'By tidying so much, I've learned all things have spirit in them' - Marie Kondo

We're going to be straight with you: we strongly suspect the decluttering craze sparked by Marie Kondo, author of the bestselling The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy is about something more than getting rid of all your junk.

In fact, in this episode of Tapestry, we suggest that people all over the world are smitten with the "KonMari Method" - and the #konmari hashtag where people post their before and after photos - because she's touching on something a little more profound than simple housekeeping.

You may have heard about it: you touch your old sweater, or book, or teapot, to see whether or not it "sparks joy". If it does, you keep it. If it doesn't, you thank it for its life of service to you… and then you let it go.

This is part of the process that Marie Kondo outlines in her KonMari Method. When you explore the philosophy behind her thinking, you begin to find a resemblance to many of the tenets of Shinto, a Japanese religion whose origins date back many centuries.

Kondo was a "miko", a Shinto shrine attendant, for five years and her method reflects the tradition's guiding principle of respecting the life-force in all things - even in 'inanimate' objects.

CONTEST CLOSED: Win a copy of Marie Kondo's latest book Spark Joy

We have three copies of Marie Kondo's latest book, Spark Joy: The Illustrated Guide to The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, to give away.

To enter your name into the draw, send us an email: [email protected].

Click here to read the CBC's generic contest rules.