POSSESSED BY POSSESSIONS

MARIE KONDO IS A CLEVER WOMAN. In January 2019, she spun her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, into a Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, which convinced the masses that an orderly home begets an orderly life. The Kondo-ites were evangelical in their commitment to following the KonMari method, which advises people throw out anything that doesn’t “spark joy”. For many, decluttering was a born-again experience. Then, in November last year, she launched her online store, selling more than 100 items for the home. “Once you’ve completed your tidying, there is room to welcome meaningful objects, people and experiences into your life,” the site reads.

No one can accuse Kondo of being malicious. Human beings are possessed by possessions, and an online store is the inevitable next step in celebrity empire building (read: cash in while you’re still relevant). Her about-face from apparent minimalist to consumerist seems contradictory, yes, but is also emblematic of our attitudes towards