''Danshari'' is a Japanese neologism referring to a form of systematic decluttering and
optimization
Mathematical optimization (alternatively spelled ''optimisation'') or mathematical programming is the selection of a best element, with regard to some criteria, from some set of available alternatives. It is generally divided into two subfiel ...
of the things in a home, and is composed of the words ''dan'' (refuse), ''sha'' (dispose) and ''ri'' (separate). It was coined by author
Hideko Yamashita to distinguish between
minimalists (who try to minimise their belongings), and those who try to optimize their belongings.
History
Hideko Yamashita introduced the concept of danshari in 2009, in her book ''Danshari: Shin Katazukejutsu'' (original title: 人生を変える断捨離). In 2010, danshari was nominated for a prize for new
buzzwords
A buzzword is a word or phrase, new or already existing, that becomes popular for a period of time. Buzzwords often derive from technical terms yet often have much of the original technical meaning removed through fashionable use, being simply ...
awarded by the Japanese publisher Jiyuukokuminsha.
The danshari method
In the danshari method of Hideko Yamashita, each part of the word refers to:
# Refuse: Refrain from unnecessary things you come across or are offered
# Dispose: Throw away unnecessary or unused things
# Separate: Let go and free yourself from attachment to things or desires for superfluous things
Rejecting what is not needed, throwing it away, and refraining from depending on it, is said to open one's mind, approach perfection and leading to an easier and more comfortable life.
In the wake of the book, other books have also been published which deal with dismissal in other contexts, and which recommend that it be practiced more in connection with work and relationships.
[向谷 (2011)][婦人公論編 (2013)]
Background
Yamashita's mother had a
collecting mentality rather than throwing things away, and bought
storage furniture to accommodate more things. She often complained that the house was difficult to clean, and too small.
[{{Cite web , title="断捨離"と"ヘヤカツ"で人生が劇的に変わる {{! 家庭 , date=28 May 2015 , url=https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/70895 , access-date=2020-12-21 , publisher=] Then Yamashita asked herself "Why don't you realize that the problem can be solved by reducing the number of things you have?"
She felt that the decluttering techniques in conventional books focused more on ''how'' to store things, but not what to get ''rid of'', and that people struggled with
fear
Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...
of throwing away things they had acquired. With an inspiration from her background in yoga, she looked for methods to ease fear, and the resulting methods were similar to those used in
behavioral therapy
Behaviour therapy or behavioural psychotherapy is a broad term referring to clinical psychotherapy that uses techniques derived from behaviourism and/or cognitive psychology. It looks at specific, learned behaviours and how the environment, or oth ...
.
See also
*
Marie Kondo
, also known as , is a Japanese organizing consultant, author, and TV presenter.
Kondo has written four books on organizing, which have collectively sold millions of copies around the world. Her books have been translated from Japanese into s ...
, another Japanese woman who launched the decluttering method konmari a few years later
*
Minimalism
In visual arts, music, and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...
References
2000s neologisms
Japanese words and phrases