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ABSTRACT
Examining the phenomenon of KonMari decluttering method, this study explores how objects move through the journey from "possession," and "organization," to "dispossession" and the role of happiness in the process. The results suggest personal symbolic classification serves as the primary anchor for consumer happiness rather than the physical objects.
INTRODUCTION
How do consumed objects move through the journey from possession to dispossession? Where do consumers find happiness in this process? Prior research seems to center around the two extreme ends. On one end, happiness can be found in consumption, both in the form of materials and experiences, albeit to a different extent (Nicolao, Irwin, & Goodman, 2009). On the other end, conscious dispossession such as anti-consumption has also proven to influence consumer happiness (Cherrier, 2009). This type of mindful consumer behavior is often thought to be aspired by the reflection of societal overconsumption (Sheth, Sethia, & Srinivas, 2011). The notion of overflowing items in possession has inspired another stream of research on the household organization and the need for tidiness (e.g., Lofgren, 2016). While the process of tidying things up is considered mundane, the domestic order is often linked to consumer tranquility. However, little is known about how these three stages 'possession,' 'organization,' and 'dispossession' work together and how happiness is perceived and influences the decisions during the practices. Focusing on a decluttering approach, KonMari Method (Kondo, 2014), this research aims to yield insights on object-subject relationships beyond what is currently available in the literature. While the prime focus of the method is to organize the domestic mess, it emphasizes on finding the joy sparked by items as the standard to decide whether to possess or discard. This sets a proper context to explore how consumers define happiness in their decision making.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Consumption, Anti-consumption, and Happiness
Materialism is thought to be the primary social drive for modern consumption. In the context, happiness is defined by the abundance and the capability of acquisition (Richins and Dawson, 1992). Investigating the view of "money can buy happiness," prior studies illustrate that consumption does lead to contentment. It is common for consumers to use object ownership as a mean to satisfy their psychological (Yu, Jing, Su, Zhou & Nguyen, 2016) and functional needs (Bhardwaj, Park...