KURASHI

“The true purpose of tidying is not to cut down on your possessions or declutter your space,” says Marie. “The ultimate goal is to spark joy every day and lead a joyful life.” That goal — that inner why — can help guide everything that we do, and it expands well beyond the home. This is what Marie calls kurashi. 
konmari.com/what-is-kurashi/

(Japanese)  Meaning: life, living, livelihood, life circumstances
( And ooops not to be confused with Karoshi (Japanese: 過労死 ),  a Japanese term relating to occupation-related sudden death , usually by “over-work”  ,  heart attacks , stress-related strokes !! )  

Back to KURASHI – 

Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life
This Marie Kondo book summary finds me today on Blinkist .  I resonate with the peace that comes from pottering around one’s home ,  the charm of cleanliness , the delight of decluttering .   Marie Kondo  (DOB 9th October 1984)   -  Titan of Tidying Up.   Empress of the Enjoyable Environment movement.   Its not about neatness.  Its not about perfection.  Its not about pristine standards.   It’s about that which brings you joy. 
Listening to the 15 minute synopsis  has reinforced my own deep appreciation and awareness of simple objects and well used gadgets around my home and modest garden.   (Endless dried eucalyptus leave, spiders included ) .   I am transported back to the spring of 2019 in Japan , where we were smacked by the small yet highly efficient spaces of Tokyo and surrounds.  Every square inch of space was uniquely crafted , exemplifying the Japanese trait of always being and looking one step ahead .
I find myself viewing routine tasks and chores with a grateful perspective.   More of  a happy “I get to” attitude rather than “I got to”.     “I get to” wash dishes until they are clean , “I get to” smell the fragrance of clean laundry , “I get to” water the garden on a hot day .  “I get to” enjoy my groove  in a country that is safe and democratic.  
 
Functionality , making do , optimizing per se (whether space/life/time) are habits that appeal to me.   I  have lived in a large-ish family home in Australia with unending upkeep and housework.   “Rearranging” – is a manifestation of my inner joy and when I am at peace with the world.   Tinkering with my old artefacts.   Pruning plants in the alfresco.  Raking leaves in the garden for the umpteenth time ,  I feel the peace that I imagine monks in a monastery might experience at dawn.    I have also sampled (rather late in life)  a married-bachelorette’s regimen in Dubai in a spartan rented one bedroom apartment where I own nothing . Here ,  after the initial “scarcity withdrawal syndrome”    I have come to enjoy the richness of minimalism. To keep claustrophobia at bay ,  long daily walks are essential (even multiple times) , to ease the stress of driving in traffic and long days at work.   So you see, it’s not about the square metreage or the height of your ceiling.  It’s the feeling that these spaces evoke in you and others.       
 
“The true purpose of tidying is not to cut down on your possessions or declutter your space,” says Marie. “The ultimate goal is to spark joy every day and lead a joyful life.” That goal — that inner why — can help guide everything that we do, and it expands well beyond the home. This is what Marie calls kurashi   konmari.com/what-is-kurashi/
 
KURASHI  has its roots in the ancient Japanese Shinto religion , where supernatural beings called KAMI are said to inhabit all objects and aspects of nature.  Animistic and Polytheistic , regardless of our beliefs , it’s a nice perspective.

Imagine yourself as one of the objects .    Personify them .   Do you feel what they feel ?  What are they saying to you ?    A cup on the mug tree ?  A plant pot in the garden ?  A picture on the wall ?  The toilet brush?    Are they happy where they are ?  What do they experience on a daily basis ?  
Develop small routines and rituals .  Early morning or late night ones are the best.  Before the home stirs or after it sleeps.   More about personality and less about “perfection”.   A mistake I have often made in my younger and excessively house-proud days .  Admonishing the children for their messiness.   Wanting to keep up with those Jumeirah Joneses.   
Your home is your ambassador – how should it represent you ?      Have simple furniture that expresses the authentic you .  Quiet ?  Reserved ?  Friendly ?  Bustling ?   Warm ?   Fiery ? Unhurried ?  Busy ?   For most of us ,  our walls are a  safe haven from the madness we might experience outside now and again.   ( And yes, when this peace is sometimes shattered , we feel homeless until we recover ... )

​What if every decision you made, every goal you set and every aspect of your life was guided by what sparks joy?”

WHAT IS KURASHI AT HOME THEN ?

KURASHI is about respect.  Keeping things back in their space , in THEIR “home” , where they are comfortable ,  ready for reuse the next time and for the next person.     Tidying up brings joy  , automated mundane chores are a chance to practice meditation in one’s private temple. 
KURASHI is about recycling .  Getting rid of what has run its course , with gratefulness ,  and making way for something new and improved.   
KURASHI is about aligning your home and living space with your way of life , sparking joy and stirring pride in every task , object and space.