Marie Kondo – and if you don't know you need to know – is the tidying guru making us rethink how we live with 'stuff'. In her own words, Marie's mission is to 'spark joy in the world through tidying'.
Her insightful books have said to have sold over 11 million copies worldwide, and with a new Netflix show her cleaning fan base is growing ever bigger. Or is it?
Related: A day in the life of Marie Kondo; the tidiest person on Earth
It's become apparent through the world of social media that her ideology on de-cluttering books is far from sparking joy with some book lovers.
The Marie Kondo book debate
The debut 'Tidying Up with Marie Kondo' episode aired earlier this month, leaving viewers outraged by Marie's book-culling suggestions.
In one scene she asks the homeowners, 'Will these books be beneficial to your life moving forward?', before aiding the removal of generous piles of literature.
It's this very question that has sparked a backlash among book hoarders.
Marie Kondo's book policy appears to be that we should have no more than 30 books stored in the home.
Some book fans have reacted with a less than joyful response...
Hey have you heard that Marie Kondo suggests you have 30 books or less #jokesaboutreading #amirightJanuary 15, 2019
Marie Kondo alert except LOL at ‘keep 30 books’ that spark joy!30, really?? Where did that # come from?? What happens to our 2,450 other friends?? What if instead of sparking joy they make you think? So many questions early this AM - need data to believe the 30 pic.twitter.com/5F7B5U9CZoJanuary 15, 2019
Wait Marie Kondo is telling people to toss their books? THEIR BOOKS? pic.twitter.com/QQxAXwk3SqJanuary 4, 2019
was very intrigued by marie kondo's konmari method until she got to the category of throwing out books............. pic.twitter.com/GrEtCDefPBJanuary 5, 2019
"Ideally, keep less than 30 books."- Marie Kondo "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."- Jorge Luis Borges pic.twitter.com/LAjImts7dqJanuary 14, 2019
Despite the raging debate, at no point does Marie suggest burning unwanted books. Which some have lent a little humour to...
Marie Kondo: h-People With Too Many Books: I CANT BELIEVE YOURE FORCING ME TO BURN ALL OF MY BOOKSJanuary 4, 2019
There were cries of outrage online, the world over. All sparking the debate that most hadn't really understood the premise.
Feeling so sad that my fellow book lovers treat #MarieKondo so harshly! 😢 I for one adore Marie Kondo, and you may or may not know that I have *a lot* more than 30 books... It's not about that, it's about questioning materialism and, yes, hoarding. 1/2January 15, 2019
It's not all bad, there are those that thoughtfully took Marie's advice on board!
We didn't even get halfway through an episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo when we decided to go through all of our books. We now have four full boxes of books to donate and an empty bookshelf pic.twitter.com/9qk6T1CWCJJanuary 6, 2019
As the debate rages on, we say 'each to their own'. If you want to streamline your life, only keep 30 books you treasure. If you love books, keep as many as you like – just make sure they're stored beautifully.
Having a clear out? Read: Are you sitting on a fortune? Sell these household items second hand and make a tidy profit
That way, everyone's happy and filled with joy – just as Marie Kondo would wish.
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