There are few people whose names become verbs, William Hoover being the most famous. Now a Japanese woman in her mid-30s has joined that select group. Marie Kondo, the "decluttering guru," seems to be everywhere as the media advises on how to "Kondo" your apartment, your shopping and your children.
"KonMari," as she is known in her country, first became a publishing sensation in Japan. But her book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing," has since topped the New York Times bestsellers list and sold 5 million copies globally. A Netflix TV series, "Tidying Up With Marie Kondo," has turned her into an internet phenomenon, spawning oodles of social media memes.
