Expanding on her enduring blockbuster, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (2014), Kondo moves her focus from belongings to kurashi or lifestyle. Still using her patented technique (examining each article and asking "does it spark joy?"), the author urges readers to visualize their ideal home (after tidying up, of course) and lifestyle choices. As she moves through each room, Kondo offers tips for making areas more playful and joyful. The Konmari method can also be used for social obligations and relationships, says the author. The key is to sift through these options and choose the ones that spark joy. Stories from her many clients are woven into the narrative, and the text is set tastefully amid nicely shot photographs of cleared spaces, striking accessories, and the serene author herself. Kondo includes worksheets in the appendix to guide readers in planning their ideal mornings, workdays, and evenings. Kondo's life has changed since the success of her first book, and she admits to challenges as a wife and mother. But she retains her overall peacefulness and her love of order, which readers find so very inspiring.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Kondo has a vast following, and her newest book is sure to attract legions of eager readers.

Kondo returns with a wise guide to achieving one's "ideal lifestyle" that builds upon the "spark joy" philosophy laid out in her bestselling The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She invites readers to ask themselves "what do you really want to put in order" and to imagine their perfect home. One's entryway should feel like "a sigh of relief" with just one pair of shoes left out for each family member, a living room should "foster conversation" and have a designated space for each object, and "a good kitchen makes cooking fun." Then come steps for tidying up each part of a daily routine: morning should involve a good breakfast, daytime plans should stick to an established schedule, and cotton or silk pajamas are a good idea for a calm evening. Along the way, Kondo includes family recipes, among them her mother's black vinegar chicken wing stew, miso soup, and "amazing amazake." While some suggestions will likely be a bridge too far (such as wiping the soles of one's shoes every day), the majority of her advice is sound and easy to implement. This one's another must-read for Kondophiles. (Nov.)