Divestment as investment: “Kondo-ing” selves in the context of overaccumulation

Abstract

The accumulation, display, and use of objects have long been recognized as a means through which individuals construct social position and the self. Consumption can thus be thought of as investment, with seemingly infinite payoff as more status items are consumed. However, in the context of overaccumulation, privileged individuals with “cluttered” homes are disposing of their still-valuable possessions. This article uses narrative and content analyses of a critical case, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, a Netflix program designed to help families with cluttered homes sort through their things, to explore the meanings associated with accumulating “too much”: namely, uncontrolled, unactualized selves; class transgression; and failed gender and parental roles. Discarding items, regardless of their value, reduces the clutter, which eliminates the problems symbolized by having too much. Thus, divestment is framed as a means through which individuals can invest in the self, particularly in class position, gender and parental roles, and agency.