The only thing I've gotten from the book is a way to fold (which is awesome). Other things I do relating to the book are more properly relegated to this thread, as opposed to the book itself. Kondo's leanings don't quite get me all excited, but I think that some of the stuff people have commented recently made me a bit concerned.
Personally, I think the main thing she's selling - to keep only things that give you joy - doesn't make sense. Not everything is made to give you joy. Most tools are just tools. Does this USB cable give me joy? No, but it takes up a small amount of space and I like to have an extra one for certain situations. A bag of screws certainly doesn't give me joy, but that bag has saved me several trips to a hardware store.
I think the quirkyness is part culture, though.
And after hearing the whole book I would perhaps sum up my impression of her aproach thus: she puts weight in the fact that tidying is emotional, not logical. Anyone may sit down, make a list of "things I need" and then toss all else. It's as simple as making a grosery list (though more timeconsuming). Yet we don't do that.
She nods to usefull things that doesn't bring "joy", and then debates if that item, be it a screw, cord or box is of use. Do you keep it "in case" and have for 3 years with no use? Is it easy to get your hands on? Pass it on. To get use out of something is a form of joy to her. My pots and pan doesn't "spark joy" when I hold them. They're old and battered. But they DO help me make many culinary joys. That tray I never use on the other hand, never brings me joy of any sort and so I gave that one away. It's a, to me, new yet very effective way to think.
I totally understand about the "sparking joy" issue. Very few of my items spark joy, but I do use them a lot.
I've taken away that I need to do an entire subsection in a day. I made so much progress with my clothing (which is the only thing I've used for the KonMari method to do) in a short period of time. It was also helpful to have a list, finish the entire process (no breaks), and reap the benefits so quickly. I'm planning to do books with my husband this weekend.
Some of Marie Kondo's terminology and tendencies (greeting houses) is bizarre. However, the bigger picture of reducing possessions and not hoarding them in storage containers speaks to me.
It is part culture, and part her religion. The idea that stuff does hold our energy is interesting, and translates well to decluttering.
However, I will say that 'sparking joy' is an interesting way of looking at things. If a USB cable that you use all the time doesn't spark joy, why do you use it? Every time I plug it in, I tend to think of all the awesomeness that goes with it. There is somewhere where coal, nuclear, or wind is harnessed (and I do prefer wind) that then sends all that electricity down the wires to me. It then goes into a battery that stores that, whether it be my remote re-charger, my laptop, or my UPS's (which runs my servers). Thinking about all that does spark joy in me. I shifted my thinking and reclaimed the whole sparking joy thing. It wasn't religiously based as Kondo's bit, but still...