“Is Joy Enough?” Why the Famous Decluttering Question Misses the Mark

Marie Kondo’s best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, brought one pivotal question to the decluttering conversation: “Does it spark joy?”

Suddenly, the concept of joy became the measuring stick for decluttering, and countless households began using it as the deciding factor to keep or toss their possessions.

While any call to own fewer things deserves applause, I feel we can delve deeper.

Look around. The typical American home has tripled in size in the last half-century and now holds over 300,000 items. We have more TVs than people in our homes. We’ve reached a point where even garages can’t hold cars anymore because they’re packed with stuff.

There’s a glaring problem here: Our lives are overflowing with material goods, yet happiness seems more elusive than ever.

This clutter isn’t just a physical burden. It’s a mental one too, affecting our well-being and draining our time and energy. We’re consuming ourselves into stress, exhaustion, and an ever-elusive sense of fulfillment.

So, the move toward simplification, as evidenced by the surge in interest in minimalism and the rise of organizations like the National Association of Professional Organizers, is a welcome one. And for that, Marie Kondo’s contribution is commendable.

However, personally, I find the question “Does it spark joy?” to be incomplete in guiding us toward a more meaningful life for three reasons:

1. Self-Centric Happiness

When we hinge our decluttering efforts solely on personal joy, we inadvertently place our own happiness above other important values. Research tells us that happiness is most effectively achieved when it’s a byproduct of enriching others’ lives.

2. Consumerism Remains

The question doesn’t help to curb our consumeristic inclinations. It’s easy to feel joy in the moment while shopping, which is exactly how we end up with excess in the first place.

3. Surface-Level Changes

Focusing on joy may declutter our space, but it doesn’t necessarily get to the root cause of why we accumulated so much stuff to begin with. Without that deeper understanding, we’re doomed to repeat our mistakes.

So, let’s change the question a bit.

Instead of asking, “Does it spark joy?” why not consider:

Does it align with my greater life goals?

The real question we should be asking is not just what we own, but why we own it.

Most of us desire to make a meaningful impact, to leave the world a bit better than we found it.

When my family embraced minimalism, it wasn’t just to declutter our space. It freed us to focus on what truly matters. It allowed us to create a non-profit, The Hope Effect, which aims to transform orphan care.

We were able to divert time, energy, and resources from managing possessions to changing lives.

This is the greater goal and promise of owning less: greater potential.

Owning less isn’t just about sparking joy… it can be about making a difference.

You might not share our specific passion, but you likely have your own causes, relationships, or dreams that your possessions either support or hinder. Keep what contributes to fulfilling your life goals, and reconsider the rest.

So next time you find yourself holding an item, wondering whether to keep it or let it go, ask: Does this help me live a life aligned with my greater purpose?

Decluttering is not just about tidying up spaces; it’s about freeing up lives.

Let’s not just spark joy within us, let’s ignite purposeful living and be the change we wish to see in the world.