This excess is caused by our ignorance of how much we actually own.

This is why tidying must start with discarding. We need to exercise self-control and resist storing our belongings until we have finished identifying what we really want and need to keep.

The work involved can be broadly divided into two kinds: deciding whether or not to dispose of something and deciding where to put it. If you can do these two things, you can achieve perfection. Objects

material, such as stiff leather or thickly woven cloth, or of purses for special occasions,

the

you did for me today.” Next,

and put

creates a vibrant and happy

Japanese term that the dictionary defines variously as “small articles; miscellaneous items;