tidying up your space, focus on what to keep and trust those items to do well for you.

When you eliminate the clutter and allow yourself space to think, you’ll step into a place of authority for your book and your life. Let go of the excess papers, books and even ideas holding you back. Be free to say goodbye, and you could say hello to a whole new writing life.