Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 25 July 2018
Japan's declutter queen Marie Kondo expands her empire

By LEANNE ITALIE sent forth into homes in 23
Associated Press countries, from Europe and
NEW YORK (AP) — People the Americas to Australia
often ask Japanese tidying and the Middle East. As for
queen Marie Kondo what her new show, Netflix or-
containers they need to dered an initial eight epi-
achieve her brand of or- sodes of her series of home
ganizational success. They consultations but will say
expect her to "reveal some little else on the record.
hitherto secret storage For now, it's all about the
weapon, " she explains in boxes, in pale pink, soft
her popular book. gray, taupe and purple
Instead, she advised when watercolor designs. The
"The Life-Changing Magic sets are dubbed Wonder,
of Tidying Up" was first pub- Harmony, Clarity and Bal-
lished in Japanese in 2011, ance. Customers ordering
"You can solve your storage the containers, for delivery
problems with things you al- in mid-September from her
ready have in the house." website, konmari.com , will
But Kondo's thinking has receive a series of emails
evolved as she's leveraged and other help online to
her massive, global fan guide them through the
base to expand her empire. In this July 11, 2018 photo, Japanese organizational expert Marie Kondo introduces her new line tidying process. Perhaps
She's now got an upcom- of storage boxes during a media event in New York. more importantly, she
ing Netflix show, a fledg- Associated Press hopes to connect devo-
ling corps of consultants tees to one another online
working around the world vate more people to actu- called Hikidashi, which "These are meant to en- via her take on social net-
to help her fans declutter ally complete all the steps means "drawer" in Japa- hance your experience of working. "I often hear that
their homes, and, on Tues- in her laborious KonMari nese) to hold such things as the KonMari Method." it is very difficult to sustain
day, she's launched her first Method of sorting, tossing sunglasses, handbags, pa- The boxes will also enhance your motivation to tidy
product line: six-piece sets and putting things away in pers, socks, undergarments her bottom line. Since Kon- when you're doing it all by
of beautiful, sturdy paper their right and righteous lo- and T-shirts, the latter three do unleashed the best-sell- yourself, so I very much feel
boxes for $89 a pop. cations. lovingly folded in the flat, ing "Life-Changing Magic," that having this community
In a recent appearance in The new storage sets are KonMari-sanctioned way including an English transla- is very important," Kondo
Manhattan to announce the shape and size of shoe so they stand upright. tion in 2014, she's published said. She has adorned just
the show and merchandise boxes. (Her book had rec- "I'm probably the only per- three other books, earned the interiors of the boxes.
line, Kondo said she thinks ommended using real shoe son in the world who makes a spot on Time magazine's One set has a purple tree
lovely storage options will boxes for organizing.) Small- such an official occasion 2015 list of 100 most influ- branch with white buds
spark the life-changing er boxes in the set are akin to introduce empty boxes," ential people and given inside. Others are done in
joy she wrote about in her to iPhone boxes (another the soft-spoken mother of birth to two girls, now 3 and abstract swirls. The idea,
book, which has sold more reuse hack she recom- two recently told a small nearly 2. Kondo said, is to "make the
than 10 million copies in mends). All are intended gathering of journalists She has given birth to a things that you store inside
40-plus countries. She also to be of service on shelves through a translator as she new business as well: con- happy," rather than merely
hopes the boxes will moti- or in drawers (the sets are unveiled the containers. sultants certified by her and hide belongings away. q

Michael Ondaatje named in Man Booker Prize long list

By NISHAT AHMED winner of the Golden Man tape.
Associated Press Booker winner on July 8, a This year's Man Booker
LONDON (AP) — Canadian special award to mark the Prize includes six U.K. writ-
author Michael Ondaatje Booker's 50th anniversary. ers, three from the United
has again made the Man His "Warlight" tells the story States, and two each from
Booker Prize list with his lat- of two orphans in London in Canada and Ireland.
est novel "Warlight," weeks the immediate aftermath The list includes four de-
after his book "The English of World War II. but novels and one from
Patient" was named the "'Warlight' contains an in- American novelist Rachel
best work of fiction from credible array of char- Kushner.
the last five decades of the acters through whom The list will be pared to
literary prize. Ondaatje tells the hidden, six finalists in September
Organizers on Tuesday an- barely spoken, tale of war, and the winner will be an-
nounced the 13 books in especially as it impacts on nounced on Oct. 16 at a
the long list for the presti- children," the judges said. black-tie dinner at London's
gious award, chosen from The list also includes the first Guildhall.
171 submissions this year — graphic novel to reach the The winner receives 50,000
the highest number of titles award's longlist. Written by pounds ($65,000).
that has been put forward Nick Drnaso, "Sabrina" is a The prize was originally Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist, poet and Booker Prize-
in the prize's 50-year history. story of a young girl who open to British, Irish and winner Michael Ondaatje reads book before his talk at the
Ondaatje's "The English goes missing — with the an- Commonwealth writers. Jaipur Literature Festival, in Jaipur, in the western Indian state
of Rajasthan.
Patient," which won the swers to her whereabouts Americans have been eli- Associated Press
Booker in 1992, was named possibly hidden in a video- gible since 2014. q